VIRTUAL PRIVATE DATA NETWORK SESSION COUNT LIMITATION

A data communications network with a plurality of PoPs maintains a local database associated with each PoP and a central database somewhere on the data communications network. The local database contains a group identification such as a domain identification corresponding to a group of users, a maximum number of VPN sessions to provide the group of users at the PoP and a dynamic VPN session count corresponding to active VPN sessions currently provided to the group of users at the PoP. The central database contains a maximum number of VPN sessions to provide the group of users over the entire data communications network and a dynamic network-wide VPN session count corresponding to active VPN sessions currently provided to the group of users on the entire data communications network. Actions are taken when the group attempts to exceed either the local maximum number of sessions or the network-wide maximum number of sessions by more than a predetermined number. The actions may include assessing extra charges, denying access, and sending warning messages to appropriate recipients.