This page section describes how to createdesign, registerdevelop, and activate submit a Virtual Network Function , which is for use as a Network Resource in the ONAP environment.

A Virtual Network Function (VNF) Onboarding.

In this specification, the terms must, must not, should, should not, and may have specific meanings defined here.

Overview: Guidelines for Virtual Network Functions in a Network Cloud

The following document describes the high-level requirements for VNFs, and should be considered required reading for VNF developers. It also provides background material: the motivation for VNFs, and the various audiences interested in VNFs. In addition, it spells out the differences between OpenECOMP VNFs and ETSI VNFs.

<< point to the document "Guidelines for Virtual Network Functions in a Network Cloud" when it is "open" >>

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Figure 1 VNF Complete Lifecycle Stages

Creating a VNF

The VNF API

All VNF's (in fact, all Virtual Functions of any kind) should contain monitoring properties.

VNF Attribute Definitions

Registering a VNF

Activating a VNF

can be developed in a stand-alone development environment without most of the tools – or even API libraries – used or furnished by ONAP. The completed VNF must meet the set of VNF Requirements.

The primary audiences for this documentation are

• VNF providers: creators of VNFs (executables and related configuration files)
• Acceptance personnel: those tasked with certifying VNFs (approving them to run in ONAP environments)

The following readers may wish to refer to this documentation for a deeper understanding of VNFs, however, for operational information, they should read Using ONAP.

• Service Designers: those who combine Virtual Functions (including VNFs) into Services in ONAP
• DevOps: those who deploy, operate, and monitor ONAP Services containing VNFs

There are three stages in the life cycle of a VNF, shown here:

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Figure 1. VNF complete life cycle stages

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Reference Documents for VNF Providers

The ONAP release documentation is available at ONAP.readthedocs.io, including VNF Provider guidance: VNF Guidelines, VNF Requirements 

Example VNFs Included with ONAP

The example VNFs distributed with ONAP are:

• vFW (Firewall)
• vDNS (Domain Name Server).

The Setting Up ONAP pages describe how to design and operate Services using these VNFs.

Reference VNFs are managed by the Integration ProjectThe <<SDC Demo Guide>> gives an example of onboarding a VNF.