diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Link.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Link.java
index 62fc9f8..200f682 100644
--- a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Link.java
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/Link.java
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
 
         /**
          * Signifies that this link is potentially comprised from multiple
-         * underlying segments or hops, e.g. optical links, tunnel links,
-         * multi-hop links spanning 'dark' switches
+         * underlying segments or hops, and as such should be used to tag
+         * links traversing optical paths, tunnels or intervening 'dark'
+         * switches.
          */
         INDIRECT
     }
diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
index f55675c..9d8eb6a 100644
--- a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.net.device;
 
+import org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderService;
 
@@ -19,28 +20,31 @@
      * @param deviceDescription information about network device
      * @return mastership role chosen by the provider service
      */
-    MastershipRole deviceConnected(DeviceDescription deviceDescription);
+    MastershipRole deviceConnected(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription);
 
     /**
      * Signals the core that a device has disconnected or is no longer reachable.
      *
-     * @param deviceDescription device to be removed
+     * @param deviceId identity of the device to be removed
      */
-    void deviceDisconnected(DeviceDescription deviceDescription);
+    void deviceDisconnected(DeviceId deviceId);
 
     /**
      * Sends information about all ports of a device. It is up to the core to
      * determine what has changed.
+     * <p/>
      *
+     * @param deviceId identity of the device
      * @param ports list of device ports
      */
-    void updatePorts(List<PortDescription> ports);
+    void updatePorts(DeviceId deviceId, List<PortDescription> ports);
 
     /**
      * Used to notify the core about port status change of a single port.
      *
+     * @param deviceId identity of the device
      * @param port description of the port that changed
      */
-    void portStatusChanged(PortDescription port);
+    void portStatusChanged(DeviceId deviceId, PortDescription port);
 
 }
diff --git a/net/core/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java b/net/core/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..767169a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/core/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.net.impl;
+
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Activate;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Component;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Deactivate;
+import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Service;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.device.DeviceDescription;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.device.DeviceProvider;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.device.DeviceProviderBroker;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.device.DeviceProviderService;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.device.PortDescription;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.AbstractProviderBroker;
+import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.AbstractProviderService;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Provides basic implementation of the device SB & NB APIs.
+ */
+@Component(immediate = true)
+@Service
+public class SimpleDeviceManager implements DeviceProviderBroker {
+
+    private Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SimpleDeviceManager.class);
+
+    private final DeviceProviderBroker broker = new InternalBroker();
+
+    @Activate
+    public void activate() {
+        log.info("Started");
+    }
+
+    @Deactivate
+    public void deactivate() {
+        log.info("Stopped");
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public DeviceProviderService register(DeviceProvider provider) {
+        return broker.register(provider);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void unregister(DeviceProvider provider) {
+        broker.unregister(provider);
+    }
+
+    // Internal delegate for tracking various providers and issuing them a
+    // personalized provider service.
+    private class InternalBroker extends AbstractProviderBroker<DeviceProvider, DeviceProviderService>
+            implements DeviceProviderBroker {
+        @Override
+        protected DeviceProviderService createProviderService(DeviceProvider provider) {
+            return new InternalDeviceProviderService(provider);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Personalized device provider service issued to the supplied provider.
+    private class InternalDeviceProviderService extends AbstractProviderService<DeviceProvider>
+            implements DeviceProviderService {
+
+        public InternalDeviceProviderService(DeviceProvider provider) {
+            super(provider);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public MastershipRole deviceConnected(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription) {
+            log.info("Device {} connected: {}", deviceId, deviceDescription);
+            return MastershipRole.MASTER;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void deviceDisconnected(DeviceId deviceId) {
+            log.info("Device {} disconnected", deviceId);
+
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void updatePorts(DeviceId deviceId, List<PortDescription> ports) {
+            // FIXME: fix the interface to accept DeviceId separately
+            log.info("Device {} ports updated: {}", ports);
+
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void portStatusChanged(DeviceId deviceId, PortDescription port) {
+            log.info("Device {} port status changed: {}", deviceId, port);
+        }
+    }
+}