1. A computer-implemented method for filtering data packets in a network comprising, collecting configured filter rules containing logical expressions for processing data packets, determining simple form filter rules based on the configured filter rules, wherein the simple form filter rules comprises a filter group name and attributes to correlate the simple form rules to a complex form filter rule, assembling a sub-list summary structure, wherein the sub-list summary structure comprises simple form filter rules recombined into complex form filter rules by common attribute data and wherein the sub-list summary structure further includes sub-list summary rules each containing a plurality of filter rules and sub-list summary attributes containing the narrowest ranges which encompass all of the ranges or values of the corresponding attributes in the filter rules associated with the sub-list summary rule, receiving a packet with attributes, determining applicable filter rule by comparing the attributes of the received packet with the attributes of the sub-list summary structure.