1. A uniform method for implementing multiple tunneling protocols in a switch or router having a plurality of input interfaces and a plurality of output interfaces, comprising: a) providing a finite set of tunnel interfaces, each tunnel interface characterized by a set of tunnel specific attributes, a first of said tunnel interfaces being associated with one tunneling protocol and a second of said tunnel interfaces being associated with a second tunneling protocol different from said first tunneling protocol; b) mapping one of the input interfaces to one of said tunnel interfaces; and c) mapping said one of said tunnel interfaces to one of the output interfaces, whereby multiple tunneling protocols are implemented in a uniform way.