diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/AnnotationKeys.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/AnnotationKeys.java
index adea3af..e306954 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/AnnotationKeys.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/AnnotationKeys.java
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@
 
 /**
  * Collection of keys for annotation.
- * Definitions of annotation keys needs to be here to avoid scattering.
+ * <p>
+ * Number of the annotation keys have been deprecated as the use of annotations
+ * is being phased out and instead network configuration subsystem is being
+ * phased-in for majority of model meta-data.
+ * </p>
  */
 public final class AnnotationKeys {
 
@@ -26,22 +30,34 @@
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for instance name.
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String NAME = "name";
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for instance type (e.g. host type).
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String TYPE = "type";
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for latitude (e.g. latitude of device).
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String LATITUDE = "latitude";
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for longitute (e.g. longitude of device).
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String LONGITUDE = "longitude";
 
     /**
@@ -51,7 +67,10 @@
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for the device driver name.
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String DRIVER = "driver";
 
     /**
@@ -61,13 +80,19 @@
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for latency.
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String LATENCY = "latency";
 
     /**
      * Annotation key for bandwidth.
      * The value for this key is interpreted as Mbps.
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Cardinal
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String BANDWIDTH = "bandwidth";
 
     /**
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/rest/AbstractWebResource.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/rest/AbstractWebResource.java
index 82caf08..d3249ba 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/rest/AbstractWebResource.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/rest/AbstractWebResource.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 package org.onosproject.rest;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.ArrayNode;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.ObjectNode;
 import org.onlab.rest.BaseResource;
 import org.onosproject.codec.CodecContext;
@@ -27,9 +28,11 @@
  */
 public class AbstractWebResource extends BaseResource implements CodecContext {
 
+    private final ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
+
     @Override
     public ObjectMapper mapper() {
-        return new ObjectMapper();
+        return mapper;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -65,4 +68,31 @@
         return get(serviceClass);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates and returns a new child object within the specified parent and
+     * bound to the given key.
+     *
+     * @param parent parent object
+     * @param key    key for the new child object
+     * @return child object
+     */
+    public ObjectNode newObject(ObjectNode parent, String key) {
+        ObjectNode node = mapper.createObjectNode();
+        parent.set(key, node);
+        return node;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates and returns a new child array within the specified parent and
+     * bound to the given key.
+     *
+     * @param parent parent object
+     * @param key    key for the new child array
+     * @return child array
+     */
+    public ArrayNode newArray(ObjectNode parent, String key) {
+        ArrayNode node = mapper.createArrayNode();
+        parent.set(key, node);
+        return node;
+    }
 }