diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Provider.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Provider.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eda436b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Provider.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.net;
+
+/**
+ * Abstraction of a provider of information about network environment.
+ */
+public interface Provider {
+
+    ProviderId id();
+
+}