Methods, apparatus and data structures for segmenting customers using at least a portion of a layer 2 address header or bits in the place of a layer 2 address header

A method for providing various quality of service levels to packets sourced from a number of client customer devices, the method comprising:

• a) accepting a packet sourced from one or a number of client customer devices;
• b) determining a packet type of the packet accepted;
• c) responsive to a determination that the packet type of the packet accepted is not an address resolution protocol packet, replacing at least a part of a layer 2 header, generated by the source client customer device, with a unique bit string that is independent of any contents of the packet;
• d) determining a service level to which the packet is entitled using the unique bit string;
• and
• e) forwarding the packet to a particular one of a plurality of queues associated with the service level determined.

A method for monitoring packets sourced from a group of client customer devices defining a subset of client customer devices, each of the packets having at least a part of a layer 2 header, generated by the source client customer device, replaced with a unique bit string, the method comprising:

• a) determining whether or not the packet belongs to the group of client customer, devices using at least a portion of the unique bit string;
• and
• b) if it is determined that the packet does belong to the group of client customer devices, then
• i) copying the packet to generate a duplicate packet, and
• ii) forwarding the duplicate packet to a monitoring facility, wherein the monitoring facility monitors at least one of (A) service provided to a group of customers, and (B) security.