Patent ID: 7492771

Claim:
A method for performing a lookup for a packet in a computer system, the packet having a header, the method comprising: parsing the packet for the header prior to receipt of the packet being completed, wherein the header is separated from data payload; demultiplexing the packet; hashing the header; using the hashed header, performing a lookup corresponding to the header, wherein the lookup is a local lookup of a cache; returning a resultant corresponding to the header if the cache includes an entry corresponding to the header and the entry stores the resultant; providing an index for the packet if the cache includes an entry corresponding to the header but the entry does not store the resultant; incrementing a counter if the index is provided; decrementing the counter if the resultant has been resolved; performing a remote lookup of a memory if the cache does not have an entry corresponding to the header; and storing the resultant of the memory lookup in the entry of the cache corresponding to the header.