System and method for generating a resource assignment recommendation for a data center network, including receiving a resource request for a requesting application that indicates a requested resource rate and a requested resource time for one or more network links; computing, based on historic resource utilization data for the requesting application, a predicted resource utilization for the requesting application; computing a recommendation for the resource request based on the requested resource rate, requested resource time, and the predicted resource utilization; and providing the recommendation to a resource assignment controller.