A system for transferring data packets between a data packet transfer core and a number of clients of an application layer, including an interface between the data packet transfer core and the application layer for transferring data packets from the packet transfer core to a first client and a second client. The data packet transfer core includes a number of core buffers for receiving data packet transfers input to the data packet transfer core. Each of the number of core buffers include a cut-through data path including a register and a bypass data path, the bypass data path transferring data packets from an input to the register to an output of the register without passing through the register. The system further includes a first data path from the first interface to the first client and a second data path from the interface to the second client, the second data path including an application layer buffer having an input coupled to the interface and an output coupled to the second client, the application layer buffer being for storing data packets transmitted to the second client when data packets are transmitted to the second client at a rate that is faster than the second client is able to receive the data packets. In a first mode of operation, data packets transmitted from the data packet transfer core to the first client are transferred through the bypass data path of at least one of the number of core buffers, over the interface and directly to the first client over the first data path.