A method for controlling session access within a cloud-based network license zone (NLZ) includes registering one or more virtual machines, modifying a zone-wide session license based upon the registration step and transmitting the modified license to the plurality of virtual machines. The method also includes periodically receiving a network access message from each of the other virtual machines, each network access message including a count of active sessions enumerated by service type currently processed by the other virtual machine, determining a summation of active sessions, the summation based in part on the network access messages and a count of active sessions currently processed by the virtual machine, and enforcing a total count of active sessions, each virtual machine configured to reject new session requests received at the virtual machine when the total count of active sessions exceeds a predetermined number of active sessions as defined in the modified license.