Method for instantiating a network service and corresponding apparatus

A method for instantiating a network service comprising virtual network function instances (vnf instances), the vnf instances being interconnected via communication links, the method comprising:

• splitting chaining information relative to the vnf instances in the network service forming a chain via the communication links, into routing information for each vnf instance, the routing information comprising information for forwarding, by each vnf instance, packets output by the respective vnf instance based on identifier information in the packets;
• transmitting the routing information for each vnf instance to a corresponding vnf instance;
• and
• transmitting, by each vnf instance, via one of the communication links, a packet processed by the respective vnf instance to an input of another vnf instance, based on the identifier information in the packet and according to the routing information received by the respective vnf instance.

A device for instantiating a network service comprising virtual network function instances (vnf instances), the vnf instances being interconnected via communication links, the device comprising at least one processor configured to:

• split chaining information relative to the vnf instances in the network service forming a chain via the communication links, into routing information for each vnf instance, the routing information comprising information for forwarding, by each vnf instance, packets output by the respective vnf instance based on identifier information in the packets;
• transmit the routing information for each vnf instance to a corresponding vnf instance;
• and
• transmit, by each vnf instance, via one of the communication links, a packet processed by the respective vnf instance to an input of another vnf instance, based on the identifier information in the packet and according to the routing information received by the respective vnf instance.