Generating accounting data based on access control list entries

A method for generating accounting data, the method comprising:

• identifying a lookup value;
• performing a lookup operation in an associative memory based on the lookup value to identify an associative memory result;
• performing a lookup operation on an adjunct memory based on the associative memory result to identify a counter indication, wherein at least two entries within the adjunct memory include a same counter indication;
• and
• updating one of a plurality of counters based on the counter indication.

A method for generating accounting data, the method comprising:

• identifying a lookup value, wherein the lookup value includes at least one autonomous system number, said at least one autonomous system number identify a set of communication devices under a single administrative authority;
• performing a lookup operation in an associative memory based on the lookup value to identify an associative memory result;
• performing a lookup operation on an adjunct memory based on the associative memory result to identify a counter indication;
• and
• updating one of a plurality of counters based on the counter indication.

An apparatus for generating accounting data, the apparatus comprising:

• a lookup word generation mechanism for identifying a lookup value;
• an associative memory for generating an associative memory result based on the lookup value;
• an adjunct memory for generating a counter indication based on the associative memory result, at least two entries of the adjunct memory configured to generate a same counter indication value;
• and
• a plurality of counters for maintaining counts and for updating one of the plurality of counters based on the counter indication.

A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing steps for generating accounting data, said steps comprising:

• identifying an access control list including a plurality of access control list entries, a subset of the plurality of access control list entries identifying accounting requests;
• associating accounting mechanisms with each of said access control list entries in the subset of the plurality of access control list entries identifying accounting requests;
• identifying an item;
• identifying a particular one of said accounting mechanism corresponding to the item;
• and
• updating said accounting mechanism corresponding to the item.

An apparatus for generating accounting data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for identifying a lookup value;
• means for performing a lookup operation in an associative memory based on the lookup value to identify an associative memory result;
• means for performing a lookup operation on an adjunct memory based on the associative memory result to identify a counter indication, wherein at least two entries within the adjunct memory include a same counter indication;
• and
• means for updating one of a plurality of counters based on the counter indication.

An apparatus for generating accounting data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for identifying a lookup value, wherein the lookup value includes at least one autonomous system number, said at least one autonomous system number identify a set of communication devices under a single administrative authority;
• means for performing a lookup operation in an associative memory based on the lookup value to identify an associative memory result;
• means for performing a lookup operation on an adjunct memory based on the associative memory result to identify a counter indication;
• and
• means for updating one of a plurality of counters based on the counter indication.