Patent ID: 8537831

Claim:
A method for providing common group action on packets being processed by a packet routing apparatus, comprising: at least one data processing device accessing, from memory coupled to said at least one data processing device, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to associate a common group identifier with a packet, wherein the common group identifier uniquely indicates a group of packets having a common group action handler and wherein causing said at least one data processing device to associate the common group identifier with the packet includes causing said at least one data processing device to select the common group identifier dependent upon said common group action handler and from a plurality of available common group identifier each retained in a respective memory location, wherein said instructions causing said at least one data processing device to associate a common group identifier with a packet includes causing said at least one data processing device to derive a hash result using said common group action handler; and said at least one data processing device accessing, from said memory, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to determine a common group action to be applied to the packet, wherein causing said at least one data processing device to determine the common group action to be applied to the packet includes causing said at least one data processing device to select the common group action dependent upon said associated common group identifier and from a plurality of available common group actions each retained in a respective memory, wherein said common group action handler includes a common virtual network interface parameter and causing said at least one data processing device to generate said common group action handler derived hash result includes using the common virtual network interface parameter.