Patent ID: 7813350

Claim:
A method for processing a packet received by a network device, the method comprising: using at least one processor, automatically analyzing the packet to identify when the packet is associated with at least one set of a plurality of sets, the analyzing comprising: determining when the packet includes a plurality of set identifiers; identifying a plurality of corresponding sets each associated with at least one of the plurality of set identifiers; and defining a set status identifier for each set, each set status identifier indicating if the packet is associated with the corresponding set based on at least one of the plurality of set identifiers, using at least one processor, automatically accessing a mapping table using the set status identifiers of the plurality of sets, to identify at least one functional unit; and performing functionality associated with the at least one functional unit, the functionality comprising associating at least one set identifier with at least one other set of the plurality of sets, the associating comprising: identifying the at least one other set for updating, the at least one other set for updating being identified by the functional unit; reading a mask associated with a set used to identify the functional unit; and adding the set identifier to the at least one other set.