diff --git a/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfDeviceProvider.java b/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfDeviceProvider.java
index 02c629e..8281f4e 100644
--- a/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfDeviceProvider.java
+++ b/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfDeviceProvider.java
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
 import java.net.Socket;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
@@ -328,13 +327,9 @@
         // method to test reachability.
         //test connection to device opening a socket to it.
         log.debug("Testing reachability for {}:{}", ip, port);
-        Socket socket = new Socket();
-        try {
-            socket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(ip, port), 1000);
+        try (Socket socket = new Socket(ip, port)) {
             log.debug("rechability of {}, {}, {}", deviceId, socket.isConnected(), !socket.isClosed());
-            boolean isConnected = socket.isConnected() && !socket.isClosed();
-            socket.close();
-            return isConnected;
+            return socket.isConnected() && !socket.isClosed();
         } catch (IOException e) {
             log.info("Device {} is not reachable", deviceId);
             log.debug("  error details", e);
@@ -431,10 +426,6 @@
             log.trace("{} not my scheme, skipping", deviceId);
             return;
         }
-        if (!isReachable(deviceId)) {
-            log.warn("Can't connect to device {}", deviceId);
-            return;
-        }
         DeviceDescription deviceDescription = createDeviceRepresentation(deviceId, config);
         log.debug("Connecting NETCONF device {}, on {}:{} with username {}",
                   deviceId, config.ip(), config.port(), config.username());
@@ -443,6 +434,11 @@
         if (deviceService.getDevice(deviceId) == null) {
             providerService.deviceConnected(deviceId, deviceDescription);
         }
+        try {
+            checkAndUpdateDevice(deviceId, deviceDescription, true);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            log.error("Unhandled exception checking {}", deviceId, e);
+        }
     }
 
     private void checkAndUpdateDevice(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription, boolean newlyConnected) {
@@ -455,7 +451,7 @@
         if (!isReachable && deviceService.isAvailable(deviceId)) {
             providerService.deviceDisconnected(deviceId);
             return;
-        } else if (newlyConnected && mastershipService.isLocalMaster(deviceId)) {
+        } else if (newlyConnected) {
             updateDeviceDescription(deviceId, deviceDescription, device);
         }
         if (isReachable && deviceService.isAvailable(deviceId) &&
@@ -482,16 +478,11 @@
                             deviceId, new DefaultDeviceDescription(
                                     updatedDeviceDescription, true,
                                     updatedDeviceDescription.annotations()));
-                } else if (updatedDeviceDescription == null && deviceDescription != null) {
+                } else if (updatedDeviceDescription == null) {
                     providerService.deviceConnected(
                             deviceId, new DefaultDeviceDescription(
                                     deviceDescription, true,
                                     deviceDescription.annotations()));
-                } else {
-                    providerService.deviceConnected(deviceId, new DefaultDeviceDescription(deviceId.uri(),
-                            device.type(), device.manufacturer(), device.hwVersion(), device.swVersion(),
-                            device.serialNumber(), device.chassisId(), true,
-                            (SparseAnnotations) device.annotations()));
                 }
             }
         } else {
@@ -549,7 +540,6 @@
                 .set(IPADDRESS, ipAddress)
                 .set(PORT, String.valueOf(config.port()))
                 .set(AnnotationKeys.PROTOCOL, SCHEME_NAME.toUpperCase())
-                .set(AnnotationKeys.PROVIDER_MARK_ONLINE, String.valueOf(true))
                 .build();
         return new DefaultDeviceDescription(
                 deviceId.uri(),
@@ -578,15 +568,8 @@
     private void initiateConnection(DeviceId deviceId, MastershipRole newRole) {
         try {
             if (isReachable(deviceId)) {
-                NetconfDevice device = controller.connectDevice(deviceId);
-                if (device != null) {
-                    providerService.receivedRoleReply(deviceId, newRole, MastershipRole.MASTER);
-                    try {
-                        checkAndUpdateDevice(deviceId, null, true);
-                    } catch (Exception e) {
-                        log.error("Unhandled exception checking {}", deviceId, e);
-                    }
-                }
+                controller.connectDevice(deviceId);
+                providerService.receivedRoleReply(deviceId, newRole, MastershipRole.MASTER);
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             if (deviceService.getDevice(deviceId) != null) {
@@ -662,15 +645,12 @@
     private class InternalDeviceListener implements DeviceListener {
         @Override
         public void event(DeviceEvent event) {
-            if (deviceService.isAvailable(event.subject().id())) {
-                executor.execute(() -> discoverPorts(event.subject().id()));
-            }
+            executor.execute(() -> discoverPorts(event.subject().id()));
         }
 
         @Override
         public boolean isRelevant(DeviceEvent event) {
-            if (event.type() != DeviceEvent.Type.DEVICE_ADDED &&
-                    event.type() != DeviceEvent.Type.DEVICE_AVAILABILITY_CHANGED) {
+            if (event.type() != DeviceEvent.Type.DEVICE_ADDED) {
                 return false;
             }
             if (mastershipService.getMasterFor(event.subject().id()) == null) {