Communications network control plane process

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a request comprising a network service design template specifying a communications network service to be deployed at a specified subset of physical resources using a plurality of network functions and cloud functionality;
• prior to deployment of the communications network service, interpreting the network service design template by computing how the communications network service can be instantiated using information pertaining to the network service design template and the specified set of physical resources, without instantiating the communications network service;
• determining resources of the communications network to be used for deploying the communications network service;
• and
• returning details of the determined resources.

A computer implemented method for deploying communications network services, the method comprising:

• receiving a request at a control plane, the request comprising a network service design template and a specific configuration, the request specifying a communications network service to be deployed at a specified set of physical resources using a plurality of network functions and cloud functionality, wherein the specific configuration is a dummy configuration;
• prior to deployment of the communications network service, interpreting, by the control plane, the network service design template and dummy configuration by computing how the communications network service can be instantiated using information pertaining to the network service design template and the specified set of physical resources, without instantiating the communications network service;
• determining, by the control plane, resources of the communications network to support deployment of the communications network service;
• and
• returning, by the control plane, details of the resources to an operator interface.