Rules for classifying traffic in a communications network are set by collecting traffic data related to traffic that is input into a network node, processing the traffic data that is collected, and setting classification rules in response to the processed traffic data, wherein the set classification rules are used to classify subsequent input traffic. In an embodiment, subsequent traffic is classified according to the set classification rules. In another embodiment, traffic conditioning rules are also set in response to the processed traffic data and subsequent input traffic is conditioned according to the set traffic conditioning rules.