Interleaved exact-match lookup table for multiple packet processing applications in a network device

A method for determining actions to be performed on packets in a network device, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet at a packet processor of the network device, the packet processor configured to process the packet using a plurality of packet processing applications;
• and
• performing one or more accesses to a lookup table based on packet information associated with the packet, including, for each memory access among the one or more memory access,
• generating, at the network device, a search key for the packet, the search key including at least i) a search string generated based on the packet information associated with the packet and ii) an application identifier indicating a particular packet processing application, among the plurality of packet processing applications, for which the lookup is being performed;
• identifying, by the network device based on the search key, an entry from among a plurality of interleaved entries in the lookup table, the plurality of interleaved entries including at least a first set of entries associated with a first packet processing application among the plurality of packet processing operations interleaved with a second set of entries associated with a second packet processing application among the plurality of packet processing applications, the second packet processing application being different from the first packet processing application;
• determining whether the search key matches search information in the identified entry in the lookup table, the search information including the identifier of the particular packet processing application;
• and
• in response to determining that the search key matches the search information in the identified entry in the lookup table, identifying an action to be performed by the packet processor in connection with processing the packet by the particular packet processing application, the action being associated with the entry in the lookup table.