diff --git a/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/debugcounter/IDebugCounterService.java b/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/debugcounter/IDebugCounterService.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f613e7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/debugcounter/IDebugCounterService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+package net.floodlightcontroller.debugcounter;
+
+import net.floodlightcontroller.core.module.IFloodlightService;
+import net.floodlightcontroller.debugcounter.DebugCounter.DebugCounterInfo;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+public interface IDebugCounterService extends IFloodlightService {
+
+    /**
+     * Different counter types. Counters that are meant to be counted-on-demand
+     * need to be separately enabled/disabled.
+     */
+    public enum CounterType {
+        ALWAYS_COUNT,
+        COUNT_ON_DEMAND
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Debug Counter Qualifiers
+     */
+    public static final String CTR_MDATA_WARN = "warn";
+    public static final String CTR_MDATA_ERROR = "error";
+    public static final String CTR_MDATA_DROP = "drop";
+
+    /**
+     *  A limit on the maximum number of counters that can be created
+     */
+    public static final int MAX_COUNTERS = 5000;
+
+    /**
+     * Exception thrown when MAX_COUNTERS have been registered
+     */
+    public class MaxCountersRegistered extends CounterException {
+        private static final long serialVersionUID = 3173747663719376745L;
+        String errormsg;
+        public MaxCountersRegistered(String errormsg) {
+            this.errormsg = errormsg;
+        }
+        @Override
+        public String getMessage() {
+            return this.errormsg;
+        }
+    }
+    /**
+     * Exception thrown when MAX_HIERARCHY has been reached
+     */
+    public class MaxHierarchyRegistered extends CounterException {
+        private static final long serialVersionUID = 967431358683523871L;
+        String errormsg;
+        public MaxHierarchyRegistered(String errormsg) {
+            this.errormsg = errormsg;
+        }
+        @Override
+        public String getMessage() {
+            return this.errormsg;
+        }
+    }
+    /**
+     * Exception thrown when attempting to register a hierarchical counter
+     * where higher levels of the hierarchy have not been pre-registered
+     */
+    public class MissingHierarchicalLevel extends CounterException {
+        private static final long serialVersionUID = 517315311533995739L;
+        String errormsg;
+        public MissingHierarchicalLevel(String errormsg) {
+            this.errormsg = errormsg;
+        }
+        @Override
+        public String getMessage() {
+            return this.errormsg;
+        }
+    }
+
+    public class CounterException extends Exception {
+        private static final long serialVersionUID = 2219781500857866035L;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     *  maximum levels of hierarchy
+     *  Example of moduleName/counterHierarchy:
+     *           switch/00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops where
+     *           moduleName ==> "switch"  and
+     *           counterHierarchy of 3 ==> "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops"
+     */
+    public static final int MAX_HIERARCHY = 3;
+
+    /**
+     * All modules that wish to have the DebugCounterService count for them, must
+     * register their counters by making this call (typically from that module's
+     * 'startUp' method). The counter can then be updated, displayed, reset etc.
+     * using the registered moduleName and counterHierarchy.
+     *
+     * @param moduleName           the name of the module which is registering the
+     *                             counter eg. linkdiscovery or controller or switch
+     * @param counterHierarchy     the hierarchical counter name specifying all
+     *                             the hierarchical levels that come above it.
+     *                             For example: to register a drop counter for
+     *                             packet-ins from a switch, the counterHierarchy
+     *                             can be "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops"
+     *                             It is necessary that counters in hierarchical levels
+     *                             above have already been pre-registered - in this
+     *                             example: "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin" and
+     *                             "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04"
+     * @param counterDescription   a descriptive string that gives more information
+     *                             of what the counter is measuring. For example,
+     *                             "Measures the number of incoming packets seen by
+     *                             this module".
+     * @param counterType          One of CounterType. On-demand counter types
+     *                             need to be explicitly enabled/disabled using other
+     *                             methods in this API -- i.e. registering them is
+     *                             not enough to start counting.
+     * @param metaData             variable arguments that qualify a counter
+     *                             eg. warn, error etc.
+     * @return                     IDebugCounter with update methods that can be
+     *                             used to update a counter.
+     * @throws MaxCountersRegistered
+     * @throws MaxHierarchyRegistered
+     * @throws MissingHierarchicalLevel
+     */
+    public IDebugCounter registerCounter(String moduleName, String counterHierarchy,
+                             String counterDescription, CounterType counterType,
+                             String... metaData)
+                throws MaxCountersRegistered, MaxHierarchyRegistered,
+                       MissingHierarchicalLevel;
+
+    /**
+     * Flush all thread-local counter values (from the current thread)
+     * to the global counter store. This method is not intended for use by any
+     * module. It's typical usage is from floodlight core and it is meant
+     * to flush those counters that are updated in the packet-processing pipeline,
+     * typically with the 'updateCounterNoFlush" methods in IDebugCounter.
