diff --git a/apps/iptopology-api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/iptopology/api/link/IpLinkProviderService.java b/apps/iptopology-api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/iptopology/api/link/IpLinkProviderService.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c255442
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/iptopology-api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/iptopology/api/link/IpLinkProviderService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2014 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.iptopology.api.link;
+
+
+import org.onosproject.iptopology.api.TerminationPoint;
+import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onosproject.net.provider.ProviderService;
+
+/**
+ * Means for injecting ip link information into the core.
+ */
+public interface IpLinkProviderService extends ProviderService<IpLinkProvider> {
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that an ip link is added or updated with IP topology information.
+     *
+     * @param linkDescription ip link information
+     */
+    void addOrUpdateIpLink(IpLinkDescription linkDescription);
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that an ip link has disappeared.
+     *
+     * @param linkDescription ip link information
+     */
+    void removeIpLink(IpLinkDescription linkDescription);
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that ip links associated with the specified
+     * termination point have vanished.
+     *
+     * @param terminationPoint termination point
+     */
+    void removeIpLink(TerminationPoint terminationPoint);
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that ip links associated with the specified
+     * device have vanished.
+     *
+     * @param deviceId device identifier
+     */
+    void removeIpLink(DeviceId deviceId);
+}