A network management system is described for assuring that a network device complies with a device-specific configuration policy. One example of the network management system contains one or more business rules that describe a business policy regarding a computer network in a network-independent form. In general, the business rules refer to high-level business requirements and not to device-specific configuration information. The network management system uses the business rule to determine which business policies are currently in force. In addition, the network management system contains one or more network design rules that describe relationship between the business policy and one or more device-specific configuration policies. The network management server uses the network design rules to determine whether to deploy a device-specific configuration policies. In this manner, an administrator or other user may create high-level business rules without regard to particular network devices or topologies, yet device-specific configuration polices are deployed to the network devices to assure compliance even if the network management system is bypassed.