The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for managing a virtual private network operating over a public data network. This public data network has been augmented to include a plurality of virtual private network gateways so that communications across the virtual private network are channeled through the virtual private network gateways. One embodiment of the present invention includes a system that operates by receiving a command specifying an operation on the virtual private network. The system determines which virtual private network gateways are affected by the command. The system then automatically translates the command into configuration parameters for virtual private network gateways affected by the command. These configuration parameters specifying how the virtual private network gateways handle communications between specific groups of addresses on the public data network. The system then transmits the configuration parameters to the virtual private network gateways affected by the command, so that the virtual private network gateways are configured to implement the command.