公开(公告)号：US20190334781A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-31

申请号：US16396437

申请日：2019-04-26

Applicant: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.

Inventor： Andrew Munro CALDWELL ,  Benjamin GILL ,  Christopher SWINDLE ,  Christopher COOMBER ,  Murray ROGERS

IPC: H04L12/24 ,  G06F9/455

Abstract: Embodiments relate to virtualization and have particular application to lifecycle management of Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs). Preferred embodiments provide a method for managing VNFs in a communications network that comprises management and orchestration (MANO) entities and a deployment management entity which is functionally separate from the MANO entities. The method comprises, at the deployment management entity: receiving a lifecycle management message relating to a deployment of VNFs; associating the received lifecycle management message with a specific deployment of VNF instances, the specific deployment comprising a set of more than one VNF instances orchestrated by a network function virtualization (NFV) orchestrator and managed by a VNF management entity, both of which are said MANO entities; updating a first VNF instance in the deployment on the basis of the received lifecycle management message; and updating a second VNF instance in the deployment on the basis of the received lifecycle management message.