Inventors:
John E. Gavlik - Oxnard CA
Assignee:
National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:
G06F 124
Abstract:
There is disclosed, for use in a communication device comprising a plurality of network interface cards for communicating with an external data network, an apparatus for simultaneously transferring a replacement program into a plurality of dedicated memories in the plurality of network interface cards. The apparatus comprises: 1) a replacement program memory for storing the replacement program; 2) a first microcontroller coupled to the replacement program memory and having a first dedicated memory associated therewith; and 3) a second microcontroller coupled to the replacement program memory and having a second dedicated memory associated therewith. After a power reset has occurred, the first microcontroller monitors a first signal line to the replacement program memory to determine if the second microcontroller is transferring the replacement program from the replacement program memory to the second dedicated memory and wherein the first microcontroller, in response to a determination that the second microcontroller is transferring the replacement program, transfers at least a portion of the replacement program to the first dedicated memory as the replacement program is read from the replacement program memory by the second microcontroller.