A system and a method for communicating coalesced rule parameters in a distributed
computing environment are described. A plurality of packet validation devices are
communicatively interposed between network routing points within the distributed
computing environment. The packet validation devices apply parameterized rules
to transiting network packet traffic. A plurality of processing tree nodes are
configured into a concast tree. In a lowermost layer of the concast tree, each
processing tree node collects and coalesces rule parameters from at least one packet
validation device. In each successive layer of the concast tree, each processing
tree node collects and coalesce the rule parameters from at least one processing
tree node in a next lower layer of the concast tree. A control center assembles
the coalesced rule parameters from each packet validation device in an uppermost
layer of the concast tree. The coalesced rule parameters are forwarded from the
control center to each packet validation device along a dissemination path.
