A method and apparatus for intelligent network resource manager for distributed computing systems is provided. A first priority is assigned to a first virtual channel set that includes at least two virtual channels of a plurality of virtual channels associated with a physical communication channel. A second priority is assigned to a second virtual channel set that includes at least one virtual channel of the plurality of virtual channels. The first virtual channel set has more virtual channels than the second virtual channel set. Outbound messages of the first priority are directed to virtual channels of the first virtual channel set. Outbound messages of the second priority are directed to virtual channels of the second virtual channel set. The virtual channels are processed in a round-robin order, where processing includes sending the outbound messages over the physical communication channel.