1. A system for processing data, comprising: circuitry for receiving a request from a network user to allow a potential event to occur; circuitry for generating timing signal pulses: circuitry responsive to said generating circuitry for incrementing a reference level for use in determining whether to allow said potential event to occur; circuitry responsive to said receiving circuitry for retrieving event rate information associated with said network user from a memory circuit; circuitry responsive to said incrementing circuitry and said retrieving circuitry for determining if previous events have been allowed at such a rate for the user that there is an available backlog to allow said potential event to occur; and circuitry responsive to said incrementing circuitry and said retrieving circuitry for selectively updating said event rate information for said network user using the reference level and said event rate information retrieved from said memory circuit such that the rate at which events occur for a particular user does not exceed a predetermined rate.