Patent ID: 7596621

Claim:
A method of processing data in a stateful protocol processing system, said method comprising: receiving a first message of a first flow comprised of a first plurality of messages; deriving a first event from said first message, said first event containing flow information identifying said first flow; extracting said flow information from said first event; retrieving, from a common memory using said flow information, a first flow state characterizing said first flow, said first flow state including a first workspace portion and a second workspace portion; storing said first workspace portion in a first local memory and said second workspace portion in a second local memory distinct from said first local memory; assigning said first workspace portion to a first protocol processing core and said second workspace portion to a second protocol processing core; processing, consistent with a stateful protocol associated with said first flow, said first event using said first protocol processing core and said second protocol processing core thereby yielding a modified first workspace portion and a modified second workspace portion, respectively; and writing said modified first workspace portion and said modified second workspace portion to said common memory.