With the establishment of robust architectures and high-performance products, programmable switching has proven itself throughout the network. Looking forward, the demand can only increase for the capability of programmable switching to support whatever standards, services, and networks that may evolve in the future. From a technology standpoint, programmable switching will continue to follow trends in the computer industry. Dramatic increases in price performance will mean more power, functionality, and connectivity within the same size—or even smaller—cost and size envelope. Programmable switches will become even faster and easier to acquire, develop, and deploy. The spread of open, industry-standard architectures, including API's and bus specifications such as H.100, will enable service providers to build their own scalable and tailorable call-processing models, optimized for the way they do business.

From a market standpoint, there will be a parallel demand for adaptable, flexible systems driven by deregulation, worldwide deployment in remote areas, and newly emerging services. As world economics progress and change, the ability for a service provider to offer low cost, high added-value, and flexibility will be paramount for success. Open programmable switching, with its ability to integrate software and hardware from different manufacturers gracefully, will enable the rapid deployment of differentiated services.

In summary, the success of any programmable switch will be measured by its ability to support, gracefully and cost-effectively, the addition of services and interfaces to the network, and the ability to evolve and grow to meet needs not yet conceived. The only limits to open, programmable switching platforms are those of the imagination.