e and/or software. Today's networking platforms are a Gordian knot of middle boxes and their support systems. Equipment vendors have delivered platforms built from proprietary hardware coupled tightly to proprietary software. Quite often, the cost of a device is proportional to the length of the datasheet, which describes the services it supports. At the same time, operators lack the ability to selectively decompose and recompose individual service elements from these platforms. While this tight coupling of systems and services has a basis in sound engineering, it also originates from vendor business models looking to optimize their opportunities. On the one hand, the tight coupling allows for optimal design of scale, serviceability, and reliability. On the other hand, the closed nature of the platforms promotes both economic and architectural lock in. Traditionally, network administrators relied heavily on management of hardware-centric net- work appliances located at the customer premise. This model required shipping, racking and stack- ing, test and turn up, configuration, monitoring and ongoing maintenance for the dedicated routing/ switching, or middle-box platform. Many of these platforms use a CLI while others provide a graph- ical user interface (GUI) specific to that vendor. Also, some require use of a separate third-party management suite. Enterprise Networks Traditional Network Appliances New Network Appliances A physical Appliance/Box Virtual Form Factor for COTS hardware Configurable Device/Interface Programmable Devices / Interfaces A need for making networking tasks simpler and more Hardware Centric Networking agile Software Centric Networking Static Network Design/ Individual Dynamic and Centralized Network Device configuration Design& Programming Application awareness in Network Network Awareness within via Configuration Applications FIGURE 10.1 Shift to software for enterprise networking. Enterprise IT managers are used to seeking the help of scripting languages and of system inte- gration compa