1. A method for a policy engine to organize policy rules in a way to effect an efficient evaluation of a protocol event, said protocol event having an agent descriptor, a protocol name, and a protocol action, said method comprising: providing a first associative array having a first key and a first value, wherein said first key corresponds to said agent descriptor and said first value is a reference to a second associative array having a second key and a second value; providing said second associative array, wherein said second key corresponds to said protocol name and said second value is a reference to a third associative array having a third key and a third value; providing said third associative array, wherein said third key corresponds to said protocol action and said third value is a reference to a fourth associative array having a fourth key and a fourth value; and providing said fourth associative array, wherein said fourth key corresponds to any of said rules and said fourth value is a rank number associated with said any rule.