A network device adapted to process network traffic, the network device comprising: a first network connection adapted to communicate first network traffic; a second network connection adapted to communicate second network traffic; a network traffic processing module connected with the first network connection and the second network connection; a plurality of hosted virtual machines (130A, 130B, 130C) each adapted to execute at least one virtual machine application; a virtual machine data interface connected with the plurality of hosted virtual machines (130A, 130B, 130C) and the network traffic processing module; a first network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the first network traffic from the first network connection to the virtual machine data interface; and a second network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the second network traffic from the second network connection to the virtual machine data interface, wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the first portion of the first network traffic and the first portion of the second network traffic according to network traffic rule criteria and network traffic rules; wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the first portions of the first and second network traffic between the first and second network traffic taps and the plurality of hosted virtual machines (130A, 130B, 130C); and an intra-module network traffic tap adapted to direct network traffic metadata from the network traffic processing module to the virtual machine data interface using an extended non-standard network protocol; wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the network traffic metadata between the intra-module network traffic tap and the plurality of hosted virtual machines. a first network connection adapted to communicate first network traffic; a second network connection adapted to communicate second network traffic; a network traffic processing module connected with the first network connection and the second network connection; a plurality of hosted virtual machines (130A, 130B, 130C) each adapted to execute at least one virtual machine application; a virtual machine data interface connected with the plurality of hosted virtual machines (130A, 130B, 130C) and the network traffic processing module; a first network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the first network traffic from the first network connection to the virtual machine data interface; and a second network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the second network traffic from the second network connection to the virtual machine data interface, wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the first portion of the first network traffic and the first portion of the second network traffic according to network traffic rule criteria and network traffic rules; wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the first portions of the first and second network traffic between the first and second network traffic taps and the plurality of hosted virtual machines (130A, 130B, 130C); and an intra-module network traffic tap adapted to direct network traffic metadata from the network traffic processing module to the virtual machine data interface using an extended non-standard network protocol; wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the network traffic metadata between the intra-module network traffic tap and the plurality of hosted virtual machines.