Abstract: According to a first embodiment, a first computing device receives a request packet originating from a client. In response to at least the request packet and a state of at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, the first computing device selects a computing device for maintaining a session with the client. If the selected computing device is the first computing device, the first computing device outputs a response packet to the client for identifying the first computing device as maintaining the session with the client. If the selected computing device is a second computing device, the first computing device outputs a response packet to the client for identifying the second computing device as maintaining the session with the client. According to a second embodiment, a first computing device receives a request packet originating from a client. The request packet includes an identifier.