Lifecycle management of VNFC software modules

1. A system, comprising:

a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) in communication with a management element and a virtual network function component instance (VNFCI) comprising a plurality of independently manageable VNFCI modules, the VNFM configured to:

receive, from the management element, a VNFCI Lifecycle Management (LCM) request identifying a target VNFCI module, of the plurality of independently manageable VNFCI modules, and an LCM operation to be performed on the target VNFCI VNFC module;

identify a target operating system (OS) of the VNFCI based on a VNFCI data entry that includes a reference to a hosting VM/container;

retrieve a VNFCI module descriptor for the target VNFCI;

adapt a default command for the LCM operation to the target OS;

execute the adapted command on the target VNFCI module to generate a result;

normalize the result; and

send, to the management element, a response to the VNFCI module LCM request, the response including the normalized result.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the VNFCI data entry is retrieved from a VNFI data store.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the VNFCI data entry includes an OS version that runs in the hosting VM/container.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the VNFM is configured to:

dynamically set up a new secure connection to the target OS or reuse a secure connection to the target OS that runs on the VNFCI hosting VM/container.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the VNFM executes the adapted command, the VNFM is further configured to:

start of a response timer, wherein a length of the response timer is based on at least one of an LCM request parameter, a configured value, and a default value.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the response further includes the result.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the VNFM is configured to:

select an adaptor to adapt the default command based on the identified target operating system.

8. A method performed by a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) in communication with a management element and a virtual network function component instance (VNFCI) comprising a plurality of independently manageable VNFCI modules, the method comprising:

receiving, from the management element, a VNFCI Lifecycle Management (LCM) request identifying a target VNFCI module, of the plurality of independently manageable VNFCI modules, and an LCM operation to be performed on the target VNFCI VNFC module;

identifying a target operating system (OS) of the VNFCI based on a VNFCI data entry that includes a reference to a hosting VM/container;

retrieving a VNFCI module descriptor for the target VNFCI;

adapting a default command for the LCM operation to the target OS;

executing the adapted command on the target VNFCI module to generate a result;

normalizing the result; and

sending, to the management element, a response to the VNFCI module LCM request, the response including the normalized result.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the VNFCI data entry is retrieved from a VNFI data store.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the VNFCI data entry includes an OS version that runs in the hosting VM/container.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

dynamically setting up a new secure connection to the target OS or reuse a secure connection to the target OS that runs on the VNFCI hosting VM/container.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the executing the adapted command comprises:

starting a response timer, wherein a length of the response timer is based on at least one of an LCM request parameter, a configured value, and a default value.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the response further includes the result.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

selecting an adaptor to adapt the default command based on the identified target operating system.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) that is in communication with a management element and a virtual network function component instance (VNFCI) comprising a plurality of independently manageable VNFCI modules cause the processor to perform:

receiving, from the management element, a VNFCI Lifecycle Management (LCM) request identifying a target VNFCI module, of the plurality of independently manageable VNFCI modules, and an LCM operation to be performed on the target VNFCI VNFC module;

identifying a target operating system (OS) of the VNFCI based on a VNFCI data entry that includes a reference to a hosting VM/container;

retrieving a VNFCI module descriptor for the target VNFCI;

adapting a default command for the LCM operation to the target OS;

executing the adapted command on the target VNFCI module to generate a result;

normalizing the result; and

sending, to the management element, a response to the VNFCI module LCM request, the response including the normalized result.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the VNFCI data entry is retrieved from a VNFI data store.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the VNFCI data entry includes an OS version that runs in the hosting VM/container.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

dynamically setting up a new secure connection to the target OS or reuse a secure connection to the target OS that runs on the VNFCI hosting VM/container.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the executing the adapted command comprises:

starting a response timer, wherein a length of the response timer is based on at least one of an LCM request parameter, a configured value, and a default value.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the response further includes the result.