A method and apparatus is provided for retrieving and storing quality of service policy management information using a directory service in a manner that enforces read/write consistency and enables read/write concurrency. A directory information tree manager is created and stored in the directory service. One or more directory information trees are created in the directory service in association with the directory information tree manager. Each directory information tree is associated with a sub-tree that represents quality of service policy information, and each directory information tree has a validity period value. When a process needs quality of service policy management information, the system determines which of the directory information trees is a currently active directory information tree. The QoS information is retrieved from the currently active directory information tree only during a time period within the validity period value thereof.