Methods and apparatus for processing a service request received from a client are disclosed. When a service request is received, a plurality of packets are transmitted, where each of the plurality of packets identify a different type of service via which to send the corresponding packet. In addition, a mapping of each different type of service to an IP address is preferably maintained, thereby enabling the service request to be processed via an IP address associated with a type of service identified in a first one of the plurality of packets to be received.