1. A method for operating a telecommunications network device including a modular architecture, comprising: operating the network device using a first set of software components from a first release; receiving a request for a hot upgrade to a second release; determining if signatures for software components in the first set of software components match signatures for corresponding software components in a second set of software components from the second release; continuing to operate the network device using software components in the first set of software components having signatures that match the signatures of corresponding software components in the second set of software components; and operating the network device using software components in the second set of software components having signatures that did not match the signatures of corresponding software components in the first set of software components.