NETWORK FUNCTIONS VIRTUALIZATION

A virtualized network function manager, VNFM (114), in a mixed wireless network operable to facilitate termination of a virtualized network function, VNF (126), instance, the VNF (114) comprising the one or more processors configured to receive, at the VNFM (114), a request to terminate an existing VNF instance from a network manager (NM) via a network function virtualization (NFV) orchestrator (NFVO) wherein the request is triggered at the NM (140) upon detecting that computing resources at a non-virtualized network element (146) are under-utilized; initiate termination of the existing VNF (126) instance; and send an acknowledgment to the NFVO (112) after successfully terminating the existing VNF (126) instance, wherein the NFVO (112) is configured to request a virtualized infrastructure manager, VIM (116) to delete virtualized resources used by one or more virtualization deployment units, VDUs, of the existing VNF (126) instance.