Network management for elastic virtual network functions

A method comprising:

• managing a Virtual Network Function (VNF) that includes a plurality of VNF components, the VNF components being interconnected over a network, wherein the plurality of VNF components includes independently scalable service VNF components, database VNF components, and load balancing VNF components;
• instructing a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller to connect an additional virtual machine to a plurality of virtual machines, wherein the plurality of virtual machines runs different types of VNF components than an additional VNF component running on the additional virtual machine;
• and
• provisioning the additional VNF component on the additional virtual machine.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory comprising machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
• with a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller, receive an instruction from a Virtual Network Function (VNF) manager that manages a VNF that includes plurality of VNF components running on a plurality of virtual machines, wherein the plurality of VNF components includes independently scalable service VNF components, database VNF components, and load balancing VNF components;
• with the SDN controller, in response to the instruction:
• establish a first connection from a newly provisioned virtual machine having one of the independently scalable service VNF components to one of the load balancing VNF components;
• and
• establish a second connection from the newly provisioned virtual machine having one of the independently scalable service VNF components to one of the database VNF components.