A method for authoring models and using the models for managing a network comprising one or more managed nodes connected to the network, wherein the managed nodes run an application program, the method comprising: receiving, at a configuration management module, a request from a user identifying changes to be implemented on the network; enabling, by the configuration management module, the user to select an appropriate model associated with the changes, wherein the model depicts configurations of software applications and hardware components of the network; enabling, by the configuration management module, the user to select a deployment profile associated with the selected appropriate model, wherein the deployment profile comprises a list of criteria to be reviewed by the user prior to the selection of the deployment profile; configuring, by the configuration management module, administration policies associated with the selected deployment profile, wherein said administration policies comprise policies for software and hardware configurations; providing, by the configuration management module, one or more change templates to the user; enabling, by the configuration management module, the user to choose a change template based on the selected deployment profile; creating, by the configuration management module, based on the selected deployment profile and the administration policies, change order instances from a change template chosen by the user based on the selected deployment profile, the chosen change template comprising a set of questions to be addressed by the user, and wherein the change order instances comprise a work flow to be followed to implement the identified changes; validating, by the configuration management module, change order instances prior to implementation of the identified changes by identifying whether the selected changes are within predefined constraints stored in a configuration management database; and implementing, by the configuration management module, the identified changes based on the validated change order instances. receiving, at a configuration management module, a request from a user identifying changes to be implemented on the network; enabling, by the configuration management module, the user to select an appropriate model associated with the changes, wherein the model depicts configurations of software applications and hardware components of the network; enabling, by the configuration management module, the user to select a deployment profile associated with the selected appropriate model, wherein the deployment profile comprises a list of criteria to be reviewed by the user prior to the selection of the deployment profile; configuring, by the configuration management module, administration policies associated with the selected deployment profile, wherein said administration policies comprise policies for software and hardware configurations; providing, by the configuration management module, one or more change templates to the user; enabling, by the configuration management module, the user to choose a change template based on the selected deployment profile; creating, by the configuration management module, based on the selected deployment profile and the administration policies, change order instances from a change template chosen by the user based on the selected deployment profile, the chosen change template comprising a set of questions to be addressed by the user, and wherein the change order instances comprise a work flow to be followed to implement the identified changes; validating, by the configuration management module, change order instances prior to implementation of the identified changes by identifying whether the selected changes are within predefined constraints stored in a configuration management database; and implementing, by the configuration management module, the identified changes based on the validated change order instances.