A search engine for matching textual patterns in a traffic stream. The search engine comprises a traffic control unit, a micro-code memory, a comparator and a report memory. The traffic control unit is capable of managing the traffic stream. The micro-code memory is capable of storing and retrieving micro-code instructions. The comparator is capable of executing said micro-code instructions to match the textual patterns. The report memory is capable of storing and retrieving reports generated said comparator.