In processing data packet headers, a packet pre-processor is configured with at least one predetermined header field identifier. The packet pre-processor detects at least one header field identifier in a header field of a data packet received over a communication session between a host and a server, matches the predetermined header field identifier to the header field identifier in the data packet, generates a header report block comprising information corresponding to the header field identifier in the data packet, and sends the data packet and the header report block to a processor module for processing the data packet based on the header report block. The processor module receives the data packet and the header report block from the packet pre-processor, retrieves a service policy using the header report block, applies the service policy to the data packet, and sends the data packet to the host or the server.