Contents

1   Introduction

This document describes system administration tasks performed in the VNF Lifecycle Manager (VNF-LCM). The VNF-LCM provides a workflow execution environment and a web-based application for managing VNF lifecycle procedures.

VNF lifecycle procedures are realized by executing ordered sequences of steps, called workflows. Each workflow must be provided with VNF-specific input parameters during execution.

This document covers the following workflow-based lifecycle management procedures:

• Instantiate VNF
• Upgrade VNF

  Note:  

  This is not supported in the current release.

  
  
• Scale-out VNF
• Scale-in VNF
• Heal VNF

  Note:  

  This is not supported in the current release.

  
  
• Terminate VNF

1.1   Prerequisites

This section describes the prerequisites which must be fulfilled before the Call Session Control Function (CSCF) can be installed.

1.1.1   Hardware and Software

The following hardware (virtual and physical) and software is required:

• The software delivery package including vIMS workflows and the VNF-LCM scripts is available.

  Note:  

  If vIMS workflows from another VNF is used in the same VNF-LCM, use the highest version that is included in one of the Virtual Network Function (VNF) packages.

  
  
• VNF-LCM is available using either Operations Support System, Radio and Core (OSS-RC) or Ericsson Network Manager (ENM).
• One of the following Virtual Infrastructure Managers (VIMs) is used:
  • OpenStack Mitaka or newer
  • CEE R6 or newer
• The VIM is configured in VNF-LCM:

  The VIM configuration in VNF-LCM can be checked with the vnflcm vim list command. For more information on VIM configuration, refer to VNF-Lifecycle Manager System Administration Guide, 1543-APR 901 0578 Uen.

• The version of the used VNF-LCM is v18.02 (the VNF Lifecycle Automation Framework (VNF-LAF) image is 4.0.12) or higher.

2   Onboarding

To prepare for workflow-based VNF operations using VNF-LCM:

1. Decompress cscf-workflow-pack.tar.gz.

   cd /home/cloud-user

   tar -zxvf cscf-workflow-pack.tar.gz

2. Install the vIMS workflows bundles:
   1. Log on to vnflaf-services VM as cloud-user and switch to root user.
   2. Verify that the bundle is not already installed by running the List command.

      wfmgr bundle list

      If the version of vIMSWorkflows is older than the version included in the CSCF Workflow Pack cscf-workflow-pack.tar.gz, install the newer version.

   3. Install the workflow bundle package by running the install command.

      wfmgr bundle install --package=\
      <workflow_bundle_rpm_file _path>

   The following example assumes that the rpm file is downloaded and placed under /tmp folder.

   [root@vnflaf-services tmp]# wfmgr bundle install
   --package=ERICvIMSWorkflows_CXP9034675_1-0.1.9.rpm
   Validating package...
   Package validation successful
   VNF Laf services will not be available for few minutes
   Stopping jboss: [ OK ]
   Preparing... ###########################################[100%]
   RPM PostRemove
   1:ERICvIMSWorkflows_CXP90########################################### [100%]
   Installing package...
   Rpm installed
   Starting jboss...
   Starting jboss: [ OK ]
   Validating deployment
   Successfully deployed workflows
   Package ERICvIMSWorkflows_CXP9034675_1-0.1.9.rpm successfully installed

3. Create a directory for the VNF-specific files in /vnflcm-ext/backups/ workflows/vnfd and decompress CSCF Workflow scripts CXP9034662_1-<version>*.tar.gz:

   mkdir /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/\
   <VNFType__VNFVersion>

   cd /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/\
   <VNFType__VNFVersion>

   tar -zxvf /home/cloud-user/\
   CXP9034662_1-<version>*.tar.gz

   Note:  

   Follow the naming convention: VNF type and VNF version separated by __.

   
   
4. In /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion>, create a configurations subdirectory with write permission for the jboss_user, and a child directory for each VNF configuration, and copy the VNF configuration and pdb_bundle.zip for application configuration to the child directory:

   mkdir /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/\
   <VNFType__VNFVersion>/configurations

   cd /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/\
   <VNFType__VNFVersion>/configurations/<VNF configuration>

   cp -r /home/cloud-user/<VNF configuration> .

   chown -r jboss_user /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows\
   /vnfd/ <VNFType__VNFVersion>/configurations

   cp -r /home/cloud-user/<pdb file name>.zip .

   Note:  

   Each directory in configurations contains an env.yaml environment file and configuration files evip_cli.txt for eVIP, ss7.conf for SS7, and pdb_bundle.zip for application configuration. Multiple bundle files can be used for the configuration. These files are used for different VNF instantiation, depending on, for example, network needs. The evip_cli.txt and ss7.conf files contains VNF-specific configuration, if needed.

   
   
5. Upload the HOT template and the scaling template into the /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion> directory.

   cp -r /home/cloud-user/main.yaml /vnflcm-ext/backups/\
   workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion>

   cp -r /home/cloud-user/vcscf_hot_PLs.yaml /vnflcm-ext/\
   backups/workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion>

6. If the SSH key is not available yet, create it using the ssh-keygen -t rsa command.
7. Add the private SSH key to the /home/jboss_user/.ssh/ folder and the public SSH key in the configuration directory /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion>/configurations/<instance>/.

   Note:  

   The public key must be added in the configuration directory for each instance.

   
   
8. Verify the structure of the /vnflcm-ext/backups/workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion> directory is as follows:

   `-- vCSCF__<x.y>
        |-- configurations
        |   `-- instance_config_1
        |       |-- <pdb file name>.zip
        |       |-- env.yaml
        |       |-- id_rsa.pub
        |       |-- evip_cli.txt
        |       `-- ss7.conf
        |-- main.yaml
        |-- vcscf_hot_PLs.yaml
        `-- lcmScripts

3   Procedures

These sections describe how to perform LCM operations.

