Abstract: Distributed firewalls reside at different points across a network. Each distributed firewall can include one or more rules that govern traffic over and/or access to the network. The rules can be discovered, converted into a standardized format, and indexed at a centralized rule database. The rules or data of the rules can be verified. The rules can be certified at the centralized database. The certification process can be based on a direction of traffic to which the rule governs. The certification process may have different levels based on the direction of traffic.

Abstract: The innovation disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises systems and methods of serializing firewall rules and their relationships to users, devices, and/or applications. Distributed firewalls in a large network are scanned for firewall rules which are discovered and indexed in a centralized rule database. The firewall rules are indexed according to different categories of data. The firewall rules can be updated in the database and at the distributed firewall. The firewall rules can be matched to the rule source and be verified.