Patent ID: 7313101

Claim:
A computer-implemented method executable on at least one computer for causing said at least one computer to perform filtering, responsive to a logical specification of a network farm and a communication model for said farm, a tree topology network specification to obtain a filtered tree topology network specification, said filtered tree topology network specification having fewer devices therein relative to said tree topology network specification, devices needed for constructing said farm being available in said filtered tree topology network specification, said method comprising: removing, using said at least one computer due to said method being executed on said at least one computer, a first set of devices and a first set of switching elements from said tree topology network specification starting at the lowest level of said tree topology network specification and working toward the root node of said tree topology network specification, each device in said first set of devices representing one of a redundant device, a device having a type unneeded by said farm, and a device unavailable for constructing said farm, each switching element in said first set of switching elements representing a switching element whose children devices are all members of said first set of devices.