An integrated processor-controlled router and switch fabric architecture
provides connectivity between local area network (LAN) ports of an
Ethernet switch serving a plurality of local area network users and a
wide area network (WAN) port that provides connectivity with the
internet. The integrated switch fabric treats the processor interface
back to the router as though it were a regular LAN port; as a result, all
incoming (WAN-to-LAN) traffic and all outgoing (LAN-to-WAN) traffic
relative to the processor interface can be mirrored to any LAN port of
the Ethernet switch.