Optimizing entries in a content addressable memory of a network device

A network device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
• determining a plurality of field sets, each field set of the plurality of field sets comprising one or more packet characteristics;
• generating a plurality of field set groups, each field set group of the plurality of field set groups comprising a respective subset of the plurality of field sets;
• producing a plurality of encoded labels, wherein a unique encoded label is assigned to each field set, two or more mergeable encoded labels are produced for at least some of the plurality of field set groups, and the producing is performed on the plurality of field set groups in an order based on a cost associated with the each field set group;
• merging the mergeable encoded labels;
• and
• generating a plurality of memory entries based on the merged encoded labels.

A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having a program stored thereon, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

• determining a plurality of field sets, each field set of the plurality of field sets comprising one or more packet characteristics;
• generating a plurality of field set groups, each field set group of the plurality of field set groups comprising a respective subset of the plurality of field sets;
• producing a plurality of encoded labels, wherein a unique encoded label is assigned to each field set, two or more mergeable encoded labels are produced for the each field set group of the plurality of field set groups, and the producing is performed on the plurality of field set groups in an order based on a cost associated with the each field set group;
• merging the mergeable encoded labels;
• and
• generating a plurality of memory entries based on the merged encoded labels.