+     */
+    public void flushCounters();
+
+    /**
+     * Resets the value of counters in the hierarchy to zero. Note that the reset
+     * applies to the level of counter hierarchy specified AND ALL LEVELS BELOW it
+     * in the hierarchy.
+     * For example: If a hierarchy exists like "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops"
+     *              specifying a reset hierarchy: "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04"
+     *              will reset all counters for the switch dpid specified;
+     *              while specifying a reset hierarchy: ""00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin"
+     *              will reset the pktin counter and all levels below it (like drops)
+     *              for the switch dpid specified.
+     */
+    void resetCounterHierarchy(String moduleName, String counterHierarchy);
+
+    /**
+     * Resets the values of all counters in the system.
+     */
+    public void resetAllCounters();
+
+    /**
+     * Resets the values of all counters belonging
+     * to a module with the given 'moduleName'.
+     */
+    public void resetAllModuleCounters(String moduleName);
+
+    /**
+     * This method applies only to CounterType.COUNT_ON_DEMAND. It is used to
+     * enable counting on the counter. Note that this step is necessary to start
+     * counting for these counter types - merely registering the counter is not
+     * enough (as is the case for CounterType.ALWAYS_COUNT). Newly
+     * enabled counters start from an initial value of zero.
+     *
+     * Enabling a counter in a counterHierarchy enables only THAT counter. It
+     * does not enable any other part of the counterHierarchy. For example, if
+     * a hierarchy exists like "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops", where the
+     * 'pktin' and 'drops' counters are CounterType.COUNT_ON_DEMAND, then enabling
+     * the 'pktin' counter by specifying the counterHierarchy as
+     * "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin" does NOT enable the 'drops' counter.
+     */
+    public void enableCtrOnDemand(String moduleName, String counterHierarchy);
+
+    /**
+     * This method applies only to CounterType.COUNT_ON_DEMAND. It is used to
+     * enable counting on the counter. Note that disabling a counter results in a loss
+     * of the counter value. When re-enabled the counter will restart from zero.
+     *
+     * Disabling a counter in a counterHierarchy disables only THAT counter. It
+     * does not disable any other part of the counterHierarchy. For example, if
+     * a hierarchy exists like "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops", where the
+     * 'pktin' and 'drops' counters are CounterType.COUNT_ON_DEMAND, then disabling
+     * the 'pktin' counter by specifying the counterHierarchy as
+     * "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin" does NOT disable the 'drops' counter.
+     */
+    public void disableCtrOnDemand(String moduleName, String counterHierarchy);
+
+    /**
+     * Get counter value and associated information for the specified counterHierarchy.
+     * Note that information on the level of counter hierarchy specified
+     * AND ALL LEVELS BELOW it in the hierarchy will be returned.
+     *
+     * For example,
+     * if a hierarchy exists like "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin/drops", then
+     * specifying a counterHierarchy of "00:00:00:00:01:02:03:04/pktin" in the
+     * get call will return information on the 'pktin' as well as the 'drops'
+     * counters for the switch dpid specified.
+     *
+     * @return A list of DebugCounterInfo or an empty list if the counter
+     *         could not be found
+     */
+    public List<DebugCounterInfo> getCounterHierarchy(String moduleName,
+                                                      String counterHierarchy);
+
+    /**
+     * Get counter values and associated information for all counters in the
+     * system
+     *
+     * @return the list of values/info or an empty list
+     */
+    public  List<DebugCounterInfo> getAllCounterValues();
+
+    /**
+     * Get counter values and associated information for all counters associated
+     * with a module.
+     *
+     * @param moduleName
+     * @return the list of values/info or an empty list
+     */
+    public  List<DebugCounterInfo> getModuleCounterValues(String moduleName);
+
+    /**
+     * Convenience method to figure out if the the given 'counterHierarchy' corresponds
+     * to a registered counterHierarchy for 'moduleName'. Note that the counter may or
+     * may not be enabled for counting, but if it is registered the method will
+     * return true.
+     *
+     * @param param
+     * @return false if moduleCounterHierarchy is not a registered counter
+     */
+    public boolean containsModuleCounterHierarchy(String moduleName,
+                                                  String counterHierarchy);
+
+    /**
+     * Convenience method to figure out if the the given 'moduleName' corresponds
+     * to a registered moduleName or not. Note that the module may or may not have
+     * a counter enabled for counting, but if it is registered the method will
+     * return true.
+     *
+     * @param param
+     * @return false if moduleName is not a registered counter
+     */
+    public boolean containsModuleName(String moduleName);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a list of moduleNames registered for debug counters or an empty
+     * list if no counters have been registered in the system
+     */
+    public List<String> getModuleList();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a list of all counters registered for a specific moduleName
+     * or a empty list
+     */
+    public List<String> getModuleCounterList(String moduleName);
+
+
+}