diff --git a/libraries/onos.robot b/libraries/onos.robot
index 9ba04c4..52773ad 100755
--- a/libraries/onos.robot
+++ b/libraries/onos.robot
@@ -25,6 +25,32 @@
 Resource          ./flows.robot
 
 *** Keywords ***
+
+Open ONOS SSH Connection
+    [Documentation]    Establishes an ssh connection to ONOS contoller
+    [Arguments]    ${host}    ${port}    ${user}=karaf    ${pass}=karaf
+    ${conn_id}=    SSHLibrary.Open Connection    ${host}    port=${port}    timeout=300s    alias=ONOS_SSH
+    SSHLibrary.Login    ${user}    ${pass}
+    [Return]    ${conn_id}
+
+Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection
+    [Documentation]    Execute ONOS CLI Command On an Open Connection
+    [Arguments]    ${connection_alias}  ${cmd}
+    SSHLibrary.Switch Connection   ${connection_alias}
+    @{result_values}    SSHLibrary.Execute Command    ${cmd}    return_rc=True
+    ...    return_stderr=True    return_stdout=True
+    ${output}    Set Variable    @{result_values}[0]
+    Log    ${output}
+    Should Be Empty    @{result_values}[1]
+    Should Be Equal As Integers    @{result_values}[2]    0
+    [Return]    ${output}
+
+Close ONOS SSH Connection
+    [Documentation]    Close an SSH Connection
+    [Arguments]    ${connection_alias}
+    SSHLibrary.Switch Connection   ${connection_alias}
+    SSHLibrary.Close Connection
+
 Validate OLT Device in ONOS
     #    FIXME use volt-olts to check that the OLT is ONOS
     [Arguments]    ${serial_number}
@@ -236,15 +262,17 @@
     Should Not Be Empty    ${aaa_users}    ONU port ${onu_port} not found in aaa-users
 
 Assert Number of AAA-Users
-    [Arguments]    ${ip}    ${port}    ${expected_onus}
+    [Arguments]    ${onos_ssh_connection}    ${expected_onus}
     [Documentation]    Matches for number of aaa-users authorized based on number of onus
-    ${aaa_users}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command    ${ip}    ${port}    aaa-users | grep AUTHORIZED | wc -l
+    ${aaa_users}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection     ${onos_ssh_connection}
+    ...     aaa-users | grep AUTHORIZED | wc -l
     Should Be Equal As Integers    ${aaa_users}    ${expected_onus}
 
 Validate DHCP Allocations
-    [Arguments]    ${ip}    ${port}    ${expected_onus}
+    [Arguments]    ${onos_ssh_connection}    ${expected_onus}
     [Documentation]    Matches for number of dhcpacks based on number of onus
-    ${allocations}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command    ${ip}    ${port}    dhcpl2relay-allocations | grep DHCPACK | wc -l
+    ${allocations}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection     ${onos_ssh_connection}
+    ...     dhcpl2relay-allocations | grep DHCPACK | wc -l
     Should Be Equal As Integers    ${allocations}    ${expected_onus}
 
 Validate Subscriber DHCP Allocation
@@ -280,26 +308,27 @@
     END
 
 Assert Ports in ONOS
-    [Arguments]    ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}     ${filter}
+    [Arguments]    ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}     ${filter}
     [Documentation]    Check that a certain number of ports are enabled in ONOS
-    ${ports}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command    ${ip}    ${port}
+    ${ports}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection     ${onos_ssh_connection}
         ...    ports -e | grep ${filter} | wc -l
     Should Be Equal As Integers    ${ports}    ${count}
 
 Wait for Ports in ONOS
-    [Arguments]    ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}     ${filter}
+    [Arguments]    ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}     ${filter}
     [Documentation]    Waits untill a certain number of ports are enabled in ONOS
-    Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Assert Ports in ONOS   ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}     ${filter}
+    Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Assert Ports in ONOS
+    ...     ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}     ${filter}
 
