1. A network device comprising: a memory to be searched, said memory comprising a plurality of memory banks; a queue management unit configured to receive a plurality of search requests and to prioritize said search requests; a memory management unit coupled to said queue management unit and said memory and configured to initiate a plurality of binary searches based on said plurality of search requests, said plurality of binary searches being initiated simultaneously in different banks of said plurality of memory banks; and a search switching unit coupled to said memory management unit and said memory and configured to switch each said binary search from one memory bank of said plurality of memory banks to another memory bank of said plurality of memory banks after a predetermined number of search steps are performed in each said binary search.