A method for inferring component parameter values for components in a network is disclosed. The components comprise at least one of network nodes or network links and the method comprises identifying a plurality of paths through the network (100), measuring values of a path parameter for identified paths (410), generating a set of constraints by expressing individual measured path parameter values as a function of component parameter values of the components in the path associated with the measured path parameter value (420a), and generating an estimate of the component parameter values by solving an optimisation problem defined by the generated constraints (420b). The method further comprises, for individual components in the identified paths, matching the generated estimates of the component parameter value to a statistical distribution describing a behaviour of the component parameter (430a), identifying a ratio of central moments of the statistical distribution that demonstrates a sensitivity to noise below a threshold value (430b), and calculating an inferred value of the component parameter from the identified ratio of central moments (430c).