1. A router for interconnecting external devices coupled to said router, said router comprising: a switch fabric; and a plurality of routing nodes coupled to said switch fabric, wherein each of said plurality of routing nodes comprises packet processing circuitry capable of transmitting data packets to, and receiving data packets from, said external devices and further capable of transmitting data packets to, and receiving data packets from, other ones of said plurality of routing nodes via said switch fabric, wherein said packet processing circuitry comprises: a first network processor comprising a first plurality of microengines, each of said first plurality of microengines capable of performing security and classification functions associated with said data packets; and a second network processor comprising a second plurality of microengines, each of said second plurality of microengines capable of performing security and classification functions associated with said data packets.