1. A method for configuring a network element that is an element of a radio access network (RAN), the method comprising: sending a request to a management apparatus for an IP address and receiving an IP address via a first interface from the management apparatus; setting up a link via the first interface to the management apparatus; receiving software via the first interface from the management apparatus; and performing, by the network element, a self test; detecting changes of at least one radio configuration parameter; providing information about the change of the at least one radio configuration parameter to the management apparatus; and receiving generated configuration data at the network element via the first interface from the management apparatus when the network element is affected by the generated configuration data, wherein the generated configuration data comprises at least one self-configuration parameter selected from the group consisting of an IP address of the network element, information about an IP environment of the network element, a frequency, a code, a physical cell identifier, a global cell identifier, an adjacency, a radio configuration parameter for the network element, a mapping parameter from a physical cell identifier to a global cell identifier, a mapping parameter of a global cell identifier to an IP address and a blacklist.