The effective management of access networks presents challenges which are not found in other sectors of the telecommunications network. The approaches being developed for the management modeling of access networks allow systems with different technologies and from different vendors to be managed in a uniform way. The functional architecture used for SDH can be generalized so that it is applicable to access networks, and this forms the basis of the modeling of their logical functionality. Technology-specific models of the various elements can be integrated into a technology-independent network model, and the physical resources and logical structure can be modeled to simplify repairs and improve inventory management. The development of standards for the management of the access network is an evolutionary process, but sufficient standards are now in place in order to achieve a useful level of functionality over a Q3 interface. Developing solutions that take advantage of the initial telecommunications management network (TMN) standards allows experiences to be fed back into the standards bodies to generate a more complete set of standard specifications, leading to the goal of access network management as part of a totally integrated TMN.