diff --git a/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/OpenFlowSwitch.java b/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/OpenFlowSwitch.java
index 798440a..f16bb88 100644
--- a/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/OpenFlowSwitch.java
+++ b/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/OpenFlowSwitch.java
@@ -70,6 +70,36 @@
     public long getId();
 
     /**
+     * fetch the manufacturer description.
+     * @return the description
+     */
+    public String manfacturerDescription();
+
+    /**
+     * fetch the datapath description.
+     * @return the description
+     */
+    public String datapathDescription();
+
+    /**
+     * fetch the hardware description.
+     * @return the description
+     */
+    public String hardwareDescription();
+
+    /**
+     * fetch the software description.
+     * @return the description
+     */
+    public String softwareDescription();
+
+    /**
+     * fetch the serial number.
+     * @return the serial
+     */
+    public String serialNumber();
+
+    /**
      * Disconnects the switch by closing the TCP connection. Results in a call
      * to the channel handler's channelDisconnected method for cleanup
      */
diff --git a/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java b/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java
index 7ba5a5d..0a83360 100644
--- a/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java
+++ b/of/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java
@@ -311,4 +311,31 @@
         return Collections.unmodifiableList(ports.getEntries());
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public String manfacturerDescription() {
+        return this.desc.getMfrDesc();
+    }
+
+
+    @Override
+    public String datapathDescription() {
+        return this.desc.getDpDesc();
+    }
+
+
+    @Override
+    public String hardwareDescription() {
+        return this.desc.getHwDesc();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String softwareDescription() {
+        return this.desc.getSwDesc();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String serialNumber() {
+        return this.desc.getSerialNum();
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java
index d45bb07..44d70ac 100644
--- a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java
+++ b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@
     protected boolean alwaysClearFlowsOnSwAdd = false;
     private OpenFlowAgent agent;
 
+    private NioServerSocketChannelFactory execFactory;
+
     // Perf. related configuration
     protected static final int SEND_BUFFER_SIZE = 4 * 1024 * 1024;
     protected static final int BATCH_MAX_SIZE = 100;
@@ -155,16 +157,17 @@
     }
 
     private ServerBootstrap createServerBootStrap() {
+
         if (workerThreads == 0) {
-            return new ServerBootstrap(
-                    new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool()));
+            execFactory =  new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool());
+            return new ServerBootstrap(execFactory);
         } else {
-            return new ServerBootstrap(
-                    new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool(), workerThreads));
+            execFactory = new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool(), workerThreads);
+            return new ServerBootstrap(execFactory);
         }
     }
 
@@ -237,6 +240,7 @@
 
 
     public void stop() {
+        execFactory.shutdown();
         cg.close();
     }
 
diff --git a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
index 66c1e60..8af45e1 100644
--- a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
+++ b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
@@ -435,8 +435,8 @@
                 log.debug("Setting new switch {} to EQUAL and sending Role request",
                         h.sw.getStringId());
                 h.sw.activateEqualSwitch();
-                //h.setSwitchRole(RoleState.EQUAL);
-                h.setSwitchRole(RoleState.MASTER);
+                h.setSwitchRole(RoleState.EQUAL);
+
                 h.sw.startDriverHandshake();
                 h.setState(WAIT_SWITCH_DRIVER_SUB_HANDSHAKE);
 
diff --git a/providers/of/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java b/providers/of/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
index 16a4305..ad4ccad 100644
--- a/providers/of/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
+++ b/providers/of/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.provider.of.device.impl;
 
+import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
+
+import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
+
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Activate;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Component;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Deactivate;
@@ -17,15 +22,11 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderId;
 import org.onlab.onos.of.controller.Dpid;
 import org.onlab.onos.of.controller.OpenFlowController;
+import org.onlab.onos.of.controller.OpenFlowSwitch;
 import org.onlab.onos.of.controller.OpenFlowSwitchListener;
 import org.onlab.onos.of.controller.RoleState;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 
-import java.net.URI;
-import java.net.URISyntaxException;
-
-import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
-
 /**
  * Provider which uses an OpenFlow controller to detect network
  * infrastructure devices.
@@ -93,16 +94,26 @@
     private class InternalDeviceProvider implements OpenFlowSwitchListener {
         @Override
         public void switchAdded(Dpid dpid) {
+            if (providerService == null) {
+                return;
+            }
             URI uri = buildURI(dpid);
-            // TODO: fetch and provide switch desc information
+            OpenFlowSwitch sw = controller.getSwitch(dpid);
+
             DeviceDescription description =
                     new DefaultDeviceDescription(buildURI(dpid), Device.Type.SWITCH,
-                                                 null, null, null, null);
+                            sw.manfacturerDescription(),
+                            sw.hardwareDescription(),
+                            sw.softwareDescription(),
+                            sw.softwareDescription());
             providerService.deviceConnected(new DeviceId(uri), description);
         }
 
         @Override
         public void switchRemoved(Dpid dpid) {
+            if (providerService == null) {
+                return;
+            }
             URI uri = buildURI(dpid);
             providerService.deviceDisconnected(new DeviceId(uri));
         }