VNF-LCM procedures uses workflow instances. Figure 1 shows an example of a workflow instance, where workflow progress can be tracked in the Workflow Diagram view. The Workflow Diagram only represents stages of the various procedures. Operations that are performed in the Task view.

3.1   Instantiate VNF

To instantiate a VNF using VNF-LCM:

1. In the VNF-LCM Workflows screen, select Instantiate VNF, and click Start a New Instance.

   

2. On the Start a Workflow screen, fill out the Instance Name field, and click Submit.
3. Select the newly created workflow from the Instance Activity panel.
4. On the Workflow Instance screen, add VNF Name and VNF Instance Description, select VNF to instantiate, and click Submit.

   Note:  

   The VNF Name is also used as the Heat stack name. It is not recommended to add version information in this field, as the name is unchanged after VNF upgrades.The Select VNF descriptor Id field displays VNF releases available for VNF instantiation in the /vnflcm-ext/backups/ workflows/vnfd/ directory.

   
   

   

5. On the Select VIM screen, select the VIM to be used, and click Submit.

   

6. On the Select Tenant screen, select the tenant to be used, and click Submit.

   

7. On the Provide Zone & Region Info screen, specify the needed parameters, and click Submit.

   Note:  

   This step is optional, leave the fields blank if none of these parameters is needed.

   
   

   

8. On the Get Instance Configuration screen, select a VNF configuration to instantiate, and click Submit.

   Note:  

   The Select Configuration for the VNF instance field displays VNF configurations available for instantiation in the /vnflcmext/backups/workflows/vnfd/<VNFType__VNFVersion>/configurations directory.

   

   
   

3.2   Upgrade VNF

This is not supported in the current release.

3.3   Scale-out VNF

Continue with this procedure only if the VNF to be scaled-out is instantiated using the VNF-LCM.

To scale-out a VNF using VNF-LCM:

1. In the VNF-LCM Workflows screen, and select Scale-Out VNF, and click Start a New Instance

   

2. On the Start a Workflow screen, fill out the Instance Name field, and click Submit.
3. Select the newly created workflow from the Instance Activity panel.
4. On the Workflow Instance screen, select the VNF to be scaled out, specify the number of VMs to be added to the VNF, and click Submit.

   

   Result:
   The VNF instance is scaled-out, new VMs are added to the cluster.

3.4   Scale-in VNF

Continue with this procedure only if the VNF to be scaled-in is instantiated using the VNF-LCM.

To scale-in a VNF using VNF-LCM:

1. In the VNF-LCM, click Start a Workflow, and select Scale-In VNF, and click Start a New Instance.

   

2. On the Start a Workflow screen, fill out the Instance Name field, and click Submit.
3. Select the newly created workflow from the Instance Activity panel.
4. On the Workflow Instance screen, select the VNF to be scaled in, specify the number of VMs to be removed from the VNF, and click Submit.

   

5. On the Collect extra parameters screen, specify the needed parameters, and click Submit.

   Note:  

   This step is optional, leave the fields blank if none of these parameters is needed.

   
   

   

   The following optional scale-in parameters are available:

   • VM locking method, that is, graceful or forceful.
   • VM UUIDs to scale in.

The VNF instance is scaled-in, the specified number of VMs is removed from the cluster.

Note:  

If any UUID was specified in Step 5, the VMs with the specified UUID are removed, otherwise VMs with the highest index.

3.5   Terminate VNF

Continue with this procedure only if the VNF to be terminated is instantiated using the VNF-LCM.

To terminate a VNF using VNF-LCM:

1. In the VNF-LCM Workflows screen, select Terminate VNF, and click Start a New Instance.

   

2. On the Start a Workflow screen, fill out the Instance Name field, and click Submit.
3. Select the newly created workflow from the Instance Activity panel.
4. On the Workflow Instance screen, select the VNF to terminate, termination options, and click Submit.

   

   Graceful	The VMs in the cluster are gracefully locked, the VNF instance gradually stops processing traffic. The VNF is terminated after the expiration of the graceful termination period.
   Forceful	The VNF is terminated immediately, all ongoing traffic is lost. This option must be confirmed on the next screen, as it stops all traffic.
   Graceful termination timeout (sec)	The graceful termination timeout value defines after how many seconds the VNF is terminated when graceful termination has been applied but there is still ongoing traffic. Default value: -1, meaning that there is no graceful termination period, that is, the VNF is terminated only after all VMs stopped processing traffic.

The VMs in the cluster are terminated with the method selected in Step 4, the VNF instance stops processing traffic, and is terminated.

3.6   Heal VNF

This is not supported in the current release.

4   Troubleshooting

For an unsuccessful workflow execution, find the following information on the cause of the failure:

• In the Jboss Server log: /ericsson/3pp/jboss/standalone/log/server.log

  It is recommended to increase the log level from INFO to DEBUG during troubleshooting of an unsuccessful workflow execution. For information on how to change log level, refer to VNF-Lifecycle Manager System Administration Guide, 1543-APR 901 0578 Uen.

• In the system log: /var/log/messages
• In the Workflow Log tab

  If the Workflow Log tab reports Authentication failed, there is an error regarding the SSH key. For repairing the SSH key between the VNF-LCM and the CSCF, refer to Section Check SSH Key for Authentication in CSCF Troubleshooting Guideline.

Provide the logs to Ericsson support if a problem cannot be solved.