An application-enabling hardware element that is part of a family of such elements. This family includes intra-switch connectivity, control interfaces, port interfaces, and cabinets. Avaya media gateways support both bearer traffic and signaling traffic that is routed between packet-switched networks and circuit-switched networks to deliver data, voice, fax, and messaging capabilities. Media gateways provide protocol conversion, such as IP to ATM to TDM, conferencing, presence, such as on-hook or off-hook, connectivity to private networks and public networks, such as IP, ATM, TDM, and networking, such as QSIG, DCS, ISDN. Media gateways support optional form factors.