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Internet Protocol (IP) switches and routers make up the heart of the Internet. Military networks architects use this commercial technology for everything from base-to-base communications to tactical battlefield networks that connect soldiers, sensors, and weapons. But because the technology behind network equipment – even rugged, embedded products – is based on components developed for the commercial market, innovation is driven by demand for products like mobile devices, not by the wishes of niche customers like the U.S. military. Luckily for them, however, there’s more to a switch than just hardware. At the end of the day, it’s software that gives switches their character and determines their level of flexibility, security, and longevity.