diff --git a/pkg/db/backend.go b/pkg/db/backend.go
index c319d99..b2547c2 100644
--- a/pkg/db/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/db/backend.go
@@ -17,23 +17,36 @@
 package db
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/opencord/voltha-lib-go/v2/pkg/db/kvstore"
 	"github.com/opencord/voltha-lib-go/v2/pkg/log"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	// Default Minimal Interval for posting alive state of backend kvstore on Liveness Channel
+	DefaultLivenessChannelInterval = time.Second * 30
 )
 
 // Backend structure holds details for accessing the kv store
 type Backend struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
-	Client     kvstore.Client
-	StoreType  string
-	Host       string
-	Port       int
-	Timeout    int
-	PathPrefix string
+	Client                  kvstore.Client
+	StoreType               string
+	Host                    string
+	Port                    int
+	Timeout                 int
+	PathPrefix              string
+	alive                   bool          // Is this backend connection alive?
+	liveness                chan bool     // channel to post alive state
+	LivenessChannelInterval time.Duration // regularly push alive state beyond this interval
+	lastLivenessTime        time.Time     // Instant of last alive state push
 }
 
 // NewBackend creates a new instance of a Backend structure
@@ -41,11 +54,13 @@
 	var err error
 
 	b := &Backend{
-		StoreType:  storeType,
-		Host:       host,
-		Port:       port,
-		Timeout:    timeout,
-		PathPrefix: pathPrefix,
+		StoreType:               storeType,
+		Host:                    host,
+		Port:                    port,
+		Timeout:                 timeout,
+		LivenessChannelInterval: DefaultLivenessChannelInterval,
+		PathPrefix:              pathPrefix,
+		alive:                   false, // connection considered down at start
 	}
 
 	address := host + ":" + strconv.Itoa(port)
@@ -76,6 +91,100 @@
 	return path
 }
 
+func (b *Backend) updateLiveness(alive bool) {
+	// Periodically push stream of liveness data to the channel,
+	// so that in a live state, the core does not timeout and
+	// send a forced liveness message. Push alive state if the
+	// last push to channel was beyond livenessChannelInterval
+	if b.liveness != nil {
+
+		if b.alive != alive {
+			log.Debug("update-liveness-channel-reason-change")
+			b.liveness <- alive
+			b.lastLivenessTime = time.Now()
+		} else if time.Now().Sub(b.lastLivenessTime) > b.LivenessChannelInterval {
+			log.Debug("update-liveness-channel-reason-interval")
+			b.liveness <- alive
+			b.lastLivenessTime = time.Now()
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Emit log message only for alive state change
+	if b.alive != alive {
+		log.Debugw("change-kvstore-alive-status", log.Fields{"alive": alive})
+		b.alive = alive
+	}
+}
+
+// Perform a dummy Key Lookup on kvstore to test Connection Liveness and
+// post on Liveness channel
+func (b *Backend) PerformLivenessCheck(timeout int) bool {
+	alive := b.Client.IsConnectionUp(timeout)
+	log.Debugw("kvstore-liveness-check-result", log.Fields{"alive": alive})
+
+	b.updateLiveness(alive)
+	return alive
+}
+
+// Enable the liveness monitor channel. This channel will report
+// a "true" or "false" on every kvstore operation which indicates whether
+// or not the connection is still Live. This channel is then picked up
+// by the service (i.e. rw_core / ro_core) to update readiness status
+// and/or take other actions.
+func (b *Backend) EnableLivenessChannel() chan bool {
+	log.Debug("enable-kvstore-liveness-channel")
+
+	if b.liveness == nil {
+		log.Debug("create-kvstore-liveness-channel")
+
+		// Channel size of 10 to avoid any possibility of blocking in Load conditions
+		b.liveness = make(chan bool, 10)
+
+		// Post initial alive state
+		b.liveness <- b.alive
+		b.lastLivenessTime = time.Now()
+	}
+
+	return b.liveness
+}
+
+// Extract Alive status of Kvstore based on type of error
+func (b *Backend) isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(err error) bool {
+	// Alive unless observed an error indicating so
+	alive := true
+
+	if err != nil {
+
+		// timeout indicates kvstore not reachable/alive
+		if err == context.DeadlineExceeded {
+			alive = false
+		}
+
+		// Need to analyze client-specific errors based on backend type
+		if b.StoreType == "etcd" {
+
+			// For etcd backend, consider not-alive only for errors indicating
+			// timedout request or unavailable/corrupted cluster. For all remaining
+			// error codes listed in https://godoc.org/google.golang.org/grpc/codes#Code,
+			// we would not infer a not-alive backend because such a error may also
+			// occur due to bad client requests or sequence of operations
+			switch status.Code(err) {
+			case codes.DeadlineExceeded:
+				fallthrough
+			case codes.Unavailable:
+				fallthrough
+			case codes.DataLoss:
+				alive = false
+			}
+
+			//} else {
+			// TODO: Implement for consul backend; would it be needed ever?
+		}
+	}
+
+	return alive
+}
+
 // List retrieves one or more items that match the specified key
 func (b *Backend) List(key string) (map[string]*kvstore.KVPair, error) {
 	b.Lock()
@@ -84,7 +193,11 @@
 	formattedPath := b.makePath(key)
 	log.Debugw("listing-key", log.Fields{"key": key, "path": formattedPath})
 
