A method of performing affinity-based network configuration performed by a network component in a network, the method comprising: • establishing an information model defining network entities and their relationships, wherein the information model is an object-oriented model independent of implementation technology, platform, language, and protocol; • generating at least one data model using model elements of the information model, wherein the data model is at least one of technology and vendor specific; • receiving a plurality of requests, each request requesting an application; • determining that the plurality of requests request a same shared resource in a network infrastructure, and subsequently determining a priority of importance for each application based on business rules defining application priorities; • performing affinity analysis on the applications based on the determined priority of importance of the applications and by using the at least one data model to determine whether affinities between the applications and the network infrastructure exist (steps 810, 820); • combining the results of the affinity analysis with data from the network to determine how to configure the network (step 830); • determining a network configuration according to a result of the combination and by using the at least one data model, wherein the network configuration utilizes affinity between the applications and the network infrastructure; • configuring the network infrastructure according to the network configuration (step 840), • deriving network infrastructure capabilities of the configured network infrastructure using the object-oriented information model (step 850); • adjusting the results of the affinity analysis in accordance with the derived network infrastructure capabilities (step 860); and modifying the network configuration using the adjusted affinity analysis, wherein the modified network configuration provides an adjusted network topology for handling the requests (step 860). • establishing an information model defining network entities and their relationships, wherein the information model is an object-oriented model independent of implementation technology, platform, language, and protocol; • generating at least one data model using model elements of the information model, wherein the data model is at least one of technology and vendor specific; • receiving a plurality of requests, each request requesting an application; • determining that the plurality of requests request a same shared resource in a network infrastructure, and subsequently determining a priority of importance for each application based on business rules defining application priorities; • performing affinity analysis on the applications based on the determined priority of importance of the applications and by using the at least one data model to determine whether affinities between the applications and the network infrastructure exist (steps 810, 820); • combining the results of the affinity analysis with data from the network to determine how to configure the network (step 830); • determining a network configuration according to a result of the combination and by using the at least one data model, wherein the network configuration utilizes affinity between the applications and the network infrastructure; • configuring the network infrastructure according to the network configuration (step 840), • deriving network infrastructure capabilities of the configured network infrastructure using the object-oriented information model (step 850); • adjusting the results of the affinity analysis in accordance with the derived network infrastructure capabilities (step 860); and