A network device for processing data on a data network includes a port interface, in communication with a plurality of ports, configured to receive a data packet from a data network and to send a processed data packet to an egress port of the plurality of ports and a packet evaluation and modification module, in communication with the port interface, configured to parse the received data packet, perform lookup searches based on parsed data packet values and modify the received data packet based on results of the lookup searches to form the processed data packet. The packet evaluation and modification module is configured to perform a table search using a slice of a generated key to obtain a chain result and then to perform another table search using another slice of the generated key and the chain result to produce at least a partial lookup table search result.