1. A method comprising: performing content inspection using a multi-pattern search and employing at least one tagged value for at least one search pattern, the at least one tagged value comprising at least one of an offset in a data stream at which a search pattern may start and a depth in the data stream to which the data stream is to be searched for the search pattern, wherein at least one of the offsets and depths for at least two search patterns in the multi-pattern search are different.