Methods, systems, and computer program products for hierarchical DCS-aware network, service, and application function VM partitioning are provided herein. A method includes partitioning multiple functions, within a set of virtual machines distributed across a hierarchical network of two or more data centers, into a first set of functions and a second set of functions, wherein the first set is associated with a higher performance sensitivity measure than the second set, and wherein said partitioning is based on a desired performance sensitivity measure associated with the functions and data center sensitivity measures of the data centers; executing the first set of functions in a first data center associated with a higher data center sensitivity measure than the one or more additional data centers; and executing the second set of functions in a second data center associated with a lower data center sensitivity measure than the first data center.