Patent ID: 7606938

Claim:
A method comprising: establishing a connection between a client device and a data network infrastructure; receiving a first network physical location identifier concerning the client device from one or more trusted network devices within the data network infrastructure; receiving a first device location identifier from the client device; processing the first network physical location identifier and the first device location identifier to define a first trusted physical location for the client device associated with the established connection; associating the first trusted physical location with the established connection; providing the first trusted physical location to one or more network entry devices or central switching devices within the data network infrastructure, wherein at least one of the one or more network entry devices or central switching devices provide a plurality of connections for client devices on dedicated or shared media and are capable of switching and routing data; switching or routing one or more data packets provided to or received from the client device, by at least one of the one or more network entry devices or central switching devices, based at least in part upon the first trusted physical location; upon receiving either a second network physical location identifier concerning the client device from one or more trusted network devices within the data network infrastructure, or a second device location identifier from the client device, defining a second trusted physical location for the client device associated with the established connection by processing at least two of: the first network physical location identifier, the first device location identifier, the second network physical location identifier, and the second device location identifier, wherein one of the at least two is the second network physical location identifier or the second device location identifier; associating the second trusted physical location with the established connection; providing the second trusted physical location to one or more network entry devices or central switching devices within the data network infrastructure, wherein at least one of the one or more network entry devices or central switching devices provide the plurality of connections for client devices on dedicated or shared media and are capable of switching and routing data; and switching or routing one or more data packets to or from the client device, by at least one of the one or more network entry devices or central switching devices, based at least in part upon the second trusted physical location.