Patent ID: 7861291
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: constructing, using a processor, one or more subtables in a first memory area accessible by the processor; reading, from a second memory area using the processor, a plurality of rules in order of increasing rule priority, wherein each of the rules includes one or more subkeys and one or more submasks; upon reading each of the plurality of rules, using the processor to add rule information to the subtables in a manner that stores rule information distinguishing the rule being added from every rule previously added with lower rule priorities, the adding of the rule information further comprising: receiving, at a network adapter, an incoming packet that includes a plurality of fields and forming a key from the plurality of the fields, wherein the formed key includes a plurality of subkeys; and searching the entries stored in the subtables for one or more of the subkeys, wherein a different subtable is used to search for each of the subkeys; and wherein a next level subkey is selected and a next level subtable is searched when a pointer value is encountered in the previous level subtable.