Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving at an interface controller associated with a host server and disposed between the host server and a network element a packet from a sender; processing the packet to identify a rewrite rule to be applied to the packet based on characteristics of the packet; applying the identified rewrite rule to the packet to generate a rewritten packet; and forwarding the rewritten packet toward a next hop. The processing may include classifying the packet, the classifying including identifying at least one of a type of traffic with which the packet is associated and an application with which the packet is associated. Additionally and/or alternatively, the processing may include performing a flow table lookup for the packet to identify a flow with which the packet is associated.