Virtual routers within a single physical router share a centralized data plane containing a centralized switch fabric and a plurality of physical network interfaces, each assigned to only one virtual router. Using a logical cut-through device between a pair of virtual routers designated respectively client and server, packet forwarding information from the server is imported into the client, which creates, allocates, and maintains a data structure for the imported information, which then resides on the client interfaces. This imported forwarding information is then integrated into a single forwarding table that is used to recognize an incoming packet at the client and forward it appropriately out through a server interface with a single packet forwarding decision in a single transit through the switch fabric. Within a physical router, a client virtual router can communicate with multiple servers and can concurrently function as a server to multiple clients.
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