Various embodiments utilize information contained in a message, such as addressing and other information, to derive a unique identifier. The unique identifier is then used as a means to route an associated message to an appropriate component for processing. In at least some embodiments, the unique identifier is derived using hash-based techniques which are applied to various portions of the message header. Once the hash-based techniques have been used to produce the unique identifier, the unique identifier can be used in a look up process to look for the appropriate component to which the message is to be routed.