Managing virtual links in a network service instance

Abstract

An apparatus of a Network Manager (NM) comprises one or more processors to send a Network Service (NS) update request to a Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) to add external connectivity to a Physical Network Function (PNF) instance or a Virtual Network Function (VNF) instance in an NS instance, to receive an operation result containing a lifecycle operation occurrence identifier from the NFVO, to receive a lifecycle change notification from the NFVO indicating a start of an NS update, and to receive an NS Lifecycle Change notification from the NFVO indicating a result of the NS update. A memory is to store the result of the NS update.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus of a network manager (NM), comprising:
 one or more processors to send a network service (NS) update request to a network functions virtualization orchestrator (NFVO) to add a virtual link to an NS instance, to receive from the NFVO an NM lifecycle operation occurrence identifier, and to receive from the NFVO an NM lifecycle change notification indicating a start of the operation; and   a memory to store the NM lifecycle change notification.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are to receive from the NFVO another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a progress of the operation. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are to receive from the NFVO another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a result of the operation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the virtual link is added to the NS instance as the result of the operation. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the NM is subscribed to receive NS lifecycle management (LCM) notifications. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus of a network functions virtualization orchestrator (NFVO), comprising:
 one or more processors to receive a request from a network manager (NM) to update a network service (NS) to add a virtual link to an NS instance, to send to the NM an NM lifecycle operation occurrence identifier, and to send to the NM an NM lifecycle change notification indicating a start the NS update; and   a memory to store the request.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are to send to the NM another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a progress of the operation. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are to send to the NM another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a result of the operation. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the virtual link is added to the NS instance as the result of the operation. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are to receive an NS update request from the NM to remove the virtual link from the NS instance. 
     
     
         12 . One or more non-transitory machine readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by an apparatus of a network manager (NM), result in:
 sending a network service (NS) update request to a network functions virtualization orchestrator (NFVO) to add a virtual link to an NS instance;   receiving from the NFVO an NM lifecycle operation occurrence identifier for; and   receiving from the NFVO an NM lifecycle change notification indicating a start of the operation.   
     
     
         13 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in receiving from the NFVO another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a progress of the operation. 
     
     
         14 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in receiving from the NFVO another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a result of the operation. 
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 14 , wherein the virtual link is added to the NS instance as the result of the operation. 
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in sending an NS update request to the NFVO to remove the virtual link from the NS instance. 
     
     
         17 . One or more non-transitory machine readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by an apparatus of a network functions virtualization orchestrator (NFVO), result in:
 receiving a request from a network manager (NM) to update a network service (NS) to add a virtual link to an NS instance;   sending to the NM an NM lifecycle operation occurrence identifier; and   sending to the NM an NM lifecycle change notification indicating a start the NS update.   
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, result in sending to the NM another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a progress of the operation. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, result in sending to the NM another NM lifecycle change notification indicating a result of the operation. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 19 , wherein the virtual link is added to the NS instance as the result of the operation. 
     
     
         21 . The one or more non-transitory machine readable media of  claim 17 , wherein it is assumed the NM is subscribed to receive NS lifecycle management (LCM) notifications.