Abstract: A network management system includes a plurality of network cells, each network cell associated with at least one monitored network node or element. The system also includes an instant messaging server in communication with the network nodes, and a client workstation, in communication with the instant messaging server, performs the monitoring functions. The system utilizes the instant messaging capability for acquiring, caching, transferring, storing, analyzing, correlating, and displaying network management information from the network nodes. The network cell provides for either manual or automatic control of a selected network node or element, and converts the respective management protocols into a single format that is integrated into an instant messaging data bus. Network management events from disparate and diverse network entities are sent to one or more instant messaging ‘group chat’ environments to facilitate the consolidation, processing and correlation of network events.