diff --git a/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/ImmutableByteSequence.java b/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/ImmutableByteSequence.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d10bfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/ImmutableByteSequence.java
@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016-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.onlab.util;
+
+import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
+import com.google.common.base.Objects;
+
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+import java.nio.ByteOrder;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
+import static org.apache.commons.lang3.ArrayUtils.reverse;
+
+/**
+ * Immutable sequence of bytes, assumed to represent a value in
+ * {@link ByteOrder#BIG_ENDIAN BIG_ENDIAN} order.
+ * <p>
+ * Sequences can be created copying from an already existing representation of a
+ * sequence of bytes, such as {@link ByteBuffer} or {@code byte[]}; or by
+ * copying bytes from a primitive data type, such as {@code long}, {@code int}
+ * or {@code short}. In the first case, bytes are assumed to be already given in
+ * big-endian order, while in the second case big-endianness is enforced by this
+ * class.
+ */
+public final class ImmutableByteSequence {
+
+    /*
+    Actual bytes are backed by a byte buffer.
+    The order of a newly-created byte buffer is always BIG_ENDIAN.
+     */
+    private ByteBuffer value;
+
+    /**
+     * Private constructor.
+     * Creates a new byte sequence object backed by the passed ByteBuffer.
+     *
+     * @param value a byte buffer
+     */
+    private ImmutableByteSequence(ByteBuffer value) {
+        this.value = value;
+        // Rewind buffer so it's ready to be read.
+        // No write operation should be performed on it from now on.
+        this.value.rewind();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new immutable byte sequence with the same content and order of
+     * the passed byte array.
+     *
+     * @param original a byte array value
+     * @return a new immutable byte buffer
+     */
+    public static ImmutableByteSequence copyFrom(byte[] original) {
+        checkArgument(original != null && original.length > 0,
+                      "Cannot copy from an empty or null array");
+        return new ImmutableByteSequence(
+                ByteBuffer.allocate(original.length).put(original));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new immutable byte sequence copying bytes from the given
+     * ByteBuffer {@link ByteBuffer}. If the byte buffer order is not big-endian
+     * bytes will be copied in reverse order.
+     *
+     * @param original a byte buffer
+     * @return a new byte buffer object
+     */
+    public static ImmutableByteSequence copyFrom(ByteBuffer original) {
+        checkArgument(original != null && original.capacity() > 0,
+                      "Cannot copy from an empty or null byte buffer");
+
+        byte[] bytes = new byte[original.capacity()];
+
+        // copy bytes from original buffer
+        original.rewind();
+        original.get(bytes);
+
+        if (original.order() == ByteOrder.LITTLE_ENDIAN) {
+            // FIXME: this can be improved, e.g. read bytes in reverse order from original
+            reverse(bytes);
+        }
+
+        return new ImmutableByteSequence(ByteBuffer.wrap(bytes));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new byte sequence of 8 bytes containing the given long value.
+     *
+     * @param original a long value
+     * @return a new immutable byte buffer
+     */
+    public static ImmutableByteSequence copyFrom(long original) {
+        return new ImmutableByteSequence(
+                ByteBuffer.allocate(Long.BYTES).putLong(original));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new byte sequence of 4 bytes containing the given int value.
+     *
+     * @param original an int value
+     * @return a new immutable byte buffer
+     */
+    public static ImmutableByteSequence copyFrom(int original) {
+        return new ImmutableByteSequence(
+                ByteBuffer.allocate(Integer.BYTES).putInt(original));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new byte sequence of 2 bytes containing the given short value.
+     *
+     * @param original a short value
+     * @return a new immutable byte buffer
+     */
+    public static ImmutableByteSequence copyFrom(short original) {
+        return new ImmutableByteSequence(
+                ByteBuffer.allocate(Short.BYTES).putShort(original));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new byte sequence of 1 byte containing the given value.
+     *
+     * @param original a byte value
+     * @return a new immutable byte buffer
+     */
+    public static ImmutableByteSequence copyFrom(byte original) {
+        return new ImmutableByteSequence(
+                ByteBuffer.allocate(Byte.BYTES).put(original));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a view of this sequence as a read-only {@link ByteBuffer}.
+     * <p>
+     * The returned buffer will have position 0, while limit and capacity will
+     * be set to this sequence {@link #size()}. The buffer order will be
+     * big-endian.
+     *
+     * @return a read-only byte buffer
+     */
+    public ByteBuffer asReadOnlyBuffer() {
+        // position, limit and capacity set rewind at constructor
+        return value.asReadOnlyBuffer();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the number of bytes in this sequence.
+     *
+     * @return an integer value
+     */
+    public int size() {
+        return this.value.capacity();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new byte array view of this sequence.
