A method, computer program product, and data processing system for distributed control of network elements is disclosed. The present invention divides the control plane functions of a network element into subsystems, which are implemented as processes or threads. A bus-like messaging framework allows the subsystems to communicate with each other. Under the messaging framework, subsystems can communicate with each other without regard for whether the subsystems reside on separate (possibly heterogeneous) hardware platforms or on the same processor. This architecture allows individual components of the control plane functions of a single network element to be placed on different processors or on the same processor, depending on the desired degree of parallel processing or level of integration with low-level network-element hardware.