A network service allocation device is disclosed. The device comprises a probe, a module, and an engine. The device collects performance data relating to the physical characteristics of a distributed data processing system. The module utilizes the performance data to identify two or more node clusters on the distributed data processing system. The engine correlates the node clusters and one or more performance rules as related to the network service to provide a map of node cluster(s) for supporting the network service, or a list of one or more servers within a node cluster for supporting the network service.