A method for managing the configuration of a telecommunications network, the method comprises remotely creating a data file containing attributes of managed objects for one or more network elements of the network, uploading the data file to a management system of the network, inspecting the data file and identifying managed objects having attributes which have been created, varied or deleted, producing a database of the identified managed objects and the values thereof, and analysing the data in the database to manage the configuration of the telecommunications network accordingly. Also disclosed are an apparatus for performing the method, a management system incorporating the or apparatus and a telecommunications network incorporating the management system.