1. An apparatus for processing a plurality of packets, each of the plurality of packets being communicated via a network from a source to a destination intended by the source, each of the plurality of packets comprising a plurality of portions, the apparatus comprising: a rules memory operative to store a first plurality of rules, wherein the first plurality of rules comprises a first root rule stored in a first memory location in the rules memory and further wherein each of the remaining of the first plurality of rules is hierarchically linked with the first root rule and defines at least one operation to be performed, the first root rule operative to define which of the plurality of packets are to be captured for subsequent processing and which of the remaining of the first plurality of rules is to be subsequently executed, the rules memory being further capable of storing a second plurality of rules, wherein the second plurality of rules comprises a second root rule stored in a second memory location in the rules memory and further wherein each of the remaining of the second plurality of rules is hierarchically linked with the second root rule and defines at least one operation to be performed, the second root rule operative to define which of the plurality of packets are to be captured for subsequent processing and which of the remaining of the second plurality of rules is to be subsequently executed; a first processor coupled with the rules memory, a pointer memory location and the network, the pointer memory location operative to store a pointer address specifying the first memory location and being further capable of being changed to specify the second memory location, wherein the first processor is operative to retrieve one of the first or second root rules by accessing the pointer memory location to obtain the pointer address and retrieving the first or second root rule based thereon and further operative to execute the first or second root rule to examine at least a first portion of the plurality of portions of at least one of the plurality of packets and capture the examined packet from the network as defined by the first or second root rule; a packet memory coupled with the first processor and operative to store the captured packet; and a second processor coupled with the first processor, the packet memory and the rules memory, the second processor operative to select a second rule of the first or second plurality of rules from the rules memory, the selection being based on at least the first or second root rule, and execute the at least one operation of the second rule.