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 c04e23e..3ddc4ff 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
@@ -318,10 +318,8 @@
                             UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN,
                             cid, false,
                             annotations);
-                    deviceKeyAdminService.addKey(
-                            DeviceKey.createDeviceKeyUsingUsernamePassword(
-                                    DeviceKeyId.deviceKeyId(deviceId.toString()),
-                                    null, addr.name(), addr.password()));
+                    storeDeviceKey(addr, deviceId);
+
                     if (deviceService.getDevice(deviceId) == null) {
                         providerService.deviceConnected(deviceId, deviceDescription);
                     }
@@ -408,10 +406,7 @@
                             UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN,
                             cid, false,
                             annotations);
-                    deviceKeyAdminService.addKey(
-                            DeviceKey.createDeviceKeyUsingUsernamePassword(
-                                    DeviceKeyId.deviceKeyId(deviceId.toString()),
-                                    null, addr.name(), addr.password()));
+                    storeDeviceKey(addr, deviceId);
                     checkAndUpdateDevice(deviceId, deviceDescription);
                 });
             } catch (ConfigException e) {
@@ -420,6 +415,20 @@
         }
     }
 
+    private void storeDeviceKey(NetconfProviderConfig.NetconfDeviceAddress addr, DeviceId deviceId) {
+        if (addr.sshkey().equals("")) {
+            deviceKeyAdminService.addKey(
+                    DeviceKey.createDeviceKeyUsingUsernamePassword(
+                            DeviceKeyId.deviceKeyId(deviceId.toString()),
+                            null, addr.name(), addr.password()));
+        } else {
+            deviceKeyAdminService.addKey(
+                    DeviceKey.createDeviceKeyUsingSshKey(
+                            DeviceKeyId.deviceKeyId(deviceId.toString()),
+                            null, addr.name(), addr.password(), addr.sshkey()));
+        }
+    }
+
     private void initiateConnection(DeviceId deviceId, MastershipRole newRole) {
         try {
             if (isReachable(deviceId)) {
diff --git a/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfProviderConfig.java b/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfProviderConfig.java
index 625322f..2cdeb53 100644
--- a/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfProviderConfig.java
+++ b/providers/netconf/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/device/impl/NetconfProviderConfig.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
     private static final String PORT = "port";
     private static final String NAME = "username";
     private static final String PASSWORD = "password";
+    private static final String SSHKEY = "sshkey";
 
     public Set<NetconfDeviceAddress> getDevicesAddresses() throws ConfigException {
         Set<NetconfDeviceAddress> devicesAddresses = Sets.newHashSet();
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@
                 int port = node.path(PORT).asInt(DEFAULT_TCP_PORT);
                 String name = node.path(NAME).asText();
                 String password = node.path(PASSWORD).asText();
-                devicesAddresses.add(new NetconfDeviceAddress(ipAddr, port, name, password));
+                String sshkey = node.path(SSHKEY).asText();
+                devicesAddresses.add(new NetconfDeviceAddress(ipAddr, port, name, password, sshkey));
 
             }
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
@@ -64,12 +66,22 @@
         private final int port;
         private final String name;
         private final String password;
+        private final String sshkey;
 
         public NetconfDeviceAddress(IpAddress ip, int port, String name, String password) {
             this.ip = ip;
             this.port = port;
             this.name = name;
             this.password = password;
+            this.sshkey = "";
+        }
+
+        public NetconfDeviceAddress(IpAddress ip, int port, String name, String password, String sshkey) {
+            this.ip = ip;
+            this.port = port;
+            this.name = name;
+            this.password = password;
+            this.sshkey = sshkey;
         }
 
         public IpAddress ip() {
@@ -87,6 +99,10 @@
         public String password() {
             return password;
         }
+
+        public String sshkey() {
+            return sshkey;
+        }
     }
 
 }