Providing Network Address Translation in a Software Defined Networking Environment

A method comprising:

• identifying, at a control system comprising a processor, a network address translation switch and a network address translation virtual function that are to provide functionality of a network address translation function;
• triggering, by the processor, instantiation of the network address translation switch on a virtual machine;
• triggering, by the processor, instantiation of the network address translation virtual function on the virtual machine;
• and
• chaining, by the processor, the network address translation function to a host via the network address translation switch, whereby traffic from the host flows to the network address translation function, wherein the network address translation function provides address translation for the host using the network address translation switch, wherein the network address translation switch is controlled by a network control function, and wherein the network address translation virtual function is controlled by a service control function.

A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• identifying a network address translation switch and a network address translation virtual function that are to provide functionality of a network address translation function;
• triggering instantiation of the network address translation switch on a virtual machine by a network control function that is in communication with a control system;
• triggering instantiation of the network address translation virtual function on the virtual machine by a service control function that is in communication with the control system;
• and
• chaining the network address translation function to a host via the network address translation switch, whereby traffic from the host flows to the network address translation function, wherein the network address translation function provides address translation for the host using the network address translation switch, wherein the network address translation switch is controllable by the network control function, and wherein the network address translation virtual function is controllable by the service control function.