Switches with built-in routing, also known as Layer 3 switches, are expected to catch on as router replacements once the boxes are equipped with WAN interfaces and support for multiple protocols -- two features backbone routers have long had.

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Alternatively, decision protocols might require multiple approvals, an obvious way to foster conversation among employees.

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However, when such switches are inter-connected the underlying communication protocols can disturb local traffic and more importantly fall-short of scaling this performance to devices connected multiple hops away.

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