1. A method executed by a processor, comprising: defining a policy vector during packet classification of a data packet based on a primary key vector associated with a first portion of the data packet, the policy vector including a combination of bit values associated with a primary classification condition satisfied by the primary key vector; accessing an action descriptor defining a first action and a second action, the action descriptor associated with a set bit value within the policy vector, the first action defining a secondary classification condition; and executing the second action if the secondary classification condition is satisfied by a secondary key vector associated with a second portion of the data packet.