Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating a management manifest for a network function (NF) software application, wherein the NF software application is to be deployed in a cloud computing environment, based on the generating the management manifest, deriving a software package that includes the NF software application and the management manifest, and causing the software package to be outputted for deployment in the cloud computing environment, wherein inclusion of the management manifest with the NF software application in the software package facilitates utilization of the management manifest for monitoring and management of a system that results from deployment of the NF software application in the cloud computing environment. Other embodiments are disclosed.