Accelerated network packet classifier

A system for classifying and processing network packets in a computing network environment, the system comprising:

• a processing unit;
• and
• a computer readable medium having encoded thereon computer readable instructions that when executed by the processing unit cause the system to:
• receive a network packet comprising a plurality of data fields, each of the data fields encoding a value;
• receive a rule set containing a plurality of rules, each of the rules defining a target data field and a target range comprising a minimum value for the target data field and a maximum value for the target data field;
• apply the rule set to the network packet by:
• for a given rule of the rule set:
• extract one of the data fields from the network packet that matches a target data field corresponding to the given rule;
• perform a first comparison of a corresponding value encoded by the extracted data field to a minimum value for the matching target data field;
• perform a second comparison of the corresponding value encoded by the extracted data field to a maximum value for the matching target data field;
• and
• determine, based on the first and second comparison, that the value encoded by the extracted data field is within the target range of the given rule of the rule set;
• and
• in response to determining that the value encoded by the extracted data field is within the target range of the given rule of the rule set, execute an action on the network packet based on the given rule of the rule set, wherein the plurality of rules of the rule set are applied to the network packet as an atomic process to enable parallel evaluation of the rule set.

A computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer readable instructions that when executed by a system cause the system to:

• receive a network packet comprising a plurality of data fields, each of the data fields encoding a value;
• receive a rule set containing a plurality of rules, each of the rules defining a target data field and a target range comprising a minimum value for the target data field and a maximum value for the target data field;
• apply the rule set to the network packet by:
• for a given rule of the rule set:
• extract one of the data fields from the network packet that matches a target data field corresponding to the given rule;
• perform a first comparison of a corresponding value encoded by the extracted data field to a minimum value for the matching target data field;
• perform a second comparison of the corresponding value encoded by the extracted data field to a maximum value for the matching target data field;
• and
• determine, based on the first and second comparison, that the value encoded by the extracted data field is within the target range of the given rule of the rule set;
• and
• in response to determining that the value encoded by the extracted data field is within the target range of the given rule of the rule set, execute an action on the network packet based on the given rule of the rule set, wherein the plurality of rules of the rule set are applied to the network packet as an atomic process to enable parallel evaluation of the rule set.