diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/behaviour/protection/ProtectionConfig.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/behaviour/protection/ProtectionConfig.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94ed965
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/behaviour/protection/ProtectionConfig.java
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+/*
+ * 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.onosproject.net.behaviour.protection;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onosproject.net.config.BaseConfig;
+
+// FIXME Move this to Protection handling Intent related package?
+/**
+ * Config object for protection end-point.
+ * <p>
+ * Contains equivalent of {@link ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription}.
+ */
+public class ProtectionConfig
+        extends BaseConfig<DeviceId> {
+
+    /**
+     * {@value #CONFIG_KEY} : a netcfg ConfigKey for {@link ProtectionConfig}.
+     */
+    public static final String CONFIG_KEY = "protection";
+
+    /**
+     * JSON key for paths.
+     * <p>
+     * Value is list of {@link TransportEndpointDescription} in JSON.
+     */
+    private static final String PATHS = "paths";
+    /**
+     * JSON key for Peer {@link DeviceId}.
+     */
+    private static final String PEER = "peer";
+    private static final String FINGERPRINT = "fingerprint";
+
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isValid() {
+        return isString(PEER, FieldPresence.MANDATORY) &&
+               isString(FINGERPRINT, FieldPresence.MANDATORY) &&
+               hasField(PATHS);
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Returns List of underlying transport entity endpoints in priority order.
+     *
+     * @return the transport entity endpoint descriptions
+     */
+    public List<TransportEndpointDescription> paths() {
+        return getList(PATHS,
+                       jsonStr -> decode(jsonStr, TransportEndpointDescription.class));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the List of underlying transport entity endpoints in priority order.
+     *
+     * @param paths the transport entity endpoint descriptions
+     * @return self
+     */
+    public ProtectionConfig paths(List<TransportEndpointDescription> paths) {
+        setList(PATHS,
+                elm -> encode(elm, TransportEndpointDescription.class).toString(),
+                paths);
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns DeviceId of remote peer of this endpoint.
+     *
+     * @return the peer
+     */
+    public DeviceId peer() {
+        return DeviceId.deviceId(get(PEER, ""));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the DeviceId of remote peer of this endpoint.
+     *
+     * @param peer DeviceId
+     * @return self
+     */
+    public ProtectionConfig peer(DeviceId peer) {
+        setOrClear(PEER, peer.toString());
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns fingerprint to identify this protected transport entity.
+     *
+     * @return the fingerprint
+     */
+    public String fingerprint() {
+        return get(FINGERPRINT, "");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the fingerprint to identify this protected transport entity.
+     *
+     * @param fingerprint the fingerprint
+     * @return self
+     */
+    public ProtectionConfig fingerprint(String fingerprint) {
+        setOrClear(FINGERPRINT, checkNotNull(fingerprint));
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns equivalent of this Config as {@link ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription}.
+     *
+     * @return {@link ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription}
+     */
+    public ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription asDescription() {
+        return ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription.of(paths(), peer(), fingerprint());
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return object.toString();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/BaseConfig.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/BaseConfig.java
index 33d485f..5f87ed1 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/BaseConfig.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/BaseConfig.java
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@
     extends Config<S>
     implements CodecContext {
 
-    // might need to make it non-final for unit testing
-    private static final ServiceDirectory SERVICES = new DefaultServiceDirectory();
+    private static ServiceDirectory services = new DefaultServiceDirectory();
     private static final Logger log = getLogger(BaseConfig.class);
 
     @Override
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public <T> T getService(Class<T> serviceClass) {
-        return SERVICES.get(serviceClass);
+        return services.get(serviceClass);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/Config.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/Config.java
index a3824c8..9cea1b9 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/Config.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/Config.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.function.Function;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkState;
@@ -358,11 +359,28 @@
     protected <T> List<T> getList(String name, Function<String, T> function) {
         List<T> list = Lists.newArrayList();
         ArrayNode arrayNode = (ArrayNode) object.path(name);
-        arrayNode.forEach(i -> list.add(function.apply(i.asText())));
+        arrayNode.forEach(i -> list.add(function.apply(asString(i))));
         return list;
     }
 
