A method includes provisioning a first Virtual Network Function (VNF) component on a first virtual machine, the first virtual machine being supported by a first physical computing system, provisioning a second VNF component directly on a second physical computing system, and using, within a telecommunications network, a VNF that includes both the first VNF component running on the first virtual machine and the second VNF component running directly on the second physical computing system. The method further includes, with a VNF manager, determining that a third VNF component should be provisioned, and in response to determining that the third VNF component is capable of utilizing a hardware accelerator associated with a third physical computing system, implementing the third VNF component on the third physical computing system.