Managing a network element using a template configuration

An element manager acquires information identifying a network element. Based on the acquired information, the element manager associates a template configuration with the network element. The template configuration includes configuration parameter values. Subsequent to the associating, the element manager provides configuration information describing a configuration of the network element without retrieving the configuration information from the network element. The configuration information is based on the template configuration. An element manager and programming first determine that a configuration of a network element should match a template configuration. The configuration includes configuration parameter values utilized by the network element. The element manager and programming acquire at least one of the configuration parameter values and determine that the at least one acquired configuration parameter value does not match a corresponding configuration parameter value of the template configuration. Based on this determination, the element manager and programming take an action.