1. A network device comprising: a plurality of packet forwarding elements, each including a hardware component for receiving and forwarding data packets from and to other network devices via a plurality of input ports when connected to a network, each hardware component configured to: determine whether a received data packet is one of a predetermined class of data packets based on data in the received data packet and, if so: generate expedited processing instructions corresponding to the received data packet based on data in the received data packet; and forward the received data packet together with the corresponding expedited processing instructions directly to the hardware component of all packet forwarding elements of the plurality of packet forwarding elements for processing based on the expedited processing instructions.