Device information method and apparatus for directing link-layer communication

A network device comprising one or more processors configured to:

• receive a request for a device to access a computer network, wherein the request comprises an initial packet of a session for the device, and wherein the initial packet comprises machine-specific information relating to the device and a header for routing the initial packet to a destination address specified within the header;
• in response to receiving the request, select, based on one or more features of the machine-specific information, a routing policy for the device;
• assign, based on the routing policy, one or more routes for which the device is permitted to access the computer network;
• construct a modified packet comprising the header of the initial packet and metadata inserted after the header, wherein the metadata specifies tenant information associated with a group of devices to which the device belongs, wherein the tenant information controls forwarding of the modified packet and subsequent packets of the session by network devices of the computer network along the one or more routes for which the device is permitted to access the computer network;
• and
• send the modified packet.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause one or more processors of a network device to:

• receive a request for a device to access a computer network, wherein the request comprises an initial packet of a session for the device, and wherein the initial packet comprises machine-specific information relating to the device and a header for routing the initial packet to a destination address specified within the header;
• in response to receiving the request, select, based on one or more features of the machine-specific information, a routing policy for the device;
• assign, based on the routing policy, one or more routes for which the device is permitted to access the computer network;
• construct a modified packet comprising the header of the initial packet and metadata inserted after the header, wherein the metadata specifies tenant information associated with a group of devices to which the device belongs, wherein the tenant information controls forwarding of the modified packet and subsequent packets of the session by network devices of the computer network along the one or more routes for which the device is permitted to access the computer network;
• and
• send the modified packet.