1. A method for providing a management protocol in a network, the method comprising: employing an element management system (“EMS”) application within the network; implementing an XML agent on a plurality of network elements, including at least one subtending network element, that monitors a first port to identify management data from the EMS application; configuring a connection between the EMS application and a gateway network element; delegating a proxy from the gateway network element to the at least one subtending network element to allow the at least one subtending network element to be addressed by the EMS application; and tunneling proxy management traffic to at least one subtending network element from the gateway network element.