Real time performance tuning of network devices

A method in a network device (ND) connected to a network, the method comprising:

• using packet processing circuitry in the ND, processing communication packets for communicating over the network, wherein the packet processing circuitry comprises a plurality of configuration registers for setting one or more operation parameters of the ND;
• and
• using performance optimization circuitry in the ND, improving a performance measure of the ND by:
• executing a genetic algorithm that continuously modifies candidate sets of the operation parameters;
• calculating the performance measure based on the candidate sets of the operation parameters modified by the genetic algorithm;
• and
• continuously adjusting values of one or more of the configuration registers based on the performance measure.