-	return b.Client.List(formattedPath, b.Timeout)
+	pair, err := b.Client.List(formattedPath, b.Timeout)
+
+	b.updateLiveness(b.isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(err))
+
+	return pair, err
 }
 
 // Get retrieves an item that matches the specified key
@@ -95,7 +208,11 @@
 	formattedPath := b.makePath(key)
 	log.Debugw("getting-key", log.Fields{"key": key, "path": formattedPath})
 
-	return b.Client.Get(formattedPath, b.Timeout)
+	pair, err := b.Client.Get(formattedPath, b.Timeout)
+
+	b.updateLiveness(b.isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(err))
+
+	return pair, err
 }
 
 // Put stores an item value under the specifed key
@@ -106,7 +223,11 @@
 	formattedPath := b.makePath(key)
 	log.Debugw("putting-key", log.Fields{"key": key, "value": string(value.([]byte)), "path": formattedPath})
 
-	return b.Client.Put(formattedPath, value, b.Timeout)
+	err := b.Client.Put(formattedPath, value, b.Timeout)
+
+	b.updateLiveness(b.isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(err))
+
+	return err
 }
 
 // Delete removes an item under the specified key
@@ -117,7 +238,11 @@
 	formattedPath := b.makePath(key)
 	log.Debugw("deleting-key", log.Fields{"key": key, "path": formattedPath})
 
-	return b.Client.Delete(formattedPath, b.Timeout)
+	err := b.Client.Delete(formattedPath, b.Timeout)
+
+	b.updateLiveness(b.isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(err))
+
+	return err
 }
 
