Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining, by the network node, that a port of the network node is ready to receive a packet; identifying a packet having a highest packet priority among a plurality of packets received via a plurality of interfaces, wherein the step of identifying includes, for each of a plurality of components at a first hierarchy level: identifying a first level highest priority packet among a plurality of packets available to the component, based on a packet priority associated with each of the plurality of packets available to the component, sharing the packet priority of the first level highest priority packet with at least one component at a second hierarchy level; and transmitting the packet having the highest priority to the port.