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If a smaller number is of higher priority than a greater number, how can I tell what lowering the priority means?

When it comes to configuring networking devices, a smaller number sometimes represents higher priority. When someone says that I should lower the priority, should I increase the priority value and consequently lower the priority or should I decrease the priority and consequently raise the priority?

I find it hard to tell. Especially if the person never speaks of configuring a priority value. That would be the correct term for such as an action because priority is the effect, not the cause.

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    It is hard to tell. In fact it may very well be impossible to tell without some external cues. Sorry.
    – Colin Fine
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 10:35
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    I agree with @ColinFine, you'd need to ask explicitly the person. However, if I had to make a decision, I'd stick to the human-language understanding: lowering the priority means give less priority, so technically corresponds to increasing the value of your index.
    – Joce
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 10:41
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    You can't, without some clues. This has always been a problem in computerdom when such a priority nomenclature was used. (I've personally dealt with this problem for about 45 years.)
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 11:52
  • Usually, I'm expected to answer with a 'yes' or a 'no'. That troubles me for two reasons: 1) I don't want to lecture people by describing the difference between priority and priority value. I have to speak or write more than necessary which has a negative impact on my performance as a troubleshooter. 2) If I ask something in return (mail, ticket), then the problem remains unsolved. Negative impact on performance.
    – user2964971
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 13:26
  • Maybe you can ask that person to specify whether he/she means the priority number or the priority?
    – user184885
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 20:03

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The phrases "higher priority", "lower priority", and "lowering the priority" are all independent of how priority is encoded. Higher priority doesn't mean encoded with higher numbers. It means this will be done before that will be done. I could encode priority with letters of the alphabet, and in any order.

The problem is some people might not realize that when explaining how to configure your networking devices. They may assume everyone "knows" that 1 is lower than 2 both numerically and in encoded priority. If they never make that clear, not even with an example, then you're just going to have to run a test and find out. Which you probably should do in any case. One good test is worth 1000 expert opinions.

I know with the route command on my windows 10 that the "Metric" field is used for this. It's defined as "METRIC specifies the metric, ie. cost for the destination."

That wording makes it clear that larger numbers indicate lower priority. At least in this system.

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    Down voted without explanation. That'll teach me.
    – candied_orange
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 13:05
  • If a priority value of 2 is more important than 1, then I always understand that giving something more priority means increasing its priority value. However, if a priority value of 1 is more important than 2 and someone tells me to decrease the priority, then I could either increase a parameter called priority or I could decrease that parameter which would increase the priority of that network element.
    – user2964971
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 13:16
  • 2 is a numerical value. The highest priority value is implementation dependent. It could be 1. 2, 42, 99, infinity, or aardvark. If the documentation isn't clear test it and see.
    – candied_orange
    Commented Jul 13, 2016 at 22:52

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