A system and method for providing a technique by which currently available MCUs can handle the large amounts of information present in a large GPON network, without adding expense and complexity to the network elements. A system for managing a telecommunications network comprises a control unit controlling a plurality of components of an optical telecommunications network, a plurality of components of the optical telecommunications network, each component comprising at least one managed entity of the optical telecommunications network, and a database comprising information relating to the managed entities, wherein the database is distributed across the control unit and the plurality of components of the optical telecommunications network.