Designing a VNF or assembly descriptor

After you onboard a virtual network function container (VNFC), you can use the Designer tool to create the virtual network function (VNF) or assembly descriptor.

1. To access the Designer tool, first log in to the IBM Cloud Pak® console. For more information about how to log in, see Logging in to the IBM Cloud Pak console. From the navigation menu , click Design > Network packages.
2. Click Create in the Designer tool.
3. Enter a name, a version number, and an object group for the descriptor. You can also enter a description. Then click Next.
   The version number must include one or more periods (.).
4. Confirm that the details that you entered are correct, then click Create Descriptor. The assembly descriptor appears as a card titled Public details on the design canvas. The information in the public details becomes the public API of the assembly descriptor.
5. Add the VNFCs or elements that you require to the descriptor.
   You can add the following types of element:

   • Reference
   • Component
   • Cluster
   • Group

   You can filter the package catalog to show only assemblies or resources, and you can search for the assembly or resource that you require.

   When you find the item that you want, you can drag it from the package catalog to the design canvas to add it to the assembly descriptor. Alternatively, you can click the overflow menu for the item, then click Add element.

   Enter a name, an element type, and an optional description for the descriptor, then click Add Element.

6. Add the properties that are required for the VNF or assembly descriptor to run. For example, you can add properties such as a management network, a data network, a management and data address, the deployment location, or the image location of the VNFC.
   You can give the property a name, a value, a default value, and you can specify whether the property is required and locked.
   You can either type in values to the properties or pass values from other assembly elements to the properties. For example, you might map the name property from a reference element from the public details to the reference element.
7. Add the operations that are required for the VNF or assembly descriptor. Use operations to enable the creation of relationships between resources and assemblies.
8. Publish properties to the API of the assembly descriptor. Click the overflow menu for the property, then click Publish Property. The property is added to the properties of the Public details card.
9. To set up a relationship between components, click Add Relationship. Relationships enable the requirements of a target component to be satisfied by a source component, which provides the capability or function. You can specify the source and target components, when the relationship is to be created, and which operations to run during the creation and tearing down (or ceasing) of a relationship.
10. Click the Save icon to save your VNF or assembly descriptor.