A Island-Based Network Flow Processor (IBNFP) includes a memory and a processor located on a first island, a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller located on a second island, and an Interlaken Look-Aside (ILA) interface circuit and an interface circuit located on a third island. A search key data set including multiple search keys is stored in the memory. A descriptor is generated by the processor and is sent to the DMA controller, which generates a search key data request, receives the search key data set, and selects a single search key. The ILA interface circuit receives the search key, generates and ILA packet including the search key that is sent to an external transactional memory device that generates a result data value. The DMA controller receives the result data value via the ILA interface circuit, writes the result data value to the memory, and sends a DMA completion notification.