An embodiment method includes receiving service parameters for a service and locating logical network nodes for a service-specific data plane logical topology at respective physical network nodes among a plurality of physical network nodes according to the service parameters, a service-level topology, and a physical infrastructure of the plurality of physical network nodes. The method also includes defining connections among the logical network nodes according to the service parameters, the service-level topology, and the physical infrastructure, and defining respective connections for a plurality of UEs to at least one of the logical network nodes according to the service parameters, the service-level topology, and the physical infrastructure. The method further includes defining respective functionalities for the logical network nodes.