1. A packet switching node having a pipelined packet processing architecture for processing packets received via a plurality of packet switching node source ports, the packet switching node comprising: a. a plurality of packet frame type determination engines configured to be employed in parallel for determining a packet frame type of a packet received via an input port of the packet switching node prior to extraction of packet header field values, wherein the plurality of packet frame type determination engines comprise: a hardware frame type identification engine having hardware logic for inspecting packet header bit values and hardware logic for recognizing standardized packet header bit patterns; a successive frame type elimination engine having hardware logic for conditionally subjecting packet header field values successively to a plurality of rules; and a template match frame type identification engine including a plurality of packet header templates for comparison against packet header regions, wherein frame type determinations by the successive frame type elimination engine and the template match frame type identification engine are prioritized over a frame type determination by the hardware frame type identification engine; b. a packet header field value extractor for selectively extracting, without intermediate processing, packet header field values from the plurality of packet header field values conveyed by each packet based on the source port via which the packet was received; c. means for ascribing a match type to the packet, the match type preclassifying the packet based on the extracted packet header field values irrespective of the format of the packet frame; d. means for searching one of packet switching information, packet routing information, and protocol virtual local area networking information tracked by the packet switching node based on one of extracted packet header field values, the match type, and the source port for formulating a preliminary switch response for the packet; and e. a packet classifier for classifying the packet into one of a plurality of packet processing flows based on one of the source port identifier, the preliminary switch response, extracted packet header field values, and the match type.