An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus based on alternative resource requirements generally involves a resource allocator determining that a resource that satisfies a resource requirement is not available, and based on the resource not being available, the resource allocator determines that another resource that satisfies another resource requirement is available. The resource allocator allocates the other resource to the apparatus, thereby allowing the apparatus to be implemented based on the other resource. The resource requirements are alternatives so that if the one alternative resource requirement cannot be fulfilled, the other alternative resource requirement can be fulfilled. Some alternatives can be preferred over other alternatives in a set of alternative resource requirements. In general, in a set of “n” alternative resource requirements, “m” resource requirements can be specified to be fulfilled, where “m” is less than “n” and “n” is two or greater.