diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/ConfigFactory.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/ConfigFactory.java
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+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/ConfigFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2015 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.config;
+
+
+import com.google.common.annotations.Beta;
+
+/**
+ * Base abstract factory for creating configurations for the specified subject type.
+ *
+ * @param <S> type of subject
+ * @param <C> type of configuration
+ */
+@Beta
+public abstract class ConfigFactory<S, C extends Config<S>> {
+
+    private final SubjectFactory<S> subjectFactory;
+    private final Class<C> configClass;
+    private final String configKey;
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new configuration factory for the specified class of subjects
+     * capable of generating the configurations of the specified class. The
+     * subject and configuration class keys are used merely as keys for use in
+     * composite JSON trees.
+     *
+     * @param subjectFactory subject factory
+     * @param configClass  configuration class
+     * @param configKey    configuration class key
+     */
+    protected ConfigFactory(SubjectFactory<S> subjectFactory,
+                            Class<C> configClass, String configKey) {
+        this.subjectFactory = subjectFactory;
+        this.configClass = configClass;
+        this.configKey = configKey;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the class of the subject to which this factory applies.
+     *
+     * @return subject type
+     */
+    public SubjectFactory<S> subjectFactory() {
+        return subjectFactory;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the class of the configuration which this factory generates.
+     *
+     * @return configuration type
+     */
+    public Class<C> configClass() {
+        return configClass;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the unique key (within subject class) of this configuration.
+     * This is primarily aimed for use in composite JSON trees in external
+     * representations and has no bearing on the internal behaviours.
+     *
+     * @return configuration key
+     */
+    public String configKey() {
+        return configKey;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new but uninitialized configuration. Framework will initialize
+     * the configuration via {@link Config#init} method.
+     *
+     * @return new uninitialized configuration
+     */
+    public abstract C createConfig();
+
+}