The present invention provides a network device having an internal configuration database process for managing configuration of internal resources within the network device in response to configuration input provided by an external Network Management System (NMS) process. In one aspect, the invention provides a communications system having a network device, and a computer system. The network device includes an internal configuration database process for managing configuration of internal resources within the device. The computer system includes an input mechanism for receiving configuration input data from a network manager, and an NMS process for responding to the configuration input data and for sending configuration data to the configuration database process within the network device, where the configuration database process within the network device configures internal resources of the network device in response to the configuration data received from the NMS.