A flow entry management method, applied to a flow entry management system, wherein the flow entry management system comprises at least one switch and at least one controller, for any switch in the at least one switch, one or more controllers in the at least one controller are connected to the any switch, and a corresponding management authority level relative to the any switch is set for each controller in the one or more controllers connected to the any switch, and the method comprises: after receiving a management instruction initiated by a first controller for a first flow entry, obtaining, by a first switch, a management authority level of the first controller relative to the first switch and a security level of the first flow entry, wherein, corresponding to different management instructions, corresponding security levels are respectively set for the first flow entry, the security level is used to indicate a management authority level that the controller should have for managing the first flow entry, the first switch is any switch in the at least one switch, the first controller is any controller in one or more controllers connected to the first switch, and the first flow entry is any to-be-created flow entry carried in the management instruction initiated by the first controller or is any created flow entry stored on the first switch (step 101); characterized by comparing, by the first switch, the management authority level of the first controller relative to the first switch with the security level of the first flow entry corresponding to the management instruction initiated by the first controller, and if it is determined that the management authority level of the first controller relative to the first switch is not lower than the security level of the first flow entry corresponding to the management instruction initiated by the first controller, determining that the first controller has an authority to perform corresponding management on the first flow entry, and performing corresponding management on the first flow entry according to the management instruction initiated by the first controller (step 102). after receiving a management instruction initiated by a first controller for a first flow entry, obtaining, by a first switch, a management authority level of the first controller relative to the first switch and a security level of the first flow entry, wherein, corresponding to different management instructions, corresponding security levels are respectively set for the first flow entry, the security level is used to indicate a management authority level that the controller should have for managing the first flow entry, the first switch is any switch in the at least one switch, the first controller is any controller in one or more controllers connected to the first switch, and the first flow entry is any to-be-created flow entry carried in the management instruction initiated by the first controller or is any created flow entry stored on the first switch (step 101); characterized by comparing, by the first switch, the management authority level of the first controller relative to the first switch with the security level of the first flow entry corresponding to the management instruction initiated by the first controller, and if it is determined that the management authority level of the first controller relative to the first switch is not lower than the security level of the first flow entry corresponding to the management instruction initiated by the first controller, determining that the first controller has an authority to perform corresponding management on the first flow entry, and performing corresponding management on the first flow entry according to the management instruction initiated by the first controller (step 102).