     /**
+     * Converts JSON node to a String.
+     * <p>
+     * If the {@code node} was a text node, text is returned as-is,
+     * all other node type will be converted to String by toString().
+     *
+     * @param node JSON node to convert
+     * @return String representation
+     */
+    private static String asString(JsonNode node) {
+        if (node.isTextual()) {
+            return node.asText();
+        } else {
+            return node.toString();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Gets the specified array property as a list of items.
      *
      * @param name         property name
@@ -378,11 +396,30 @@
             return defaultValue;
         }
         ArrayNode arrayNode = (ArrayNode) jsonNode;
-        arrayNode.forEach(i -> list.add(function.apply(i.asText())));
+        arrayNode.forEach(i -> list.add(function.apply(asString(i))));
         return list;
     }
 
     /**
+     * Sets the specified property as an array of items in a given collection
+     * transformed into a String with supplied {@code function}.
+     *
+     * @param name       propertyName
+     * @param function   to transform item to a String
+     * @param value list of items
+     * @param <T>        type of items
+     * @return self
+     */
+    protected <T> Config<S> setList(String name,
+                                    Function<? super T, String> function,
+                                    List<T> value) {
+        Collection<String> mapped = value.stream()
+                            .map(function)
+                            .collect(Collectors.toList());
+        return setOrClear(name, mapped);
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Sets the specified property as an array of items in a given collection or
      * clears it if null is given.
      *
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/ProtectionEndpointIntent.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/ProtectionEndpointIntent.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..518db0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/ProtectionEndpointIntent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+/*
+ * 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.onosproject.net.intent;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+import java.util.Collection;
+
+import javax.annotation.concurrent.Immutable;
+
+import org.onosproject.core.ApplicationId;
+import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onosproject.net.NetworkResource;
+import org.onosproject.net.behaviour.protection.ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription;
+
+import com.google.common.annotations.Beta;
+import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
+
+/**
+ * Installable Intent for the ProtectionEndpoint (head/tail).
+ */
+@Immutable
+@Beta
+public class ProtectionEndpointIntent extends Intent {
+
+    private final DeviceId deviceId;
+    private final ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription description;
+
+
+    protected ProtectionEndpointIntent(ApplicationId appId, Key key,
+                                    Collection<NetworkResource> resources,
+                                    int priority,
+                                    DeviceId deviceId,
+                                    ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription description) {
+        super(appId, key, resources, priority);
+
+        this.deviceId = checkNotNull(deviceId);
+        this.description = checkNotNull(description);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the identifier of the device to be configured.
+     *
+     * @return the deviceId
+     */
+    public DeviceId deviceId() {
+        return deviceId;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the description of this protection endpoint.
+     *
+     * @return the description
+     */
+    public ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription description() {
+        return description;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isInstallable() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return MoreObjects.toStringHelper(getClass())
+                .add("id", id())
+                .add("key", key())
+                .add("appId", appId())
+                .add("priority", priority())
+                .add("resources", resources())
+                .add("deviceId", deviceId)
+                .add("description", description)
+                .toString();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a new {@link ProtectionEndpointIntent} builder.
+     *
+     * @return the builder
+     */
+    public static Builder builder() {
+        return new Builder();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Builder for {@link ProtectionEndpointIntent}.
+     */
+    public static class Builder extends Intent.Builder {
+
+        private DeviceId deviceId;
+        private ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription description;
+
+        /**
+         * Creates a new empty builder.
+         */
+        protected Builder() {
+            resources = ImmutableList.of();
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * Creates a new builder pre-populated with the information in the given
+         * intent.
+         *
+         * @param intent initial intent
+         */
+        protected Builder(ProtectionEndpointIntent intent) {
+            super(intent);
+        }
+
+        // TODO remove these overrides
+        @Override
+        public Builder key(Key key) {
+            super.key(key);
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Builder appId(ApplicationId appId) {
+            super.appId(appId);
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Builder resources(Collection<NetworkResource> resources) {
+            super.resources(resources);
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Builder priority(int priority) {
+            super.priority(priority);
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        public Builder deviceId(DeviceId deviceId) {
+            this.deviceId = deviceId;
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        public Builder description(ProtectedTransportEndpointDescription description) {
+            this.description = description;
+            return this;
+        }
+
+        public ProtectionEndpointIntent build() {
+            checkNotNull(key, "Key inherited from origin Intent expected.");
+            return new ProtectionEndpointIntent(appId,
+                                                key,
+                                                resources,
+                                                priority,
+                                                deviceId,
+                                                description);
+        }
+
+    }
+
+
+
+    /*
+     * For serialization.
+     */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
+    private ProtectionEndpointIntent() {
+        this.deviceId = null;
+        this.description = null;
+    }
+}