1. An associative search engine (ASE) for data storage and retrieval, the associative search engine comprising: (a) a search engine manager (SEM), disposed within a chip, said search engine manager including: (i) processing logic; (b) an external memory, disposed outside of said chip, said memory including: (i) at least a first array for storing a plurality of range boundary information; (c) at least a second array for storing a plurality of associated data entries, said data entries being associated with said range boundary information, wherein said processing logic is designed and configured to search, in response to an input key, said range boundary information, so as to determine if said input key falls within a range associated with a particular range boundary information of said range boundary information.