 // CreateWatch starts watching events for the specified key
diff --git a/pkg/db/backend_test.go b/pkg/db/backend_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e1dce3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/db/backend_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,371 @@
+/*
+ * 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 db
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"github.com/opencord/voltha-lib-go/v2/pkg/log"
+	"github.com/opencord/voltha-lib-go/v2/pkg/mocks"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	log.AddPackage(log.JSON, log.PanicLevel, nil)
+}
+
+const (
+	embedEtcdServerHost = "localhost"
+	embedEtcdServerPort = 2379
+	dummyEtcdServerPort = 12379
+	defaultTimeout      = 1
+	defaultPathPrefix   = "Prefix"
+)
+
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	etcdServer := mocks.StartEtcdServer(nil)
+
+	res := m.Run()
+
+	etcdServer.Stop()
+	os.Exit(res)
+}
+
+func provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) *Backend {
+	backend := NewBackend("etcd", embedEtcdServerHost, embedEtcdServerPort, defaultTimeout, defaultPathPrefix)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend.Client)
+	return backend
+}
+
+func provisionBackendWithDummyEtcdServer(t *testing.T) *Backend {
+	backend := NewBackend("etcd", embedEtcdServerHost, dummyEtcdServerPort, defaultTimeout, defaultPathPrefix)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend.Client)
+	return backend
+}
+
+// Create instance using Etcd Kvstore
+func TestNewBackend_EtcdKvStore(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := NewBackend("etcd", embedEtcdServerHost, embedEtcdServerPort, defaultTimeout, defaultPathPrefix)
+
+	// Verify all attributes of backend have got set correctly
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend.Client)
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.StoreType, "etcd")
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.Host, embedEtcdServerHost)
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.Port, embedEtcdServerPort)
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.Timeout, defaultTimeout)
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.PathPrefix, defaultPathPrefix)
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.alive, false) // backend is not alive at start
+	assert.Nil(t, backend.liveness)       // no liveness channel is created at start
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.LivenessChannelInterval, DefaultLivenessChannelInterval)
+}
+
+// Create instance using Consul Kvstore
+func TestNewBackend_ConsulKvStore(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := NewBackend("consul", embedEtcdServerHost, embedEtcdServerPort, defaultTimeout, defaultPathPrefix)
+
+	// Verify kvstore type attribute of backend has got set correctly
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend.Client)
+	assert.Equal(t, backend.StoreType, "consul")
+}
+
+// Create instance using Invalid Kvstore; instance creation should fail
+func TestNewBackend_InvalidKvstore(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := NewBackend("unknown", embedEtcdServerHost, embedEtcdServerPort, defaultTimeout, defaultPathPrefix)
+
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend)
+	assert.Nil(t, backend.Client)
+}
+
+func TestMakePath(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	path := backend.makePath("Suffix")
+	assert.Equal(t, defaultPathPrefix+"/Suffix", path)
+}
+
+// Liveness Check against Embedded Etcd Server should return alive state
+func TestPerformLivenessCheck_EmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	alive := backend.PerformLivenessCheck(defaultTimeout)
+	assert.True(t, alive)
+}
+
+// Liveness Check against Dummy Etcd Server should return not-alive state
+func TestPerformLivenessCheck_DummyEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithDummyEtcdServer(t)
+	alive := backend.PerformLivenessCheck(defaultTimeout)
+	assert.False(t, alive)
+}
+
+// Enabling Liveness Channel before First Liveness Check
+func TestEnableLivenessChannel_EmbeddedEtcdServer_BeforeLivenessCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+
+	alive := backend.EnableLivenessChannel()
+	assert.NotNil(t, alive)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(alive))
+	assert.Equal(t, false, <-alive)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend.liveness)
+}
+
+// Enabling Liveness Channel after First Liveness Check
+func TestEnableLivenessChannel_EmbeddedEtcdServer_AfterLivenessCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	backend.PerformLivenessCheck(defaultTimeout)
+
+	alive := backend.EnableLivenessChannel()
+	assert.NotNil(t, alive)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(alive))
+	assert.Equal(t, true, <-alive)
+	assert.NotNil(t, backend.liveness)
+}
+
+// Update Liveness with alive status change
+func TestUpdateLiveness_AliveStatusChange(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	// Enable Liveness Channel and verify initial state is not-alive
+	aliveState := backend.EnableLivenessChannel()
+	assert.NotNil(t, aliveState)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(backend.liveness))
+	assert.Equal(t, false, <-backend.liveness)
+	lastUpdateTime := backend.lastLivenessTime
+
+	// Update with changed alive state. Verify alive state push & liveness time update
+	backend.updateLiveness(true)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(backend.liveness))
+	assert.Equal(t, true, <-backend.liveness)
+	assert.NotEqual(t, lastUpdateTime, backend.lastLivenessTime)
+}
+
+// Update Liveness with same alive status reporting
+func TestUpdateLiveness_AliveStatusUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	// Enable Liveness Channel and verify initial state is not-alive
+	aliveState := backend.EnableLivenessChannel()
+	assert.NotNil(t, aliveState)
+	assert.Equal(t, false, <-backend.liveness)
+	lastUpdateTime := backend.lastLivenessTime
+
+	// Update with same alive state. Verify no further alive state push
+	backend.updateLiveness(false)
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(backend.liveness))
+	assert.Equal(t, lastUpdateTime, backend.lastLivenessTime)
+
+	// Now set lastUpdateTime 10 min back and push again
+	tenMinDuration, _ := time.ParseDuration("10m")
+	backend.lastLivenessTime = time.Now().Add(-tenMinDuration)
+	lastUpdateTime = backend.lastLivenessTime
+
+	backend.updateLiveness(false)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(backend.liveness))
+	assert.Equal(t, false, <-backend.liveness)
+	assert.NotEqual(t, lastUpdateTime, backend.lastLivenessTime)
+}
+
