"""
         super(QemuPciPassthrough, self).__init__()
         self._logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-        self._nics = S.getValue('NICS')
+        self._host_nics = S.getValue('NICS')
 
         # in case of SRIOV and PCI passthrough we must ensure, that MAC addresses are swapped
         if S.getValue('SRIOV_ENABLED') and not self._testpmd_fwd_mode.startswith('mac'):
                               self._testpmd_fwd_mode, 'mac')
             self._testpmd_fwd_mode = 'mac'
 
-        for nic in self._nics:
+        for nic in self._host_nics:
             self._cmd += ['-device', 'vfio-pci,host=' + nic['pci']]
 
     def start(self):
 
         # bind every interface to vfio-pci driver
         try:
-            nics_list = list(tmp_nic['pci'] for tmp_nic in self._nics)
+            nics_list = list(tmp_nic['pci'] for tmp_nic in self._host_nics)
             tasks.run_task(['sudo', _RTE_PCI_TOOL, '--bind=vfio-pci'] + nics_list,
                            self._logger, 'Binding NICs %s...' % nics_list, True)
 
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-            self._logger.error('Unable to bind NICs %s', self._nics)
+            self._logger.error('Unable to bind NICs %s', self._host_nics)
 
         super(QemuPciPassthrough, self).start()
 
         super(QemuPciPassthrough, self).stop()
 
         # bind original driver to every interface
-        for nic in self._nics:
+        for nic in self._host_nics:
             if nic['driver']:
                 try:
                     tasks.run_task(['sudo', _RTE_PCI_TOOL, '--bind=' + nic['driver'], nic['pci']],
 
         if args['vnf'] not in vnfs:
             _LOGGER.error('there are no vnfs matching \'%s\' found in'
                           ' \'%s\'. exiting...', args['vnf'],
-                          settings.getValue('vnf_dir'))
+                          settings.getValue('VNF_DIR'))
             sys.exit(1)
 
     if args['exact_test_name'] and args['tests']: