diff --git a/protocols/netconf/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/netconf/NetconfSessionFactory.java b/protocols/netconf/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/netconf/NetconfSessionFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a899676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protocols/netconf/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/netconf/NetconfSessionFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 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.netconf;
+
+/**
+ * Abstract interface for the creation of a NETCONF session.
+ */
+public interface NetconfSessionFactory {
+
+    NetconfSession createNetconfSession(NetconfDeviceInfo netconfDeviceInfo)
+            throws NetconfException;
+}