Method and apparatus for licensing control in a virtual network environment

An apparatus for monitoring operation of a network service for licensing control in a virtual network environment managed by a Network Functions Virtualisation Management and Orchestration, NFV-MANO, system the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor such that the apparatus is operative to:

• define the network service in a Network Service Descriptor;
• deploy the network service using at least one Virtual Network Function instance identified in said Network Service Descriptor by instantiating at least one Virtual Network Function Component defined by a Virtualisation Deployment Unit, wherein said Virtualisation Deployment Unit is associated with said Virtual Network Function;
• record in a first information field associated with the Network Service Descriptor information indicative of usage of the at least one instantiated Virtual Network Function Component, wherein in performing the operation of recording the apparatus is operative to record a capacity parameter of the at least one instantiated Virtual Network Function Component, wherein the capacity parameter varies based at least on a number of subscribers of the at least one instantiated Virtual Network Function Component;
• and
• maintain a licensing database for storing information indicative of usage of the at least one instantiated Virtual Network Function Component based on records in the first information field,
• wherein the usage of the at least one instantiated Virtual Network Function Component recorded in said first information field comprises information indicative of a specific functional capability enabled by said instantiated Virtual Network Function Component,
• wherein the specific functional capability is a customization of a feature for a specific market or an optimization for a specific network topology, and
• wherein when the feature is instantiated, the feature carries out said Virtual Network Function.