Virtual network function (vnf) hardware trust in a network function virtualization (nfv) software defined network (sdn)

A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Software Defined Network (SDN) to maintain hardware trusted communications, the NFV SDN comprising:

• a source hardware trust controller configured to establish hardware trust with an NFV SDN hardware trust server;
• a target hardware trust controller configured to establish hardware trust with the NFV SDN hardware trust server;
• a source SDN Hardware Trust Virtual Switch (HT vSW) configured to execute under control of the source hardware trust controller to serve a source Virtual Network Function (VNF);
• a target SDN HT vSW configured to execute under control of the target hardware trust controller to serve a target VNF;
• the NFV SDN hardware trust server configured to exchange Hardware Trust (HT) information with the source hardware trust controller that indicates the hardware trust for the target SDN HT vSW;
• the source hardware trust controller configured to exchange the HT information with the source SDN HT vSW that indicates the hardware trust for the target SDN HT vSW;
• the source SDN HT vSW configured to receive a Virtual Data Unit (VDU) from the source VNF for delivery to the target VNF over the target SDN HT vSW, and before transfer, verify hardware trust of the target SDN HT vSW based on the HT information, and responsive to the hardware trust verification, transfer the VDU for the delivery to the target SDN HT vSW;
• and
• the target SDN HT vSW configured to transfer the VDU to the target VNF.