Configuration of VPNs

The gateway devices in a VPN require configuration when the VPN is set up and to reflect changes. To process the configuration tasks efficiently, a method is described of configuring a virtual private network (VPN) within a shared network, in which a queue of configuration tasks is created for gateway devices belonging to the VPN. The configuration tasks include sending static network routing information to said gateway devices. The tasks are deployed by retrieving a next task from the queue, and interrogating the gateway device to which the task relates, to identifying any change in subnetworks connected thereto since the task was created. If no change is identified, the retrieved task is performed. If, on the other hand, a change is identified, update configuration tasks are created for all relevant gateway devices in the VPN. The update task for each gateway device is then merged with any not yet performed task in the queue for that gateway device, and the task retrieved from the queue merged with the and update task is performed.