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Techniques for configuring a network to support real-time applications include maintaining multiple templates and a meta-template. Maintaining each template includes associating a class of network elements with an action to perform on a network data packet by a network element that belongs to the class. The class is defined by a first constraint set on one or more first properties of the network elements. Maintaining the meta-template includes associating external information with an associated template. The external information indicates a second constraint set on one or more second properties different from the one or more first properties. The network elements are automatically configured based at least in part on the meta-template. These techniques allow two members of the same class to be automatically configured for different QoS policies based on such external information as a property of a peer device or data rate on a connected link.