diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceService.java
index 1cb90e8..b1ab0e6 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceService.java
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@
     int getDeviceCount();
 
     /**
+     * Returns the number of currently available devices known to the system.
+     *
+     * @return number of available devices
+     */
+    default int getAvailableDeviceCount() {
+        return getDeviceCount();
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Returns a collection of the currently known infrastructure
      * devices.
      *
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceServiceAdapter.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceServiceAdapter.java
index 9c6887c..146a93a 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceServiceAdapter.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceServiceAdapter.java
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public int getAvailableDeviceCount() {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public Iterable<Device> getDevices() {
         return Collections.emptyList();
     }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/utils/ForwardingDeviceService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/utils/ForwardingDeviceService.java
index e1f8110..60ae84e 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/utils/ForwardingDeviceService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/utils/ForwardingDeviceService.java
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public int getAvailableDeviceCount() {
+        return delegate.getAvailableDeviceCount();
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public Iterable<Device> getDevices() {
         return delegate.getDevices();
     }