Methods and systems for instantiating and connecting radio access network virtualized network function and core network virtualized network function

1. An apparatus for instantiating a Network Service comprising a Virtualised Network Function that is part of a Core Network, and a Virtualised Network Function that is part of a next generation Node B, gNB, comprising:

memory having instructions; and

processing circuitry, coupled with the memory, to implement a Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator to:

receive a request to instantiate a new Network Service from a Network Manager;

instantiate the new Network Service comprising a first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network, and a second Virtualised Network Function that corresponds to a centralized unit that is part of the gNB;

respond to the Network Manager indicating that the new Network Service has been instantiated;

receive a request from the Network Manager to add Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs associated with the instantiated Network Service;

in response to the request, add Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs associated with the instantiated Network Service, including adding one or more Virtual Links to connect the second Virtualised Network Function corresponding to the Centralized Unit that is part of the gNB with one or more Physical Network Functions that correspond to one or more Distributed Units that are part of the gNB; and

respond to the Network Manager to indicate that the Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs have been added.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the request to instantiate the new Network Service from the Network Manager comprises a Network Service Descriptor, said Network Service Descriptor comprising the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network, and the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein to receive the request to instantiate the new Network Service comprises onboarding the Network Service Descriptor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

onboard and enable a Virtualised Network Function package for the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network; and

onboard and enable a Virtualised Network Function package for the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is to further implement an Element Manager to establish or configure a relation between the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network and the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the relation comprises a management configuration to indicate the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network has a relation with the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the Element Manager is further operable to respond to the Network Manager to indicate the relation has been established or configured.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the relation is established or configured by the Network Manager.

9. The apparatus of any of claim 1 , wherein the Centralized Unit that is part of the gNB, is implemented using the second Virtual Network Function.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the Virtual Links comprise information including one or more of Quality of Service parameters or a connectivity type parameter between one or more of the Virtualised Network Functions or the Physical Network Functions in the instantiated Network Service.

11. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions to cause an electronic device, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of the electronic device, to perform one or more operations for instantiating a Network Service comprising a Virtualised Network Function that is part of a Core Network, and a Virtualised Network Function that is part of a next generation Node B, gNB, the operations comprising:

sending a request to instantiate a new Network Service to a Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator;

receiving a response from the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator indicating that the requested new Network Service has been instantiated, the Network Service comprising a first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network, and a second Virtualised Network Function that corresponds to a centralized unit that is part of the gNB;

sending a request to the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator to add Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs associated with the instantiated Network Service, including adding one or more Virtual Links to connect the second Virtualised Network Function corresponding to the Centralized Unit that is part of the gNB with one or more Physical Network Functions that correspond to one or more Distributed Units that are part of the gNB; and

receiving a response from the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator indicating that the Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs have been instantiated.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the request to instantiate the new Network Service sent to the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator comprises a Network Service Descriptor, the Network Service Descriptor comprising the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network, and the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise establishing or configuring a relation between the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network and the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the relation comprises a management configuration to indicate that the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network has a relation with the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the relation is established or configured by a Network Manager.

16. A Network Management apparatus comprising:

interface circuitry; and

one or more processors, coupled with the interface circuitry, to perform operations comprising:

sending a request to a Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator to instantiate a Network Service comprising a first Virtualised Network Function that is part of a Core Network and a second Virtualised Network Function that corresponds to a Centralized Unit that is part of a next generation Node B (gNB);

receiving a response from the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator indicating that the Network Service has been instantiated;

sending a request to the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator to add Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs associated with the instantiated Network Service, including adding one or more Virtual Links to connect the second Virtualised Network Function corresponding to the Centralized Unit that is part of the gNB with one or more Physical Network Functions that correspond to one or more Distributed Units that are part of the gNB; and

receiving a response from the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator indicating that the Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs have been instantiated.

17. The Network Management apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the request to instantiate the Network Service sent to the Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator comprises a Network Service Descriptor, the Network Service Descriptor comprising the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network, and the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

18. The Network Management apparatus of claim 16 , wherein instantiating the Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graphs comprise configuring a relation between the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network and the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

19. The Network Management apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the relation comprises a management configuration to indicate that the first Virtualised Network Function that is part of the Core Network has a relation with the second Virtualised Network Function that is part of the gNB.

20. The Network Management apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the relation is configured by a Network Manager.