In Casablanca, services containing a PNF resource can be orchestrated using the custom BPMN workflow CreateVcpeResCustService_simplified. The main part of this workflow is to create an A&AI entry for the PNF if needed, as well as wait for the PNF to be discovered via a VES registration message. As part of registration message processing the A&AI entry is further updated with information such as PNF management IP address, although this is done by the PRH micro-service in DCAE rather than directly by SO.

For Dublin, it is proposed to extend the PNF workflow with post-instantiation configuration, consisting of the steps configAssign and configure. These steps will invoke the new CDS blueprint processor via the Self-Service API to perform the corresponding operations. configAssign resolves parameters and creates one or more configlets based on templates. The configure step finally involves communication with the PNF, e g using NETCONF.

The extended workflow will still be a custom BPMN, with CreateVcpeResCustService_simplified used as starting point.

Notes:

• This user story captures the PNF part of SO-1395. The post-instantiation capability is planned for VNFs well as part of e2e automation initiative. Re-use between PNF and VNF workflows will be looked at during development.
• VNFs already utilize the new generic building block framework. The long-term goal beyond the Dublin release is to migrate the PNF workflow to this framework as well.