An example method includes disengaging a target node from a cluster, where the disengaging comprises: selecting an inheritor; migrating flows from the target node to the inheritor; informing a migration manager that the target node is disengaged from the cluster; and broadcasting to peer nodes of the target node that the target node is replaced by the inheritor. In particular implementations of the present disclosure, the cluster can include a first layer of a network topology including a forwarding engine that implements hash-based packet forwarding; a second layer of the network topology comprising the target node and the inheritor, where the target node and the inheritor implement flow-based packet forwarding; and a third layer including service nodes configured for packet processing in a network.