A method comprising: at a network protection device: receiving a first rule set; receiving a second rule set; preprocessing the first rule set and the second rule set; configuring a plurality of processors (300, 302, 304) of the network protection device to process packets in accordance with the first rule set; receiving packets; processing, by at least two of the plurality of processors, a first portion of the packets in accordance with the first rule set; signaling each of the at least two of the plurality of processors to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; responsive to the signaling to process packets in accordance with the second rule set: ceasing, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, processing of the packets; caching, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, unprocessed packets; reconfiguring each of the at least two of the plurality of processors to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; and signaling, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, completion of reconfiguration to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; and responsive to receiving signaling that each of the at least two of the plurality of processors has completed reconfiguration to process packets in accordance with the second rule set, processing, by the at least two of the plurality of processors, the cached unprocessed packets. receiving a first rule set; receiving a second rule set; preprocessing the first rule set and the second rule set; configuring a plurality of processors (300, 302, 304) of the network protection device to process packets in accordance with the first rule set; receiving packets; processing, by at least two of the plurality of processors, a first portion of the packets in accordance with the first rule set; signaling each of the at least two of the plurality of processors to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; responsive to the signaling to process packets in accordance with the second rule set: ceasing, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, processing of the packets; caching, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, unprocessed packets; reconfiguring each of the at least two of the plurality of processors to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; and signaling, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, completion of reconfiguration to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; and ceasing, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, processing of the packets; caching, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, unprocessed packets; reconfiguring each of the at least two of the plurality of processors to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; and signaling, by each of the at least two of the plurality of processors, completion of reconfiguration to process packets in accordance with the second rule set; and responsive to receiving signaling that each of the at least two of the plurality of processors has completed reconfiguration to process packets in accordance with the second rule set, processing, by the at least two of the plurality of processors, the cached unprocessed packets.