Priority allocation for distributed service rules

For a network controller that manages a flow-based managed forwarding element (MFE), a method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of sets of service rules for implementation by the MFE, wherein (i) the sets of service rules have a priority order and (ii) the rules in each set of service rules have separate priority orders;
• identifying (i) a first priority gap value that specifies spacing of priority values assigned to sequential rules within a set of service rules and (ii) a second priority gap value that specifies spacing of priority values between sets of service rules;
• using the first and second priority gap values to assign priority values to each of the received service rules in a single ordered list of service rules arranged based on the priority orders of the sets of service rules and the rules in each set of service rules;
• and
• using the assigned priority values to generate data for the MFE to use to implement the service rules.

A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a network controller which when executed by at least one processing unit manages a flow-based managed forwarding element (MFE), the network controller comprising sets of instructions for:

• receiving a plurality of sets of service rules for implementation by the MFE, wherein (i) the sets of service rules have a priority order and (ii) the rules in each set of service rules have separate priority orders;
• identifying (i) a first priority gap value that specifies spacing of priority values assigned to sequential rules within a set of service rules and (ii) a second priority gap value that specifies spacing of priority values between sets of service rules;
• using the first and second priority gap values to assign priority values to each of the received service rules in a single ordered list of service rules arranged based on the priority orders of the sets of service rules and the rules in each set of service rules;
• and
• using the assigned priority values to generate data for the MFE to use to implement the service rules.