A VNF operation apparatus is a processing apparatus that relocates data processing functions to another apparatus to continue data processing and includes: a storage unit configured to store information indicating a communication relationship between apparatuses; an estimation unit configured to calculate, based on the information indicating the communication relationship, an estimation value of a transfer delay of data generated during relocation for a plurality of schedulings having different orders of relocation of the data processing functions; a scheduling unit configured to select a scheduling for which the estimation value calculated by the estimation unit is minimized, and sets, based on the selected scheduling, an order of relocation of the data processing functions and a start timing of relocation of the data processing functions; and a relocation unit configured to relocate VNFs to the other apparatus in accordance with the order and the timing set by the scheduling unit.