Closed-loop deployment of virtual functions and cloud infrastructure

Abstract

A method includes receiving, by a processor, metadata for deploying a virtual function on a cloud network. The method may include determining, by the processor, whether deployment of the virtual function is possible without conflicting with the metadata. The method may include based on the determination that the deployment of the virtual function is possible without conflicting with the metadata, designing, by the processor, a cloud plan, or a transport plan. The method may include determining, based on the metadata, a network configuration to implement the cloud plan or the transport plan. The method may include configuring, by the processor, the cloud network using the network configuration.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising:   receiving metadata for deploying a virtual function on a cloud network, the metadata indicating a design of the virtual function;   determining a forecasted demand of resources on the cloud network;   designing a plan to deploy the virtual function on the cloud network, wherein the plan is based at least in part on the forecasted demand, the plan comprising a cloud plan, a transport plan, or a combination thereof;   determining, based at least in part on the metadata, a network configuration to implement the plan; and   configuring the cloud network using the network configuration, resulting in a configured cloud network.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise instantiating the virtual function on the configured cloud network. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise installing a new resource on the cloud network to satisfy the network configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the designing the plan comprises comparing a demand for the virtual function to a demand for a second virtual function to allocate resources of the cloud network to the virtual function. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises requirements and specifications of the virtual function. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises at least one of a recipe, a template, or a policy. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one of the recipe, the template, or the policy comprises a rule for instantiation or control of the virtual function. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise reconciling the design with the network configuration, resulting in a reconciled design. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the configuring the cloud network is based on the reconciled design. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises an affinity rule associated with the virtual function. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system including a processor, metadata for deploying a virtual function on a cloud network, the metadata indicating a design of the virtual function;   determining, by the processing system, a forecasted demand of resources on the cloud network;   designing, by the processing system, a plan to deploy the virtual function on the cloud network, wherein the plan is based at least in part on the forecasted demand;   determining, by the processing system based at least in part on the metadata, a network configuration to implement the plan;   configuring, by the processing system, the cloud network using the network configuration, resulting in a configured cloud network; and   instantiating, by the processing system, the virtual function on the configured cloud network.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plan comprises a cloud plan, a transport plan, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising installing, by the processing system, a new resource on the cloud network to satisfy the network configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the designing the plan comprises comparing a demand for the virtual function to a demand for a second virtual function to allocate resources of the cloud network to the virtual function. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metadata comprises requirements and specifications of the virtual function. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 receiving metadata for deploying a virtual function on a cloud network, the metadata indicating a design of the virtual function;   determining a forecasted demand of resources on the cloud network;   designing a plan to deploy the virtual function on the cloud network, wherein the plan is based at least in part on the forecasted demand, the plan comprising a cloud plan, a transport plan, or a combination thereof;   determining, based at least in part on the metadata, a network configuration to implement the plan;   configuring the cloud network using the network configuration, resulting in a configured cloud network; and   instantiating the virtual function on the configured cloud network.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising installing, by the processing system, a new resource on the cloud network to satisfy the network configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the designing the plan comprises comparing a demand for the virtual function to a demand for a second virtual function to allocate resources of the cloud network to the virtual function. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the metadata comprises requirements and specifications of the virtual function. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the metadata comprises at least one of a recipe, a template, or a policy, and wherein the at least one of the recipe, the template, or the policy comprises a rule for instantiation or control of the virtual function.