A method for managing packet voice networks conforming to ITU Recommendation H.323, using a virtual entity approach and abstract information model approach, is disclosed. A virtual zone object represents an association of a virtual gateway, which comprises an H.323 gateway and a signaling controller, and one or more associated virtual gatekeepers, each of which comprises an H.323 gatekeeper, or the combination of an H.323 gatekeeper and a route server. User input specifies a configuration operation on the virtual zone and one or more parameter values. One or more configuration instructions are automatically issued to both the gateway and the gatekeeper, and other involved objects representing other involved network elements, resulting in configuring both the gateway and the gatekeeper as specified in the user input. As a result, a user can configure or operate on a virtual zone or other virtual object as an atomic entity, for example, in a network management application, without involvement in complicated details of the actual network devices that provide a particular packet voice service.