1. A computer implemented process for simultaneously configuring parameters of devices in a computer network, comprising the steps of: defining a hierarchy of logical groups of objects corresponding to machines and groups of machines in the computer network; defining rules associated with the objects, wherein a rule specifies a type of traffic, a communication protocol, and indication of whether the rule is associated with the object acting as a sender or as a receiver of information, wherein each object inherits all rules associated with each group in which it is a member; processing the defined rules to produce a set of control parameters for machines in the computer network; and applying the control parameters to machines in the computer network.