A communications network such as a Global Multi Service Network is provided with a management system which includes a distributed control system. The distributed control system is an open community of co-operating intelligent software agents which individually have control, or responsibility for managing, one or more nodes of the communications network. There are software agents of more than one type and the service management agents which have control over nodes of the network enter a negotiation process with customer agents in the provision of new services, so as to meet the constraints of both customer requirements and the interest of the relevant service provider. In the event of agent failure, the service management agents initiate a bidding process to reallocate the responsibilities of a failed agent.