diff --git a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/impl/GroupManager.java b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/impl/GroupManager.java
index e9d76fb..8355aa8 100644
--- a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/impl/GroupManager.java
+++ b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/impl/GroupManager.java
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Reference;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.ReferenceCardinality;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Service;
+import org.onlab.util.Tools;
 import org.onosproject.cfg.ComponentConfigService;
-import org.onosproject.net.provider.AbstractListenerProviderRegistry;
 import org.onosproject.core.ApplicationId;
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceEvent;
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupStore;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupStore.UpdateType;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupStoreDelegate;
+import org.onosproject.net.provider.AbstractListenerProviderRegistry;
 import org.onosproject.net.provider.AbstractProviderService;
 import org.osgi.service.component.ComponentContext;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -53,10 +54,10 @@
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Dictionary;
 
-import static com.google.common.base.Strings.isNullOrEmpty;
 import static org.onosproject.security.AppGuard.checkPermission;
+import static org.onosproject.security.AppPermission.Type.GROUP_READ;
+import static org.onosproject.security.AppPermission.Type.GROUP_WRITE;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
-import static org.onosproject.security.AppPermission.Type.*;
 
 
 
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@
         Dictionary<?, ?> properties = context.getProperties();
         Boolean flag;
 
-        flag = isPropertyEnabled(properties, "purgeOnDisconnection");
+        flag = Tools.isPropertyEnabled(properties, "purgeOnDisconnection");
         if (flag == null) {
             log.info("PurgeOnDisconnection is not configured, " +
                     "using current value of {}", purgeOnDisconnection);
@@ -141,26 +142,6 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * Check property name is defined and set to true.
-     *
-     * @param properties   properties to be looked up
-     * @param propertyName the name of the property to look up
-     * @return value when the propertyName is defined or return null
-     */
-    private static Boolean isPropertyEnabled(Dictionary<?, ?> properties,
-            String propertyName) {
-        Boolean value = null;
-        try {
-            String s = (String) properties.get(propertyName);
-            value = isNullOrEmpty(s) ? null : s.trim().equals("true");
-        } catch (ClassCastException e) {
-            // No propertyName defined.
-            value = null;
-        }
-        return value;
-    }
-
-    /**
      * Create a group in the specified device with the provided parameters.
      *
      * @param groupDesc group creation parameters