The evolution of modern service-based networking solutions relies on core workflows including discovering services, securing networks, automating networking tasks, and controlling access. Service discovery tools like HashiCorp Consul automate the process of identifying what is running on a network, knowing where it's located, and if it's reachable in real-time. This shift away from static IP-based networking toward service-identity based networking has cascading effects on security policies, requiring consistent enforcement mechanisms around application identities. Automation principles can be applied to key networking hardware, enabling ongoing management of environments and reducing manual tasks for operators. A service mesh can assist with traffic management policies, mutual authentication, and encryption, but is not applicable to every environment. Controlling network access requires a central control plane that manages access based on service identities, consistent across cloud and non-cloud environments. The core goal remains moving away from IP-based networking to service-based networking, allowing networks to match the velocity of modern application delivery practices without compromising consistency in deployment and management or security policies.