System and method for in-system programming

A system, such as a complex computer system (200), incorporates several programmable logic devices (210, 211, 206, 208) coupled to load their configuration code from associated EEPROMs (212, 214, 216); typically this load is automatic on powerup. The EEPROMs connect to one of several serial busses (222, 224), typically JTAG busses, connecting the EEPROMs (212, 214, 216) with a common configuration logic (228). A processor (236) is configured to write programmable logic configuration code from memory through the common configuration logic (228) and over the serial busses (222, 224) into the EEPROMs (212, 214, 216). The processor (236) is also capable of connecting to a network (241) and fetching configuration code from a database (244) for writing to the EEPROMs