Abstract: A packet classification device includes a CAM device, an SRAM device, and a control circuit that controls and coordinates the operations of the CAM and SRAM devices. For some embodiments, a first CAM block stores unique entries for each packet header field, a RAM block coupled to the first CAM block stores field labels for the unique packet header fields, a second CAM block stores group labels consisting of unique combinations of concatenated field labels, and a second RAM block coupled to the second CAM block stores a group identification (ID) for each group label, wherein each group ID identifies a corresponding one of the groups of rules.

Abstract: A method of minimizing an amount of memory area required to store a plurality of rules associated with one or more access control lists (ACLs) includes selectively combining the plurality of rules into one or more groups depending upon similarities between the entries within each field and storing the groups in a database including a content addressable memory (CAM) device and a random access memory (RAM) device.