A system for interoperating between a first real time network and one or more second real time networks, the first real time network and the one or more second real time networks operating according to differing real time protocols, the system comprising: a plurality of ports (110a-f), comprising: at least one port coupled to the first real time network, wherein the first real time network carries first traffic comprising best effort traffic and first real time traffic; and one or more ports coupled respectively to the one or more second real time networks, wherein each of the one or more second real time networks carries second traffic comprising only second real time traffic; and switch circuitry, coupled to the plurality of ports, wherein the switch circuitry is configured with a mapping that specifies data routing between the plurality of ports; wherein the switch circuitry is configured to route packets between the first real time network and the one or more second real time networks based on the mapping, thereby maintaining real time behavior between the first real time traffic and the second real time traffic, wherein the switch circuitry inserts routing information in packets routed from the one or more second real time networks to the first real time network, and wherein the switch circuitry removes routing information from the packets routed from the first real time network to the one or more second real time networks; wherein the switch circuitry is configured to route packets to distinct queues for the first traffic and the second traffic for processing by an application executing on at least one device, wherein said routing of the packets to the distinct queues is performed based on the mapping. a plurality of ports (110a-f), comprising: at least one port coupled to the first real time network, wherein the first real time network carries first traffic comprising best effort traffic and first real time traffic; and one or more ports coupled respectively to the one or more second real time networks, wherein each of the one or more second real time networks carries second traffic comprising only second real time traffic; and at least one port coupled to the first real time network, wherein the first real time network carries first traffic comprising best effort traffic and first real time traffic; and one or more ports coupled respectively to the one or more second real time networks, wherein each of the one or more second real time networks carries second traffic comprising only second real time traffic; and switch circuitry, coupled to the plurality of ports, wherein the switch circuitry is configured with a mapping that specifies data routing between the plurality of ports; wherein the switch circuitry is configured to route packets between the first real time network and the one or more second real time networks based on the mapping, thereby maintaining real time behavior between the first real time traffic and the second real time traffic, wherein the switch circuitry inserts routing information in packets routed from the one or more second real time networks to the first real time network, and wherein the switch circuitry removes routing information from the packets routed from the first real time network to the one or more second real time networks; wherein the switch circuitry is configured to route packets to distinct queues for the first traffic and the second traffic for processing by an application executing on at least one device, wherein said routing of the packets to the distinct queues is performed based on the mapping.