A communication network element comprises an I/O interface, memory, processing circuitry, and bus structure. The I/O interface receives and transfers a user packet. The memory stores the user packet, management software, and communication applications. The processing circuitry executes the management software to provide a manager and executes the communication applications to provide service functions. The service functions retrieve the user packet from the memory based on memory pointers, process the user packet, and store the processed user packet in the memory. The manager transfers the memory pointers between the service functions. The bus structure couples the I/O interface, the memory, and the processing circuitry.