A flow entry configuration method, apparatus, and system are disclosed. The method includes: reporting, by a switch, information about a data packet of a first service to a controller, receiving a flow entry delivered by the controller according to the information and a flow table structure, determining a first target service path matching the flow entry of the first service, determining a target hardware flow table according to a preconfigured correspondence between the service path and a hardware flow table of the switch, and configuring a flow entry of the target hardware flow table according to the flow entry of the first service. Therefore, no matter to which controller the switch is connected, the switch can successfully configure, in the hardware flow table, the flow entry used to implement the first service, so as to successfully process the first service, thereby reducing a probability of failure in service processing.