Apparatus, processes, and computer readable storage media for processing received packets. A session memory, coupled to and shared by a plurality of packet processors, may store configuration and statistics information for a plurality of communication sessions. A session active memory may store session identifiers corresponding to packets currently being processed by the plurality of packet processors. A comparator may compare a session identifier extracted from a received packet with the stored session identifiers to determine if another packet belonging to the same session as the received packet is currently being processed. Forwarding logic may distribute received packets among the plurality of packet processors. In the case that another packet belonging to the same session as the received packet is currently being processed, the forwarding logic may wait until the processing of the another packet is complete before sending the received packet to one of the packet processors.