1. A network switching system, comprising: a control system that includes a plurality of software-defined networking (SDN) applications that are each configured to operate independently of the others of the plurality of SDN applications to provide flow-based rules for at least one flow session; a first networked system that is configured to generate and send a plurality of packets over the network; a second networked system that is coupled to the control system and the first networked system through a network, wherein the second networked system includes a plurality of first flow-based rules provided by a first SDN application of the plurality of SDN applications that is a first type of SDN application, and a plurality of second flow-based rules provided by a second SDN application of the plurality of SDN applications that is a second type of SDN application, and wherein the second networked system is configured to: assemble the plurality of packets received from the first networked system; determine that a flow session is associated with each of the plurality of packets; associate the plurality of first flow-based rules and the plurality of second flow-based rules with each of the plurality of packets based on the association of that packet and the flow session; and modify the plurality of packets using each of the plurality of first flow-based rules and a subset of the plurality of second flow-based rules based on the prioritization of the plurality of first flow-based rules over the plurality of second flow-based rules due to the first type of SDN application being prioritized over the second type of SDN application.