Patent ID: 6988106
Filing Date: 2006-01-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for maintaining a data structure, the method comprising: identifying an ordered list of Internet Protocol security policies; programming ordered associative memory entries associated with the ordered list of Internet Protocol security policies; programming corresponding context memory entries associated with the ordered list of Internet Protocol security policies; performing an associative memory lookup operation on said ordered associative memory entries based on a received packet to identify a particular associative memory entry location; performing a lookup operation on the context memory based on the particular associative memory entry location to identify a particular Internet Protocol security policy of the ordered list of Internet Protocol security policies; and adding a particular security association entry based on the received packet to said ordered associative memory entries, the particular security association entry corresponding to the particular Internet Protocol security policy, and the particular security association entry being added to said ordered associative memory entries prior to the particular associative memory entry location and after other security policy entries of said ordered list of Internet Protocol security policies located prior to the particular associative memory entry location.