The invention features a system and method for authenticating and authorizing a user to log onto a network element in a telecommunications optical network. The administration of security for the network is handled by a centralized authority. The centralized authority maintains the accounts for individuals authorized to log onto the network elements and their associated privileges. In one embodiment, to log onto a network element a user provides a user identifier and user authentication information to the centralized authority. The centralized authority then processes the user identifier and user authentication information to authenticate the user. If authenticated, the centralized authority determines a privilege level for the user and generates an affirmative response that includes the user identifier and the privilege level. Provided with the affirmative response, the network element logs the user onto the network element with the associated privilege level.