Forced upgrade for network management system

A method implemented by a control service computer, the method comprising:

• calculating criticality scores for network management system deployments based on operational footprints of the network management system deployments, each of the network management system deployments being deployed in a different private cloud;
• grouping the network management system deployments into one of a lower criticality group or a higher criticality group based on the criticality scores for the network management system deployments, the criticality scores for the network management system deployments in the higher criticality group being greater than the criticality scores for the network management system deployments in the lower criticality group;
• forcing the network management system deployments in the lower criticality group to upgrade within a short timeline;
• and
• forcing the network management system deployments in the higher criticality group to upgrade within a long timeline, the long timeline being longer than the short timeline.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• calculate criticality scores for network management system deployments based on operational footprints of the network management system deployments, the network management system deployments being in private clouds, each of the network management system deployments being deployed in a different one of the private clouds;
• group the network management system deployments into criticality groups based on the criticality scores for the network management system deployments;
• and
• force the network management system deployments to upgrade within timelines that are based on the criticality groups in which the network management system deployments are grouped.