A system and method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for network development, management, and monitoring includes a GUI front end that provides a graphical representation of a telecommunication network comprised of communication devices represented by GUI network elements. A network proxy provides a communication layer between the GUI and a network server and allows the GUI to connect to multiple instances of a network server without having to hard code the connections to the network servers. The network proxy transmits commands and messages between the network server and the GUI. The network server determines how to handle traffic in the network model, such as how to provide call setup, call routine, and call tear down. The network server transmits call routing commands and messages to the network proxy which dispatches them to the GUI. An external systems interface provides the mechanism for which the network server communicates with communication devices in an external system.