diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/alarm/DeviceAlarmConfig.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/alarm/DeviceAlarmConfig.java
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+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/alarm/DeviceAlarmConfig.java
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+ *
+ * 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.alarm;
+
+import org.onlab.packet.IpAddress;
+import org.onosproject.net.driver.HandlerBehaviour;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+/**
+ * Abstraction of a device behaviour capable of translating a list of
+ * alarms from a device. Also provides a method to configure the address where to
+ * send the alarms/traps/notifications.
+ */
+public interface DeviceAlarmConfig extends HandlerBehaviour {
+
+    /**
+     * Configures the device to send alarms to a particular Ip and port combination.
+     *
+     * @param address  address to wich the device should send alarms
+     * @param port     port on which the controller is listening
+     * @param protocol tcp or udp
+     * @return boolean true if the device was properly configured
+     */
+    boolean configureDevice(IpAddress address, int port, String protocol);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the list of translated alarms from device-specific representation
+     * to ONOS alarms.
+     *
+     * @param unparsedAlarms alarms arrived from the device depending on protocol
+     * @param <T> type of object given from the device
+     * @return list of alarms consumed from the device
+     */
+    <T> Set<Alarm> translateAlarms(List<T> unparsedAlarms);
+
+}