diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceHandshaker.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceHandshaker.java
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+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceHandshaker.java
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+/*
+ * Copyright 2017-present Open Networking Laboratory
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.onosproject.net.device;
+
+import com.google.common.annotations.Beta;
+import org.onosproject.net.MastershipRole;
+import org.onosproject.net.driver.DeviceConnect;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
+
+/**
+ * Behavior to test device's reachability and change the mastership role on that
+ * device.
+ */
+@Beta
+public interface DeviceHandshaker extends DeviceConnect {
+
+    /**
+     * Checks the reachability (connectivity) of a device.
+     * Reachability, unlike availability, denotes whether THIS particular node
+     * can send messages and receive replies from the specified device.
+     *
+     * @return CompletableFuture eventually true if reachable, false otherwise
+     */
+    CompletableFuture<Boolean> isReachable();
+
+    /**
+     * Applies on the device a mastership role change as decided by the core.
+     *
+     * @param newRole newly determined mastership role
+     * @return CompletableFuture with the mastership role accepted from the device
+     */
+    CompletableFuture<MastershipRole> roleChanged(MastershipRole newRole);
+
+}