This is a Howto step-by-step instruction for creating a vedge-cloud VNF package for deployment in NFVIS.
What is a VNF package?
VNF package is essentially a set of files bundled for ease of distribution and automation of deployment. VNF package typically contains the disk image(s), bootstrap configuration(s), meta-data that represents the capability, manifest file that confirms integrity.
Why package?
- Creating a VNF package is not mandatory however it has it advantages
- Provides a way to scale out deployments.
- Support for Day 0 configuration for Cisco and 3rd party VNFs
- The packaging utility creates a tar.gz file which contains
- The raw QCOW2 file. Note: ISO, vmdk formats would require conversion to qcow2 before package can be created.
- Image properties file
- Supported and default profiles
- Day 0 configs
- Image properties file is created by using either the GUI or using the packaging utility provided with every release.
- Note: DNAC NFV app is a recommended solution for Automation and Assurance of VNF service chain across 100's of Enterprise sites. VNF package created by NFVIS packaging tool would be imported to DNAC Image repository.
How to Package?
There are at least 2 common ways to build a package.
Method 1. GUI approach, available via NFVIS local portal
Method 2. Python script based tool downloaded from NFVIS local portal
Method 1 : NFVIS Local Portal based Image Packaging
Next step is to register the package that was built for use in the local system.
Alternately, the package can be downloaded for use via an orchestrator like DNA Center.
Note : For file sizes larger than 1GB, SCP based copy would be a faster and reliable method. By default SCP is disabled in NFVIS system. SCP can be enabled from specific source IP using the following CLI.
nfvis(config)# system settings ip-receive-acl 0.0.0.0/0 service scpd priority 2 action accept
nfvis(config-ip-receive-acl-0.0.0.0/0)# commit
Method 2 : Download and Execute python script based tool
Refer Method 2 here