USER INFORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIRECTING LINK-LAYER COMMUNICATION

A network device has an input configured to receive a message relating to a given user attempting to forward one or more packets across a computer network. The message has given user information relating to the given user. In addition, the routing device also has a selector, operatively coupled with the input, configured to select (after receiving the message) a given group routing policy from a plurality of group routing policies. Preferably, the selector is configured to select the given group routing policy as a function of the given user information. The routing device also has an output operatively coupled with the selector. The output is configured to cause routing of user communication across the network using link-layer routes specified by the given group routing policy.