A method includes: a first node and a second node in a distributed computing system each creating a respective partial join filter; the first node and the second node each transmitting its respective partial join filter to a third node in the distributed computing system; the third node creating a final join filter by combining the respective partial join filters of the first node and the second node; the third node retrieving target data from a data source of the third node by applying the final join filter to the data source of the third node; and the third node transmitting the retrieved target data to a controlling node in the distributed computing system.