System and method for searching a data structure

1. A method for searching a data structure, comprising:

providing a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a plurality of data entries stored in an external random access memory (RAM) and a portion of the data structure is stored in an internal cache memory;

performing one or more hash functions on each entry of the data structure to generate an encoding that maps to a location in the external RAM;

maintaining a count of encodings that map to the location in the external RAM, wherein a first portion of the count of encodings is stored in the internal cache memory and a second portion of the count of encodings is stored in the external RAM, the first portion of the count of encodings comprises an indication of whether the second portion of the count of encodings is used; and the second portion of the count of encodings is an extension of the first portion of the count of encodings;

receiving a search string;

performing the one or more hash functions on the search string to generate an index to the count of encodings; and

searching the data structure in accordance with the count of encodings stored in the internal cache memory and in the external RAM,

wherein maintaining the count of encodings comprises:

if there is the indication the second portion of the count of encoding is not used, incrementing the first portion of the count in response to a different entry of the data structure that maps to the location in the external RAM, and

decrementing the first portion of the count in response to an entry that maps to the location in the external RAM is removed from the data structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the count of encodings comprises count values of 0, 1, and 2, and the second portion of the count of encodings comprises count values of great than 2.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining a count of encodings further comprises:

if there is an indication the second portion of the count of encoding is used, incrementing the second portion of the count in response to a different entry of the data structure that maps to the location in the external RAM; and

decrementing the second portion of the count in response to an entry that maps to the location in the external RAM is removed from the data structure.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a false positive access associated with an encoding of a non-existing entry in the data structure;

creating a default missed entry to record the encoding;

counting a number of missed entries associated with the encoding using the default missed entry; and

generating an alert signal if the number of missed entries exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprises creating an access control list entry for the non-existing entry.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising reconfiguring a bloom filter to indicate false positive accesses detected based on the non-existing entry.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprises programming a parser to control the non-existing entry.

8. A system for searching a data structure, comprising:

a memory for storing the data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a hierarchically arranged set of nodes and branches, and each node has two or less branches;

a user interface for viewing representations of the data structure on a display;

at least a processor and control logic, wherein the processor and control logic further comprises logic for providing the data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a plurality of data entries stored in an external random access memory (RAM) and a portion of the data structure is stored in an internal cache memory;

logic for performing one or more hash functions on each entry of the data structure to generate an encoding that maps to a location in the external RAM;

logic for maintaining a count of encodings that map to the location in the external RAM, wherein a first portion of the count of encodings is stored in the internal cache memory and a second portion of the count of encodings is stored in the external RAM;

logic for receiving a search string;

logic for performing the one or more hash functions on the search string to generate an index to the count of encodings;

searching the data structure in accordance with the count of encodings stored in the internal cache memory and in the external RAM;

logic for identifying a false positive access associated with an encoding of a non-existing entry in the data structure;

logic for creating a default missed entry to record the encoding;

logic for counting a number of missed entries associated with the encoding using the default missed entry; and

logic for generating an alert signal if the number of missed entries exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the count of encodings comprises an indication of whether the second portion of the count of encodings is used; and the second portion of the count of encodings is an extension of the first portion of the count of encodings.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the count of encodings comprises count values of 0, 1, and 2, and the second portion of the count of encodings comprises count values of great than 2.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein logic for maintaining the count of encodings comprises:

if there is the indication the second portion of the count of encoding is not used, logic for incrementing the first portion of the count in response to a different entry of the data structure that maps to the location in the external RAM; and

logic for decrementing the first portion of the count in response to an entry that maps to the location in the external RAM is removed from the data structure.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein logic for maintaining the count of encodings further comprises:

if there is the indication the second portion of the count of encoding is used, logic for incrementing the second portion of the count in response to a different entry of the data structure that maps to the location in the external RAM; and

logic for decrementing the second portion of the count in response to an entry that maps to the location in the external RAM is removed from the data structure.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprises logic for creating an access control list entry for the non-existing entry.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising logic for reconfiguring a bloom filter to indicate false positive accesses detected based on the non-existing entry.

15. The system of claim 8 further comprises logic for programming a parser to control the non-existing entry.

16. A computer program product for searching a data structure, comprising a non-transitory medium storing computer programs for execution by one or more computer systems, the computer program product comprising:

code for providing a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a plurality of data entries stored in an external random access memory (RAM) and a portion of the data structure is stored in an internal cache memory;

code for performing one or more hash functions on each entry of the data structure to generate an encoding that maps to a location in the external RAM;

code for maintaining a count of encodings that map to the location in the external RAM, wherein a first portion of the count of encodings is stored in the internal cache memory and a second portion of the count of encodings is stored in the external RAM;

code for receiving a search string;

code for performing the one or more hash functions on the search string to generate an index to the count of encodings; and

code for searching the data structure in accordance with the count of encodings stored in the internal cache memory and in the external RAM, wherein the first portion of the count of encodings comprises count values of 0, 1, and 2, and the second portion of the count of encodings comprises count values of great than 2.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of the count of encodings comprises an indication of whether the second portion of the count of encodings is used;

and the second portion of the count of encodings is an extension of the first portion of the count of encodings.