Data packet processing system and method for a router

This invention relates to a data packet processing system and method for a router, and more particularly, to a data packet processing system and method for a router which uses a packet switching software for routing data packets between data networks. A data packet processing system is provided for a router having a multiprocessor architecture comprising a master node and a processor array of multiple slave nodes. A packet switching software of the router is partitioned into a main forwarding program which is loaded in the master node, and a set of procedures which is loaded into the slave nodes. The system assigns to each data packet a program counter which defines a sequence of procedural calls in the main forwarding program. By stepping through the program counter in the master node, each procedural call is forwarded to and executed by one of the slave nodes.