Abstract: A method for configuring a communication network includes the steps of identifying a given network configuration having a given network topology based on arcs having associated administrative routing weights and including a number of given shortest paths, generating at least one neighbouring configuration by producing in the network topology a perturbation leaving the administrative routing weights unaffected and wherein the majority of the shortest paths in the neighbouring configuration have the shortest paths from the number left unaffected by the perturbation and combinations of shortest paths from the number evaluating the neighbouring configuration against the given configuration based on a given cost function, whereby the evaluation involves only the portion of the network topology affected by the perturbation, and substituting the neighbouring configuration for the given configuration if the neighbouring configuration is found to represent an improvement over the given configuration based on the cost

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method (10) for determining the optimal configuration of apparatuses of a fixed telecommunication network organised on two hierarchical layers, i.e. of a network comprising access nodes and transit 10 nodes. The method (10) based on the location of the access nodes (20), on their homing mode (30) and of the traffic exchanged between them (40), of the candidate locations for the installation of the transit apparatuses (50), of the capacity and cost parameters of the transit apparatuses (60), 15 of the capacity and cost parameters of the connections (70) and of the general parameters and grade of service offered (80), allows to determine the network structure with the lowest construction cost, i.e.