1. A method of global/local address translation for use with a pattern matching engine, said method comprising: translating global addresses of rules to local addresses of rules stored in a resident rules memory; wherein resident rule access by said pattern matching engine does not require use of tags and providing a local/global bit in each rule operative to indicate if a next table of rules to be accessed is a local table in said resident rules memory or a global table in said main memory and accessed via a temporary rules memory.