A resource methodology is described which provides a framework for defining specific resource classes support for resource methods, and provides support for resource-independent commands, including those used in resource consolidation. A Resource Consolidation methodology of the present invention works by starting with an empty resource set, then iteratively extends the set in a minimal fashion. At the end of the iteration, the initial resource set comprises sufficient resources. An important component to this approach is a Minimal Extension method. This method provides a directed, acyclic graph methodology that takes two graphs as input and extends one (the "primary") so as to include the other one (the "secondary"). For efficiency, resources in the secondary graph are shared with those in the primary graph wherever possible.