Method and apparatus for scaling in a virtualized network

1. A method for scaling of a server virtualized network function (VNF) in a virtualized network; the virtualized network comprising at least the server VNF, a client VNF connected to the server VNF, and a VNF manager; the method comprising:

acquiring, by a peer connection management (PCM) server, capability information of the server VNF and the client VNF;

obtaining, at the PCM server, scaling information in response to a scaling operation performed by the VNF manager on the server VNF;

notifying, by the PCM server, the client VNF of the scaling information by sending a request to the client VNF; and

receiving, by the PCM server:

a first response from the client VNF that at least acknowledges the receipt of the request; and/or

a second response reporting a status of an adaptive operation corresponding to the scaling operation;

wherein the connection between the client VNF and the server VNF is initiated by the client VNF.

2. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the server VNF comprises at least one instance of a server VNF component (VNFC);

wherein the client VNF comprises at least one instance of a client VNFC; and

wherein the connection between the server VNF and the client VNF comprises a connection between the at least one instance of the server VNFC and the at least one instance of the client VNFC.

3. The method of claim 2 :

wherein the scaling operation comprises either adding an instance of the server VNFC to the server VNF or removing an instance of the server VNFC from the server VNF; and

wherein the scaling information comprises at least information on an interface between the added or removed instance of the server VNFC and the at least one instance of the client VNFC in the client VNF and a type of the scaling operation.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the PCM server is implemented at one or more instances of the server VNFC in the server VNF.

5. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the server VNF comprises at least one PCM client capable of obtaining the scaling information; and

wherein the scaling information is obtained at the PCM server from the at least one PCM client or from the VNF manager.

6. A method for scaling of a server virtualized network function (VNF) in a virtualized network; the virtualized network comprising at least the server VNF, a client VNF connected to the server VNF, and a VNF manager; the method comprising:

acquiring capability information of the server VNF and the client VNF;

receiving, at the client VNF, scaling information in a request from a peer connection management (PCM) server in response to a scaling operation performed by the VNF manager on the server VNF;

performing, at the client VNF, an adaptive operation based on the scaling information;

in response to the request, acknowledging the receipt of the request and/or reporting a status of the adaptive operation corresponding to the scaling operation;

wherein the connection between the client VNF and the server VNF is initiated by the client VNF.

7. The method of claim 6 :

wherein the server VNF comprises at least one instance of a server VNF component (VNFC);

wherein the client VNF comprises at least one instance of a client VNFC; and

wherein the connection between the server VNF and the client VNF comprises a connection between the at least one instance of the server VNFC and the at least one instance of the client VNFC.

8. The method of claim 6 :

wherein the scaling operation comprises either adding a server VNF or removing the server VNF; and

further comprising performing, at the client VNF, the adaptive operation comprising:

initiating a connection to the added server VNF if the scaling operation is the adding a server VNF; or

disconnecting the connection from the removed server VNF if the scaling operation is the removing the server VNF.

9. An apparatus for scaling of a server virtualized network function (VNF) in a virtualized network; the virtualized network comprising at least the server VNF, a client VNF connected to the server VNF, and a VNF manager; the apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry;

memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the apparatus is operative to:

acquire, by a peer connection management (PCM) server, capability information of the server VNF and the client VNF;

obtain, at the PCM server, scaling information in response to a scaling operation performed by the VNF manager on the server VNF; and

notify the client VNF of the scaling information by sending a request to the client VNF;

receive, by the PCM server:

a first response from the client VNF that at least acknowledges the receipt of the request; and/or

a second response reporting a status of an adaptive operation corresponding to the scaling operation;

wherein the connection between the client VNF and the server VNF is initiated by the client VNF.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 :

wherein the server VNF comprises at least one instance of a server VNF component (VNFC); and

wherein the client VNF comprises at least one instance of a client VNFC; and

wherein the connection between the server VNF and the client VNF comprises a connection between the at least one instance of the server VNFC and the at least one instance of the client VNFC.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the PCM server is implemented at one or more instances of the server VNFC in the server VNF.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 :

wherein the server VNF comprises at least one PCM client capable of obtaining the scaling information; and

wherein the obtaining unit is configured to obtain the scaling information from the at least one PCM client or from the VNF manager.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 :

wherein the client VNF comprises at least one PCM client that receives the scaling information from the PCM server; and

wherein the instructions are such that the apparatus is operative to notify the at least one PCM client of the scaling information.

14. A apparatus for scaling of a server virtualized network function (VNF) in a virtualized network; the virtualized network comprising at least the server VNF, a client VNF connected to the server VNF, and a VNF manager; the apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry;

memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the apparatus is operative to:

acquire capability information of the server VNF and the client VNF;

receive, at the client VNF, scaling information in a request from a peer connection management PCM server in response to a scaling operation performed by the VNF manager on the server VNF;

perform, at the client VNF, an adaptive operation based on the scaling information;

in response to the request, acknowledge the receipt of the request and/or report a status of the adaptive operation corresponding to the scaling operation;

wherein the connection between the client VNF and the server VNF is initiated by the client VNF.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 :

wherein the server VNF comprises at least one instance of a server VNF component (VNFC);

wherein the client VNF comprises at least one instance of a client VNFC; and

wherein the connection between the server VNF and the client VNF comprises a connection between the at least one instance of the server VNFC and the at least one instance of the client VNFC.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 :

wherein the scaling operation comprises either adding a server VNF or removing the server VNF; and

wherein the instructions are such that the apparatus is operative to:

initiate a connection to the added server VNF if the scaling operation is the adding a server VNF; or

disconnect the connection from the removed server VNF if the scaling operation is the removing the server VNF.