diff --git a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/KryoSerializer.java b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/KryoSerializer.java
index c07d289..6df0b23 100644
--- a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/KryoSerializer.java
+++ b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/KryoSerializer.java
@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public <T> T deserialize(ByteBuffer buffer) {
+    public <T> T decode(ByteBuffer buffer) {
         return serializerPool.deserialize(buffer);
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void serialize(Object obj, ByteBuffer buffer) {
+    public void encode(Object obj, ByteBuffer buffer) {
         serializerPool.serialize(obj, buffer);
     }
 }
diff --git a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/MessageDecoder.java b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/MessageDecoder.java
index 3ed3216..a0d34a5 100644
--- a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/MessageDecoder.java
+++ b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/MessageDecoder.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
             checkState(serializerVersion == MessageEncoder.SERIALIZER_VERSION, "Unexpected serializer version");
             checkpoint(DecoderState.READ_CONTENT);
         case READ_CONTENT:
-            InternalMessage message = serializer.deserialize(buffer.readBytes(contentLength).nioBuffer());
+            InternalMessage message = serializer.decode(buffer.readBytes(contentLength).nioBuffer());
             message.setMessagingService(messagingService);
             out.add(message);
             checkpoint(DecoderState.READ_HEADER_VERSION);
diff --git a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/Serializer.java b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/Serializer.java
index 56494b2..46550d4 100644
--- a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/Serializer.java
+++ b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/Serializer.java
@@ -24,20 +24,18 @@
     public byte[] encode(Object data);
 
     /**
-     * Serializes the specified object into bytes using one of the
-     * pre-registered serializers.
+     * Encodes the specified POJO into a byte buffer.
      *
-     * @param obj object to be serialized
+     * @param data POJO to be encoded
      * @param buffer to write serialized bytes
      */
-    public void serialize(final Object obj, ByteBuffer buffer);
+    public void encode(final Object data, ByteBuffer buffer);
 
     /**
-     * Deserializes the specified bytes into an object using one of the
-     * pre-registered serializers.
+     * Decodes the specified byte buffer to a POJO.
      *
-     * @param buffer bytes to be deserialized
-     * @return deserialized object
+     * @param buffer bytes to be decoded
+     * @return POJO
      */
-    public <T> T deserialize(final ByteBuffer buffer);
+    public <T> T decode(final ByteBuffer buffer);
 }