Patent ID: 7463648

Claim:
A machine-implemented method for implementing an apparatus, comprising: determining that a resource, which satisfies a resource requirement for said apparatus, is not available; determining whether said resource requirement is either optional or necessary; if said resource requirement is determined to be optional, implementing said apparatus; and if said resource requirement is determined to be necessary, not implementing said apparatus, wherein implementing said apparatus further comprises: selecting, from among a set of processors of a plurality of physical devices, a first subset of processors; generating instructions that cause a first switching system to logically couple together each processor in said first subset of processors, wherein said first switching system is not included in said plurality of physical devices; selecting, from among a set of storage devices of said plurality of physical devices, a second subset of storage devices; generating instructions that cause a second switching system to logically couple together each storage device in said second subset of storage devices to one another and to said first subset of processors, wherein said second switching system is not included in said plurality of physical devices.