Snort 2.9 introduces the DAQ, or Data Acquisition library,
for packet I/O.  The DAQ replaces direct calls to PCAP functions
with an abstraction layer that facilitates operation on a variety
of hardware and software interfaces without requiring changes
to Snort.  It is possible to select the DAQ type and mode
when invoking Snort to perform PCAP readback or inline operation, etc.

The DAQ library may be useful for other packet processing applications
and the modular nature allows you to build new modules for other
platforms.