The present invention discloses a virtual network element automatic loading method, including: a network function virtualization orchestrator, in accordance with an operator's hardware resource plans for the network element, submits, to a cloud management system, an application to create virtual machine resources for the network element; the cloud management system activates the virtual machine of the application; a network element management system or the network element virtualization orchestrator, in accordance with virtual machine resource information derived as a result of the application, generates a virtual network element description for the network element, and sends, to a virtual machine which is in a list of virtual machines and which is playing the role of a network element operation management unit, the virtual network element description of each network element; the virtual network element description includes at least the following: the list of virtual machines and the role corresponding to each virtual machine as contained in the virtual network element; the network element operation management unit, in accordance with the virtual network element description, configures a self-governing virtual machine. The present invention additionally discloses a virtual machine IP address acquisition method, and a virtual network element automatic loading and virtual machine IP address acquisition system. The use of the present invention lowers the production and maintenance costs associated with a network element in a communications network.