Content aware apparatus and method

An example network device includes a processor that is configured to apply specific fields from a packet to an associated memory device and comparing means for comparing input to the memory device with entries in the memory device. The example network device is configured to enable selection of bits, by the memory device, that are required to match exactly with bits from the input to the memory device. The specific fields include a plurality of fields some of which include multiple field values and definitions. An input bit map field of one of the plurality of fields is used to provide an additional global mask that is ANDed to associated masks in selected entries in the memory device thereby enabling the memory device to output an OR of the data in the selected entries and thereby allowing multiple ports to share a rule within a memory device entry.