Method and system for controlling UTOPIA buses

According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for managing communication in a network line card is provided. The system includes at least two UTOPIA bus controllers. Each UTOPIA bus controller is operable to control a particular one of a plurality of UTOPIA buses. The system also includes at least two sets of UTOPIA physical devices associated with respective ones of the UTOPIA bus controllers. Each set of UTOPIA physical devices is coupled to a respective one of the UTOPIA buses. The system also includes a multiplexer coupled to the UTOPIA bus controllers. The system also includes a same pin coupling each of the UTOPIA buses to the respective UTOPIA bus controllers through the multiplexer.