Patent ID: 7908431
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of making a classification or forwarding decision for a packet comprising: performing a first content addressable memory (CAM) access to a first CAM system, the first CAM system comprising a CAM and an associated random access memory (RAM), wherein performing the first CAM access is via a first CAM key derived from a first portion of the packet, resulting in one or more first matching entries, each of the one or more first matching entries including a content portion obtainable from the associated RAM of the first CAM system; performing a second CAM access to a second CAM system, the second CAM system comprising a CAM and an associated RAM, wherein performing the second CAM access is via a second CAM key derived from a second portion of the packet different than the first portion of the packet, resulting in one or more second matching entries, each of the one or more second matching entries including a content portion obtainable from the associated RAM of the second CAM system; and determining the classification or forwarding decision for the packet responsive to the content portion of each of the one or more first and second matching entries, wherein the content portion of each of the one or more first and second matching entries comprises a compressed form of one or more indicators of the one or more classification or forwarding decisions.