Patent ID: 8355344

Claim:
A method of configuring a network, the method comprising: creating, by a processor, a list containing a plurality of functional elements for the network, a number of functional element ports for each functional element, and a bandwidth of each functional element port; selecting, by the processor, an acceptable oversubscription rate of the plurality of functional elements; identifying, by the processor, a number of interconnecting element ports and an interconnecting element bandwidth associated with each of the interconnecting element ports based on the plurality of functional elements, operational requirements of the functional elements, the number of functional element ports for each functional element, the bandwidth of each functional element port, and the acceptable oversubscription rate; designing, by the processor, a plurality of interconnecting elements required to connect the functional elements, wherein the plurality of interconnecting elements accommodate the number of interconnecting element ports and the interconnecting element bandwidth associated with each of the interconnecting element ports; identifying, by the processor, a number of core elements ports and a core element bandwidth associated with each of the core element ports based on the plurality of functional elements, the operational requirements of the plurality of functional elements, the number of interconnecting element ports, the bandwidth of each interconnecting element port, and the acceptable oversubscription rate; designing, by the processor, a plurality of core elements to accommodate the number of core element ports and the core element bandwidth associated with each core elemental ports; determining, by the processor, a network configuration for connecting each of the plurality of functional elements to one or more of the plurality of interconnecting elements and connecting each of the plurality of core elements to one or more of the interconnecting elements; and creating, by the processor, a schematic of a configuration of the network.