A network device includes port interfaces and a traffic buffer configured with queue sets for buffering packets transmitted or received on the port interfaces. The network device also includes a management module that stores one or more queue set profiles. The queue set profiles specify configuration parameters for buffering and managing traffic in the queue sets. To configure a queue set, one of the queue set profiles is associated with the corresponding port interface and the configuration parameters are applied to the queue set. This queue set is then configured in accordance with the queue set profile. Management of port interfaces is thus performed by applying a queue set profile to similar groups of queue sets.