A network element for a software-defined network, the network element comprising a data transfer interface for receiving and transmitting data and a processing system adapted to: - construct, in accordance with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network, a software-defined data path for managing first data to be forwarded, the software-defined data path comprising look-up tables for selecting software-defined actions and one or more of the software-defined actions modifying first metadata associated with the first data, and - configure, in accordance with forwarding-parameter data received at the network element, a fixed-functionality data path for managing second data to be forwarded, the fixed-functionality data path defining fixed-functionality actions and one or more of the fixed-functionality actions modifying second metadata associated with the second data, characterized in that processing system is further adapted to: - convert the first metadata associated with the first data being managed by the software-defined data path to a data format suitable for the fixed-functionality data path in response to a need to carry out one or more of the fixed-functionality actions in conjunction with forwarding the first data, - determine a first one of the fixed-functionality actions from among the fixed-functionality actions at least partly on the basis of which one of the look-up tables was most recently accessed when managing the first data, and - control the determined first one of the fixed-functionality actions to be carried out so as to initiate the needed one or more fixed-functionality actions to be carried out at least partly in accordance with the converted first metadata. - construct, in accordance with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network, a software-defined data path for managing first data to be forwarded, the software-defined data path comprising look-up tables for selecting software-defined actions and one or more of the software-defined actions modifying first metadata associated with the first data, and - configure, in accordance with forwarding-parameter data received at the network element, a fixed-functionality data path for managing second data to be forwarded, the fixed-functionality data path defining fixed-functionality actions and one or more of the fixed-functionality actions modifying second metadata associated with the second data, - convert the first metadata associated with the first data being managed by the software-defined data path to a data format suitable for the fixed-functionality data path in response to a need to carry out one or more of the fixed-functionality actions in conjunction with forwarding the first data, - determine a first one of the fixed-functionality actions from among the fixed-functionality actions at least partly on the basis of which one of the look-up tables was most recently accessed when managing the first data, and - control the determined first one of the fixed-functionality actions to be carried out so as to initiate the needed one or more fixed-functionality actions to be carried out at least partly in accordance with the converted first metadata.