A first node of a packet switched network transmits at least one flow of protocol data units of a network to at least one output context of one of a plurality of second nodes of the network. The first node includes X virtual output queues (VOQs). The first node receives, from at least one of the second nodes, at least one fair rate record. Each fair rate record corresponds to a particular second node output context and describes a recommended rate of flow to the particular output context. The first node allocates up to X of the VOQs among flows corresponding to i) currently allocated VOQs, and ii) the flows corresponding to the received fair rate records. The first node operates each allocated VOQ according to the corresponding recommended rate of flow until a deallocation condition obtains for the each allocated VOQ.