FPGA based database searching

Hello,



I've been searching the internet for days now and still I'm not sure about

what I am trying to do. Okay now, I've got a software implementation in 
ANSI-C for a complex database searching. The database is a proprietary 
format where I am saving data, which has to be given as a result,
depending 
on the input data. Problem is, the software implementation is far to slow.



Now I am looking for alternative ways for a faster implementation and came

across the idea to implement the whole database searching as electronic 
circuit in an FPGA. The database is of course far too big to save it
inside 
an FPGA, e.g. the BlockRAMs of a Spartan3. Therefore external memory has
to 
be used, slowing down the throughput. Target is a database searching of 
262144 elements with 16 bit each in maximum 220 ms.



Does anybody have experience with FPGA based database handling or similar 
tasks? Your urgent response will be highly appreciated!



Regards

Norman Bollmann