A distributed network management system comprising: a plurality of servers (30-1,..., 30-n), each of said plurality of servers comprising an element management system, EMS, function (50-1, 50-2) for receiving network status data from network elements within the network for managing the network elements and a network management system, NMS, function (54, 600) for receiving messages from each of said EMS functions for managing said plurality of servers (30-1,..., 30-n) running said EMS functions, said plurality of servers being configured to ensure that said NMS function is active on one of said plurality of servers and inactive on the others of said plurality of servers (30-2,..., 30-n) when said plurality of servers share one network domain, and characterised in that when said one network domain is separated into first and second separate domains (402, 404), said plurality of servers being configured to automatically activate said NMS function on a first one of said plurality of servers associated with said first domain and said NMS function on a second one of said plurality of servers associated with said second domain, so that each of said first and second separate domains has an associated one of said plurality of servers performing said NMS function, and to ensure that said NMS function on the others of said servers comprised in said first and second separate domains is inactive, and said first and second ones of said plurality of servers being configured to request each other's runtime status and, in response to responses to said requests for each other's runtime status, to automatically ensure that said NMS function is active on one of said plurality of servers and inactive on all others of said plurality of servers when said first and second separate domains are re-combined into said one network domain, and said plurality of servers being configured to ensure said EMS function is active on said plurality of servers where said NMS function is inactive. a plurality of servers (30-1,..., 30-n), each of said plurality of servers comprising an element management system, EMS, function (50-1, 50-2) for receiving network status data from network elements within the network for managing the network elements and a network management system, NMS, function (54, 600) for receiving messages from each of said EMS functions for managing said plurality of servers (30-1,..., 30-n) running said EMS functions, said plurality of servers being configured to ensure that said NMS function is active on one of said plurality of servers and inactive on the others of said plurality of servers (30-2,..., 30-n) when said plurality of servers share one network domain, and characterised in that when said one network domain is separated into first and second separate domains (402, 404), said plurality of servers being configured to automatically activate said NMS function on a first one of said plurality of servers associated with said first domain and said NMS function on a second one of said plurality of servers associated with said second domain, so that each of said first and second separate domains has an associated one of said plurality of servers performing said NMS function, and to ensure that said NMS function on the others of said servers comprised in said first and second separate domains is inactive, and said first and second ones of said plurality of servers being configured to request each other's runtime status and, in response to responses to said requests for each other's runtime status, to automatically ensure that said NMS function is active on one of said plurality of servers and inactive on all others of said plurality of servers when said first and second separate domains are re-combined into said one network domain, and said plurality of servers being configured to ensure said EMS function is active on said plurality of servers where said NMS function is inactive.