A method for configuring a network path of a network for transferring a data flow, whereby said path has a network device susceptible of network congestion and arranged for storing at least a part of the data flow. The method includes determining at least one possible path for transferring between locations of source and destination a data flow, the data flow being classified according to a footprint measure indicative of a possible difference between the total amount of incoming data and the total amount of outgoing data in the at least one network device over a time interval having a duration of one or more time units, the time unit is chosen that individual data units of the at least one data flow are distinguishable at byte level by the network device, and configuring the at least one path according to the footprint measure.