1. A computer system for forwarding packets, the system comprising: a processor; and a storage device storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising: receiving, by a communication component from a coordinating entity, a command message to store a current state of the component, wherein the communication component is used in processing messages based on a name, and wherein a name is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier (HSVLI) which comprises contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level; determining a current state for the communication component; and storing the current state for the communication component in a data structure.