diff --git a/internal/pkg/afrouter/connection.go b/internal/pkg/afrouter/connection.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcdb8d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/afrouter/connection.go
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2019-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ * 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 afrouter
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"github.com/opencord/voltha-go/common/log"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/connectivity"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// connection represents a connection to a single backend
+type connection struct {
+	backend *backend
+	name    string
+	addr    string
+	port    string
+	ctx     context.Context
+	close   context.CancelFunc
+}
+
+func (cn *connection) connect() {
+	for {
+		log.Infof("Connecting to %s with addr: %s and port %s", cn.name, cn.addr, cn.port)
+		// Dial doesn't block, it just returns and continues connecting in the background.
+		// Check back later to confirm and increase the connection count.
+
+		var err error
+		conn, err := grpc.Dial(cn.addr+":"+cn.port, grpc.WithCodec(Codec()), grpc.WithInsecure(), grpc.WithBackoffMaxDelay(time.Second*15))
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Dialing connection %v:%v", cn, err)
+		}
+
+		log.Debugf("Starting the connection monitor for '%s'", cn.name)
+		cn.monitor(conn)
+		conn.Close()
+
+		select {
+		case <-cn.ctx.Done():
+			return
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (cn *connection) monitor(conn *grpc.ClientConn) {
+	be := cn.backend
+	log.Debugf("Setting up monitoring for backend %s", be.name)
+	state := connectivity.Idle
+monitorLoop:
+	for {
+		if !conn.WaitForStateChange(cn.ctx, state) {
+			log.Debugf("Context canceled for connection '%s' on backend '%s'", cn.name, be.name)
+			break monitorLoop // connection closed
+		}
+
+		if newState := conn.GetState(); newState != state {
+			previousState := state
+			state = newState
+
+			if previousState == connectivity.Ready {
+				be.decConn(cn)
+				log.Infof("Lost connection '%s' on backend '%s'", cn.name, be.name)
+			}
+
+			switch state {
+			case connectivity.Ready:
+				log.Infof("Connection '%s' on backend '%s' becomes ready", cn.name, be.name)
+				be.incConn(cn, conn)
+			case connectivity.TransientFailure, connectivity.Connecting:
+				// we don't log these, to avoid spam
+			case connectivity.Shutdown:
+				// the connection was closed
+				log.Infof("Shutdown for connection '%s' on backend '%s'", cn.name, be.name)
+				break monitorLoop
+			case connectivity.Idle:
+				// This can only happen if the server sends a GoAway. This can
+				// only happen if the server has modified MaxConnectionIdle from
+				// its default of infinity. The only solution here is to close the
+				// connection and keepTrying()?
+				//TODO: Read the grpc source code to see if there's a different approach
+				log.Errorf("Server sent 'GoAway' on connection '%s' on backend '%s'", cn.name, be.name)
+				break monitorLoop
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}