BACKUP SERVICE MANAGERS FOR PROVIDING RELIABLE NETWORK SERVICES IN A DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENT

A system and method are disclosed for providing a network service. A first criteria specifying a first set of flows from a first service manager is received at a forwarding agent. The first criteria specifies an expiration time interval. The first criteria is stored on the forwarding agent. A second criteria is received that specifies a second set of flows from a second service manager at the forwarding agent. The second set of flows includes flows that are in the first set of flows and the second criteria is designated as a lower priority criteria. The second criteria is stored on the forwarding agent. The first criteria is deleted from the forwarding agent upon the expiration of the expiration time interval. A packet is received that belongs to a flow that is included in the first set and the second set. It is determined that the packet matches the second set ant the packet is forwarded to the second service manager.