VMware Telco Cloud Automation allows you to make minor software updates and major package and component upgrades to your network functions and network services. You can then map your upgraded VNFs, CNFs, and Network Services to the latest version in the Catalog.

You can perform the following upgrades or updates:
Update (Software Update)
You can perform software updates only on CNFs. When you perform a software update, it changes the reference of the CSAR from the instance to point to a newer version of the CSAR. Consider an example where you find a bug in the Helm chart of a deployed CNF instance. When you perform a software update, you patch the updated Helm chart image to the deployed CNF instance and the version of the CNF can remain the same or can change. From a CSAR perspective, you can perform a software update across CNF versions that do not have any model related updates.
Upgrade (Component Upgrade)
Upgrade applies only to CNFs. It changes the reference of the CSAR from the instance to point to a newer version of the CSAR. When you perform an upgrade, it provides a detailed view of the updates.
Consider an example where your original CSAR file consisted of two Helm charts:
  • AMF 1.1.0
  • SMF 1.1.0
The new CSAR file contains three Helm charts:
  • AMF 2.5
  • UPF 2.3
  • NRF 2.4
When you perform a component upgrade, VMware Telco Cloud Automation performs the following tasks on the CNF instance that is running:
  1. AMF is upgraded from 1.10 to 2.5.
  2. SMF is deleted because it is not present in the new CSAR file.
  3. UPF is new and it is instantiated with 2.3.
  4. NRF is new and it is instantiated with 2.4
Note: It is recommended to be consistent with the component (VDU) name across all the CSAR versions subject to CNF update or upgrade.
Upgrade Package
Upgrade Package applies to VNFs, CNFs, and Network Services. Performing a package upgrade changes the reference of the CSAR from the instance to point to a newer version of the CSAR. It does not impact the current running instance in any way and no software or model is updated. However, the workflows available for running can change.
The following table lists the type of upgrades and updates you can perform for VNFs, CNFs, and Network Services.
Table 1. Type of Upgrades
Network Function/ Service Package Upgrade Software Update Component Upgrade
VNF Yes No No
CNF Yes Yes Yes
Network Service Yes No No