A computer system and method for configuring communication and database networks in a user friendly graphical environment and automatically generating related configuration files. In a preferred practice, the user defines multiple network workstation nodes using icons (13), specifies (12) the resources associated with each icon, and defines connections between icons using specified protocol constraints, and the computer validates the network so defined, and generates the associated configuration files for the respective workstation nodes. The workstations have requester/server capability for communication and database network operation. The configuration files for the respective workstations in the network are preferably distributed and installed using the network resources. The network topology information so created can be stored, retrieved and modified as necessary to suit the needs of an evolving network.