Abstract: A method for adaptive and intelligent Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) workload placement includes monitoring operation of a network with resources including one or more Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) and microservices; responsive to a request for a service in the network, decomposing the service into interconnected functional atoms, with the functional atoms located in one or more network domains including one or more of different data centers in the network and a user device associated with the service, wherein the functional atoms are decompositions of the VNFs and the microservices into a smaller level of functionality than the VNFs and microservices, wherein the functional atoms are based on isolability, observability, and measurability; and instantiating the service in the network based on the determined placement of the functional atoms.