To instantiate a CNF, follow the steps listed in this section.

Prerequisites

  • Upload or create a network function.
  • Upload all required images and templates to your vCenter Server instance.
Note:
  • Ensure that all Harbor repository URLs contain the appropriate port numbers such as 80, 443, 8080, and so on.
  • Ensure that all the image repository URLs within the values.yaml file contain the appropriate Harbor port numbers.

  • In case of public clouds like Microsoft Azure kubernetes Service (AKS) and Amazon Elastic kubernetes Service (EKS), the respective container registries like Azure Contianer Registry (ACR) and Elastic Container Registry (ECR) should be added to the TCA Manager's Partner System

Procedure

  1. Log in to the VMware Telco Cloud Automation web interface.
  2. Select Catalog > Network Function.
  3. Select the desired CNF and click Instantiate.
    The Create Network Function Instance page is displayed.
  4. In the Inventory Detail tab, enter the following information:
    • Name - Enter a name for your network function instance.
    • Description - Provide a description.
    • Select Cloud - Select a cloud from your network on which to instantiate the network function. If you have created the Kubernetes cluster instance using VMware Telco Cloud Automation, select the node pool.
      • You can select the node pools only if the network function instantiation requires infrastructure customization and the required CSAR file is already included.
        1. On the Select Cloud, select the cloud and click Next.
        2. On the Select Node Pool, select one or more node pools and click Next.
          Note:
          • Selecting multiple node pools allows you to apply the same customizations to all the node pools at once during a single CNF instantiation. During the node pool selection process, user can set the batch size. The node pools will be customized in parallel with the selected batch size.
          • The UI will show all the node pools that have been customized as part of this CNF if multiple node pools are chosen.

        3. On the Customization Required , review the node configuration. If you do not require node customization, then in the Advanced Settings, select Skip Node Customization.

          Note:

          Customization is not supported on AKS cluster. Hence CSARs with customizations should not be used to instantiate CNF instances on AKS cluster.

        4. Click OK.

    • Tags (Optional) - Select the key and value pairs from the drop down menus. To add more tags, click the + symbol.
    • Grant Validation - When you deploy a CNF, Grant validates whether the required images are available on the target system. It also validates whether the required resources such as CPU, memory, and storage capacity are available for a successful deployment. Specific to CNFs, it downloads the Helm chart and performs a dry run of the operations on the cluster. If Grant encounters errors, it provides detailed error messages. To configure Grant, go to Advanced Settings > Grant Validation and select one of the options:
      • Enable: Run validation and feasibility checks for the target Kubernetes cluster. Fail fast if the validation fails.
      • Enable and Ignore: Run validation and feasibility checks for the target Kubernetes cluster. Ignore failures.
      • Disable: Do not run validation or feasibility checks for the target Kubernetes cluster.
      • Auto Rollback - During a failure, the Auto Rollback option allows you to retain the Helm release and Kubernetes resources. To configure Auto Rollback, go to Advanced Settings > Auto Rollback and select one of the options:
        • Enable: During failure, do not retain Helm release and Kubernetes resources.
        • Disable: During failure, retain Helm release and Kubernetes resources for debugging.
  5. Click Next.
  6. In the Helm Charts tab, enter the following information:
    • Namespace - Enter the Kubernetes Cluster namespace.
    • Repository URL

      • Select Repository URL - If you have added Harbor as the third-party repository provider, select the Harbor repository URL from the drop-down menu.

        In case of public clouds, select the repository URL of ACR or ECR based on the clouds AKS and EKS respectively.

      • Specify Repository URL - Specify the repository URL. Optionally, enter the user name and password to access the repository.

        Note:

        Specify the repository URL is not supported in case of ACR and ECR.

  7. Click Next.
  8. In the Network Function Properties tab, click Next.
  9. The Inputs tab displays any instantiation properties. Provide the appropriate inputs and click Next.
  10. In the Review tab, review the configuration.
  11. Click Instantiate.

Results

VMware Telco Cloud Automation creates the virtual machines and networks required by your network function on the cloud that you specified. To view a list of all instantiated functions, select Network Functions > Inventory. To track and monitor the progress of the instantiation process, click the Expand icon on the network function and navigate further. When Instantiated is displayed in the State column for a network function, it indicates that the instantiation process is completed successfully and the function is ready to use.

To view more details about an instantiated CNF, go to Network Functions > Inventory and click the CNF. The General Info tab displays all the details about the instantiated CNF.

If you no longer want to use an instantiated network function, click the Options (three dots) icon and select Terminate. Then select the network function and click Delete.