Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for receiving a request for access to a memory space of an Advanced Switching device, the memory space including a first memory segment and a second memory segment, determining access permissions for the requested memory space, and processing the access request when an access is determined to be permitted. The techniques include identifying a source of the request as a node configuration packet processor, and denying the access if the node configuration packet processor is requesting access to the second memory segment which is assigned to a hidden storage device.