Assigning resources to items such as processing contexts for processing packets

A method for matching resources with items, the method comprising:

• maintaining a plurality of differently aged resource groups including a newly available resource group;
• maintaining a plurality of different distribution groups for said items, each of said different distribution groups related to a plurality of resources, said relationship including primarily associated, secondarily associated, and not associated;
• identifying a particular resource of the newly available resource group;
• and
• determining a particular distribution group of said distribution groups based on said relationships of the particular distribution group with said distribution groups and on the current assignment of distribution groups to said resources.

A method for matching resources with items, the method comprising:

• maintaining a plurality of differently aged resource groups including a newly available resource group;
• maintaining a plurality of distribution groups for said items;
• and
• preferentially associating a particular resource of the newly available resource group with an item of one of said distribution groups over a resource in another of said differently aged resource groups;
• wherein each of said distribution groups are related to said resources, a plurality of said resources being currently associated with said differently aged resource groups, said relationship including primarily associated, secondarily associated, and not associated;
• and wherein said preferentially associating includes determining a particular distribution group of said distribution groups based on said relationships of the particular distribution group with said distribution groups and on the current assignment of distribution groups to said resources.

A method for matching resources with items, each of said items associated with a distribution group of a plurality of distribution groups, each of said resources currently not associated with one of said items is associated with one of a plurality of differently aged resource groups, said differently aged resource groups including a newly available resource group, the method comprising

• identifying a first resource from the newly available resource group and a second resource from a resource group of said differently aged resource groups;
• determining pairings based on primary and secondary associations defined for said distribution groups, said pairings including a first matching item for the first resource and a second matching item for the second resource;
• and
• selecting which of said pairings to associate based on predetermined criteria.

An apparatus for matching resources with items, each of said items associated with a distribution group of a plurality of distribution groups, each of said resources currently not associated with one of said items is associated with one of a plurality of differently aged resource groups, said differently aged resource groups including a newly available resource group, the apparatus comprising

• means for identifying a first resource from the newly available resource group and a second resource from a resource group of said differently aged resource groups;
• means for determining pairings, said pairings including a first matching item for the first resource and a second matching item for the second resource;
• and
• means for selecting which pairing to associate based on predetermined criteria.