diff --git a/providers/null/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/nil/device/impl/NullDeviceProvider.java b/providers/null/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/nil/device/impl/NullDeviceProvider.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb18f7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/providers/null/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/nil/device/impl/NullDeviceProvider.java
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2014 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.provider.nil.device.impl;
+
+
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
+import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Activate;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Component;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Deactivate;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Reference;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.ReferenceCardinality;
+import org.onlab.packet.ChassisId;
+import org.onosproject.net.Device;
+import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onosproject.net.MastershipRole;
+import org.onosproject.net.Port;
+import org.onosproject.net.PortNumber;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DefaultDeviceDescription;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DefaultPortDescription;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceDescription;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProvider;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProviderRegistry;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProviderService;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.PortDescription;
+import org.onosproject.net.provider.AbstractProvider;
+import org.onosproject.net.provider.ProviderId;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+
+import static org.onlab.util.Tools.delay;
+import static org.onlab.util.Tools.namedThreads;
+import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
+
+/**
+ * Provider which advertises fake/nonexistant devices to the core.
+ * To be used for benchmarking only.
+ */
+@Component(immediate = true)
+public class NullDeviceProvider extends AbstractProvider implements DeviceProvider {
+
+    private static final Logger log = getLogger(NullDeviceProvider.class);
+    private static final String SCHEME = "null";
+
+    @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
+    protected DeviceProviderRegistry providerRegistry;
+
+    private DeviceProviderService providerService;
+
+    private ExecutorService deviceBuilder = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(1,
+                                                     namedThreads("null-device-creator"));
+
+
+
+    //currently hardcoded. will be made configurable via rest/cli.
+    private static final int NUMDEVICES = 10;
+    private static final int NUMPORTSPERDEVICE = 10;
+
+    //Delay between events in ms.
+    private static final int EVENTINTERVAL = 5;
+
+    private final Map<Integer, DeviceDescription> descriptions = Maps.newHashMap();
+
+    private DeviceCreator creator;
+
+
+    /**
+     *
+     * Creates a provider with the supplier identifier.
+     *
+     */
+    public NullDeviceProvider() {
+        super(new ProviderId("null", "org.onosproject.provider.nil"));
+    }
+
+    @Activate
+    public void activate() {
+        providerService = providerRegistry.register(this);
+        deviceBuilder.submit(new DeviceCreator(true));
+        log.info("Started");
+
+    }
+
+    @Deactivate
+    public void deactivate() {
+        deviceBuilder.submit(new DeviceCreator(false));
+        try {
+            deviceBuilder.awaitTermination(1000, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+            log.error("Device builder did not terminate");
+        }
+        deviceBuilder.shutdownNow();
+        providerRegistry.unregister(this);
+        providerService = null;
+
+        log.info("Stopped");
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void triggerProbe(DeviceId deviceId) {}
+
+    @Override
+    public void roleChanged(DeviceId deviceId, MastershipRole newRole) {}
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isReachable(DeviceId deviceId) {
+        return descriptions.values().stream()
+                .anyMatch(desc -> desc.deviceURI().equals(deviceId.uri()));
+    }
+
+
+    private class DeviceCreator implements Runnable {
+
+        private boolean setup;
+
+        public DeviceCreator(boolean setup) {
+            this.setup = setup;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void run() {
+            if (setup) {
+                advertiseDevices();
+            } else {
+                removeDevices();
+            }
+        }
+
+        private void removeDevices() {
+            for (DeviceDescription desc : descriptions.values()) {
+                providerService.deviceDisconnected(
+                        DeviceId.deviceId(desc.deviceURI()));
+                delay(EVENTINTERVAL);
+            }
+            descriptions.clear();
+        }
+
+        private void advertiseDevices() {
+            DeviceId did;
+            ChassisId cid;
+            for (int i = 0; i < NUMDEVICES; i++) {
+                did = DeviceId.deviceId(String.format("%s:%d", SCHEME, i));
+                cid = new ChassisId(i);
+                DeviceDescription desc =
+                        new DefaultDeviceDescription(did.uri(), Device.Type.SWITCH,
+                                                     "ON.Lab", "0.0.1", "0.0.1", "1234",
+                                                     cid);
+                descriptions.put(i, desc);
+                providerService.deviceConnected(did, desc);
+                providerService.updatePorts(did, buildPorts());
+                delay(EVENTINTERVAL);
+            }
+        }
+
+        private List<PortDescription> buildPorts() {
+            List<PortDescription> ports = Lists.newArrayList();
+            for (int i = 0; i < NUMPORTSPERDEVICE; i++) {
+                ports.add(new DefaultPortDescription(PortNumber.portNumber(i), true,
+                                                     Port.Type.COPPER,
+                                                     (long) 0));
+            }
+            return ports;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/providers/null/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/nil/device/impl/package-info.java b/providers/null/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/nil/device/impl/package-info.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03a1250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/providers/null/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/nil/device/impl/package-info.java
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2014 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.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Null Provider that advertises fake devices.
+ */
+package org.onosproject.provider.nil.device.impl;