An element management system ("EMS") interfaces between a telephone company computer or a terminal for use by a telephone company system administrator or customer service representative, and a telephone network element such as a central office or a group of central offices. In order to store and process subscriber data during the time periods when a telephone computer system is busy controlling telephone switching functions and therefore giving low priority to such data, the EMS contains a proxy database and maintains it between the periods when access to the telephone computer system is desired and available, without detrimentally involving the telephone computer system, the telephone switching network or any elements thereof. The EMS is capable of operating as the sole repository of subscriber data in a telephone computer system configured to operate in such an environment. The proxy database effectively mirrors subscriber data in one or more central offices and/or other network elements of the telephone computer system. By utilizing the proxy database, the EMS (i) provides relatively current subscriber data to telephone company personnel and systems, and (ii) accepts telephone network configuration commands from such personnel and systems, communicates the commands to the corresponding network elements, and upon receiving information indicating that the commands have been carried out, provides verification information to the client personnel and systems.