Scenario: Deploying a virtual network function

You can deploy a virtual network function for a tenant in a network service. The lifecycle of virtual network functions is managed by an orchestrator. To deploy virtual network functions, you need the OpenStack cloud platform.

For example, you can deploy a virtual network function at the central office of your organization to protect user traffic that is transmitted between CPE devices.

Virtual network function deployment involves the following steps:

1. Preparing a VNF package

   Prepare the VNF package that you want to deploy, and then upload the VNF package to the orchestrator web interface. If necessary, you can enable protection of VNF and PNF packages against substitution before uploading the VNF package to the orchestrator web interface.

2. Ensuring network connectivity between the orchestrator and the OpenStack cloud platform

   Ensure network connectivity between the virtual machine or physical server where the orchestrator is deployed and the OpenStack cloud platform.

3. Assigning the virtual network function to a tenant

   Use one of the following methods to assign the virtual network function to the tenant for which you want to deploy it:

   • If you want to deploy a virtual network function using a network service template:
     1. Add the virtual network function to the topology when creating or editing a network service template.
     2. If necessary, configure the topology and the virtual network function. For a description of what you can do with virtual network functions, see the Managing virtual network functions section.
     3. Assign the network service template to a tenant.
   • If you want to deploy a virtual network function without a network service template, assign the virtual network function to the tenant.
4. Logging in to the tenant self-service portal

   Log in to the tenant self-service portal

5. Deploying the virtual network function

   Do the following:

   1. Add the virtual network function to the topology when creating or editing a network service in one of the following ways:
      • If you want to deploy a virtual network function using a network service template, add the network service template to the topology.
      • If you want to deploy a virtual network function without a network service template, add the virtual network function to the topology.
   2. If necessary, configure the topology and the virtual network function. For a description of what you can do with virtual network functions, see the Managing virtual network functions section.
   3. Deploy the virtual network function using one of the following methods:
      • If you added the virtual network function to the topology while creating the network service, deploy the network service.
      • If you added the virtual network function to the topology while editing a network service, deploy the modified network service.

The virtual network function is deployed.

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