+     *
+     * @return a new byte array
+     */
+    public byte[] asArray() {
+        ByteBuffer bb = asReadOnlyBuffer();
+        byte[] bytes = new byte[size()];
+        bb.get(bytes);
+        return bytes;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return value.hashCode();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+        if (this == obj) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        final ImmutableByteSequence other = (ImmutableByteSequence) obj;
+        return Objects.equal(this.value, other.value);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return MoreObjects.toStringHelper(this)
+                .addValue(HexString.toHexString(asArray()))
+                .toString();
+    }
+}
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diff --git a/utils/misc/src/test/java/org/onlab/util/ImmutableByteSequenceTest.java b/utils/misc/src/test/java/org/onlab/util/ImmutableByteSequenceTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6824a72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/misc/src/test/java/org/onlab/util/ImmutableByteSequenceTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016-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.onlab.util;
+
+import com.google.common.testing.EqualsTester;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+import java.nio.ByteOrder;
+import java.util.Random;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
+
+public class ImmutableByteSequenceTest {
+
+    @Test
+    public void testCopy() throws Exception {
+
+        byte byteValue = (byte) 1;
+        short shortValue = (short) byteValue;
+        int intValue = (int) byteValue;
+        long longValue = (long) byteValue;
+        byte[] arrayValue = new byte[64];
+        arrayValue[63] = byteValue;
+        ByteBuffer bufferValue = ByteBuffer.allocate(64).put(arrayValue);
+
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsByte = ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(byteValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsShort = ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(shortValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsInt = ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(intValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsLong = ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(longValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsArray = ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(arrayValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsBuffer = ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(bufferValue);
+
+        assertThat("byte sequence of a byte value must have size 1",
+                   bsByte.size(), is(equalTo(1)));
+        assertThat("byte sequence of a short value must have size 2",
+                   bsShort.size(), is(equalTo(2)));
+        assertThat("byte sequence of an int value must have size 4",
+                   bsInt.size(), is(equalTo(4)));
+        assertThat("byte sequence of a long value must have size 8",
+                   bsLong.size(), is(equalTo(8)));
+        assertThat("byte sequence of a byte array value must have same size of the array",
+                   bsArray.size(), is(equalTo(arrayValue.length)));
+        assertThat("byte sequence of a byte buffer value must have same size of the buffer",
+                   bsBuffer.size(), is(equalTo(bufferValue.capacity())));
+
+        String errStr = "incorrect byte sequence value";
+
+        assertThat(errStr, bsByte.asArray()[0], is(equalTo(byteValue)));
+        assertThat(errStr, bsShort.asArray()[1], is(equalTo(byteValue)));
+        assertThat(errStr, bsInt.asArray()[3], is(equalTo(byteValue)));
+        assertThat(errStr, bsLong.asArray()[7], is(equalTo(byteValue)));
+        assertThat(errStr, bsArray.asArray()[63], is(equalTo(byteValue)));
+        assertThat(errStr, bsBuffer.asArray()[63], is(equalTo(byteValue)));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testEndianness() throws Exception {
+
+        long longValue = new Random().nextLong();
+
+        // creates a new sequence from a big-endian buffer
+        ByteBuffer bbBigEndian = ByteBuffer
+                .allocate(8)
+                .order(ByteOrder.BIG_ENDIAN)
+                .putLong(longValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsBufferCopyBigEndian =
+                ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(bbBigEndian);
+
+        // creates a new sequence from a little-endian buffer
+        ByteBuffer bbLittleEndian = ByteBuffer
+                .allocate(8)
+                .order(ByteOrder.LITTLE_ENDIAN)
+                .putLong(longValue);
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsBufferCopyLittleEndian =
+                ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(bbLittleEndian);
+
+        // creates a new sequence from primitive type
+        ImmutableByteSequence bsLongCopy =
+                ImmutableByteSequence.copyFrom(longValue);
+
+
+        new EqualsTester()
+                // big-endian byte array cannot be equal to little-endian array
+                .addEqualityGroup(bbBigEndian.array())
+                .addEqualityGroup(bbLittleEndian.array())
+                // all byte sequences must be equal
+                .addEqualityGroup(bsBufferCopyBigEndian,
+                                  bsBufferCopyLittleEndian,
+                                  bsLongCopy)
+                // byte buffer views of all sequences must be equal
+                .addEqualityGroup(bsBufferCopyBigEndian.asReadOnlyBuffer(),
+                                  bsBufferCopyLittleEndian.asReadOnlyBuffer(),
+                                  bsLongCopy.asReadOnlyBuffer())
+                // byte buffer orders of all sequences must be ByteOrder.BIG_ENDIAN
+                .addEqualityGroup(bsBufferCopyBigEndian.asReadOnlyBuffer().order(),
+                                  bsBufferCopyLittleEndian.asReadOnlyBuffer().order(),
+                                  bsLongCopy.asReadOnlyBuffer().order(),
+                                  ByteOrder.BIG_ENDIAN)
+                .testEquals();
+    }
+}
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