Partitioning search key thereby distributing table across multiple non-contiguous memory segments, memory banks or memory modules

摘要

A system and method for retrieving information in a distributed table by partitioning a search key. A packet processor may generate a search key for a received packet of data. The packet processor may partition the search key into a plurality of segments where the length of each segment corresponds to a size of a particular layer of a table. The packet processor may read a particular entry in a particular layer, e.g., the first layer, of the table using a value of the segment, e.g., the first segment, associated with that layer. A determination may be made to determine if the particular entry read stores a pointer that points to the next level of the table. If so, then the packet processor may read a particular entry in the next level of the table using the value of the next segment of the plurality of segments.