Abstract: In a telecommunication management network Applications can transmit messages to other applications without maintaining routing and characteristic information for each target application. The enhanced directory services feature maintains the routing and characteristic information and provides the information as needed to either the transmitting application or a dispatcher process 304, which routes the message without further assistance of the transmitting application. This simplifies the functions that must be embedded in the application. Thus, as the routing information or the characteristic information of the application entities changes, the applications continue to function properly. Each user environment accessing the enhanced directory services database can elect when and how it handles changes to the enhanced directory services database.