+func TestIsErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		arg  error
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{"No Error", nil, true},
+		{"Request Canceled", context.Canceled, true},
+		{"Request Timeout", context.DeadlineExceeded, false},
+		{"Etcd Error - InvalidArgument", status.New(codes.InvalidArgument, "").Err(), true},
+		{"Etcd Error - DeadlineExceeded", status.New(codes.DeadlineExceeded, "").Err(), false},
+		{"Etcd Error - Unavailable", status.New(codes.Unavailable, "").Err(), false},
+		{"Etcd Error - DataLoss", status.New(codes.DataLoss, "").Err(), false},
+		{"Etcd Error - NotFound", status.New(codes.NotFound, "").Err(), true},
+		{"Etcd Error - PermissionDenied ", status.New(codes.PermissionDenied, "").Err(), true},
+		{"Etcd Error - FailedPrecondition  ", status.New(codes.FailedPrecondition, "").Err(), true},
+	}
+
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if backend.isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore(tt.arg) != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("isErrorIndicatingAliveKvstore failed for %s: expected %t but got %t", tt.name, tt.want, !tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPut_EmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	err := backend.Put("key1", []uint8("value1"))
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+	// Assert alive state has become true
+	assert.True(t, backend.alive)
+
+	// Assert that kvstore has this value stored
+	kvpair, err := backend.Get("key1")
+	assert.NotNil(t, kvpair)
+	assert.Equal(t, defaultPathPrefix+"/key1", kvpair.Key)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint8("value1"), kvpair.Value)
+
+	// Assert that Put overrides the Value
+	err = backend.Put("key1", []uint8("value11"))
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	kvpair, err = backend.Get("key1")
+	assert.NotNil(t, kvpair)
+	assert.Equal(t, defaultPathPrefix+"/key1", kvpair.Key)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint8("value11"), kvpair.Value)
+}
+
+// Put operation should fail against Dummy Non-existent Etcd Server
+func TestPut_DummyEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithDummyEtcdServer(t)
+	err := backend.Put("key1", []uint8("value1"))
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+
+	// Assert alive state is still false
+	assert.False(t, backend.alive)
+}
+
+// Test Get for existing and non-existing key
+func TestGet_EmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	err := backend.Put("key2", []uint8("value2"))
+
+	// Assert alive state has become true
+	assert.True(t, backend.alive)
+
+	// Assert that kvstore has this key stored
+	kvpair, err := backend.Get("key2")
+	assert.NotNil(t, kvpair)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, defaultPathPrefix+"/key2", kvpair.Key)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint8("value2"), kvpair.Value)
+
+	// Assert that Get works fine for absent key3
+	kvpair, err = backend.Get("key3")
+	assert.Nil(t, kvpair)
+	assert.Nil(t, err) // no error as lookup is successful
+}
+
+// Get operation should fail against Dummy Non-existent Etcd Server
+func TestGet_DummyEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithDummyEtcdServer(t)
+	kvpair, err := backend.Get("key2")
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+	assert.Nil(t, kvpair)
+
+	// Assert alive state is still false
+	assert.False(t, backend.alive)
+}
+
+// Test Delete for existing and non-existing key
+func TestDelete_EmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	err := backend.Put("key3", []uint8("value3"))
+
+	// Assert alive state has become true
+	assert.True(t, backend.alive)
+
+	// Assert that kvstore has this key stored
+	kvpair, err := backend.Get("key3")
+	assert.NotNil(t, kvpair)
+
+	// Delete and Assert that key has been removed
+	err = backend.Delete("key3")
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	kvpair, err = backend.Get("key3")
+	assert.Nil(t, kvpair)
+
+	// Assert that Delete silently ignores absent key3
+	err = backend.Delete("key3")
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+}
+
+// Delete operation should fail against Dummy Non-existent Etcd Server
+func TestDelete_DummyEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithDummyEtcdServer(t)
+	err := backend.Delete("key3")
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+
+	// Assert alive state is still false
+	assert.False(t, backend.alive)
+}
+
+// Test List for series of values under a key path
+func TestList_EmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	key41 := "key4/subkey1"
+	key42 := "key4/subkey2"
+
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	backend.Put(key41, []uint8("value4-1"))
+	backend.Put(key42, []uint8("value4-2"))
+
+	// Assert alive state has become true
+	assert.True(t, backend.alive)
+
+	// Assert that Get does not retrieve these Subkeys
+	kvpair, err := backend.Get("key4")
+	assert.Nil(t, kvpair)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+	// Assert that List operation retrieves these Child Keys
+	kvmap, err := backend.List("key4")
+	assert.NotNil(t, kvmap)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, 2, len(kvmap))
+	fullkey41 := defaultPathPrefix + "/" + key41
+	fullkey42 := defaultPathPrefix + "/" + key42
+	assert.Equal(t, fullkey41, kvmap[fullkey41].Key)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint8("value4-1"), kvmap[fullkey41].Value)
+	assert.Equal(t, fullkey42, kvmap[fullkey42].Key)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint8("value4-2"), kvmap[fullkey42].Value)
+}
+
+// List operation should fail against Dummy Non-existent Etcd Server
+func TestList_DummyEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithDummyEtcdServer(t)
+	kvmap, err := backend.List("key4")
+	assert.Nil(t, kvmap)
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+
+	// Assert alive state is still false
+	assert.False(t, backend.alive)
+}
+
+// Test Create and Delete Watch for Embedded Etcd Server
+func TestCreateWatch_EmbeddedEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := provisionBackendWithEmbeddedEtcdServer(t)
+	eventChan := backend.CreateWatch("key5")
+	assert.NotNil(t, eventChan)
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(eventChan))
+
+	// Assert this method does not change alive state
+	assert.False(t, backend.alive)
+
+	// Put a value for watched key and event should appear
+	err := backend.Put("key5", []uint8("value5"))
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 100)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(eventChan))
+
+	backend.DeleteWatch("key5", eventChan)
+}