Directed graph traversal using content-addressable memory

A method comprising:

• presenting, by logic connected to ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM), query data to the TCAM, wherein the query data includes state data and key data;
• receiving, by the logic and from the TCAM, information about a matching address identified by the TCAM;
• generating processed data by performing, by the logic and based on the information about the matching address, at least one operation on data stored within one or more storage devices,
• outputting, by the logic, the processed data;
• determining, by the logic and based on the information in the one or more storage devices, new state data;
• determining, by the logic and based on the information in the one or more storage devices, a new key value;
• and
• presenting, by the logic, new query data to the TCAM, wherein the new query data includes the new state data and the new key value.

A device for parsing network packet headers, comprising:

• ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM);
• one or more storage devices including an array of registers;
• a packet buffer that stores information about incoming packets;
• and
• logic connected to the TCAM, the one or more storage devices, and the packet buffer, wherein the logic is configured to:
• present query data to the TCAM, wherein the query data includes state data and key data,
• receive, from the TCAM, information about a matching address identified by the TCAM,
• generate processed data by performing, based on the information about the matching address, at least one operation on data stored within the one or more storage devices, wherein the at least one operation includes at least one of extracting data from the packet buffer, performing an arithmetic operation, storing data within the array of registers, and writing data to an output bus,
• output the processed data,
• determine, based on the information about the matching address, new state data,
• determine, based on the information about the matching address, a new key value, and
• present new query data to the TCAM, wherein the new query data includes the new state data and the new key value.