 Wait for AAA Authentication
-    [Arguments]    ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}
+    [Arguments]    ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}
     [Documentation]    Waits untill a certain number of subscribers are authenticated in ONOS
-    Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Assert Number of AAA-Users      ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}
+    Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Assert Number of AAA-Users      ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}
 
 Wait for DHCP Ack
-    [Arguments]    ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}
+    [Arguments]    ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}
     [Documentation]    Waits untill a certain number of subscribers have received a DHCP_ACK
-    Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Validate DHCP Allocations      ${ip}    ${port}     ${count}
+    Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Validate DHCP Allocations      ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${count}
 
 Provision subscriber
     [Documentation]  Calls volt-add-subscriber-access in ONOS
@@ -318,10 +347,10 @@
 List Enabled UNI Ports
     [Documentation]  List all the UNI Ports, the only way we have is to filter out the one called NNI
     ...     Creates a list of dictionaries
-    [Arguments]     ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}   ${of_id}
+    [Arguments]     ${onos_ssh_connection}   ${of_id}
     [Return]  [{'port': '16', 'of_id': 'of:00000a0a0a0a0a00'}, {'port': '32', 'of_id': 'of:00000a0a0a0a0a00'}]
     ${result}=      Create List
-    ${out}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command    ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}
+    ${out}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection     ${onos_ssh_connection}
     ...    ports -e ${of_id} | grep -v SWITCH | grep -v nni
     @{unis}=    Split To Lines    ${out}
     FOR    ${uni}    IN    @{unis}
@@ -334,8 +363,8 @@
 
 Provision all subscribers on device
     [Documentation]  Provisions a subscriber in ONOS for all the enabled UNI ports on a particular device
-    [Arguments]     ${onos_ip}    ${onos_ssh_port}  ${onos_rest_port}   ${of_id}
-    ${unis}=    List Enabled UNI Ports  ${onos_ip}  ${onos_ssh_port}   ${of_id}
+    [Arguments]     ${onos_ssh_connection}  ${onos_ip}  ${onos_rest_port}   ${of_id}
+    ${unis}=    List Enabled UNI Ports  ${onos_ssh_connection}   ${of_id}
     ${onos_auth}=    Create List    karaf    karaf
     Create Session    ONOS    http://${onos_ip}:${onos_rest_port}    auth=${onos_auth}
     FOR     ${uni}  IN      @{unis}
@@ -344,10 +373,10 @@
 
 List OLTs
     [Documentation]  Returns a list of OLTs known to ONOS
-    [Arguments]  ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}
+    [Arguments]  ${onos_ssh_connection}
     [Return]  ['of:00000a0a0a0a0a00', 'of:00000a0a0a0a0a01']
     ${result}=      Create List
-    ${out}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command    ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}
+    ${out}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection     ${onos_ssh_connection}
     ...     volt-olts
     @{olts}=    Split To Lines    ${out}
     FOR    ${olt}    IN    @{olts}
@@ -362,19 +391,19 @@
 
 Count ADDED flows
     [Documentation]  Count the flows in ADDED state in ONOS
-    [Arguments]  ${onos_ip}     ${onos_port}    ${targetFlows}
-    ${flows}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command    ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}
+    [Arguments]  ${onos_ssh_connection}    ${targetFlows}
+    ${flows}=    Execute ONOS CLI Command on open connection     ${onos_ssh_connection}
     ...     flows -s | grep ADDED | wc -l
     Should Be Equal As Integers    ${targetFlows}    ${flows}
 
 Wait for all flows to in ADDED state
     [Documentation]  Waits until the flows have been provisioned
-    [Arguments]  ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}     ${workflow}    ${uni_count}    ${olt_count}    ${provisioned}
+    [Arguments]  ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${workflow}    ${uni_count}    ${olt_count}    ${provisioned}
     ...     ${withEapol}    ${withDhcp}     ${withIgmp}     ${withLldp}
     ${targetFlows}=     Calculate flows by workflow     ${workflow}    ${uni_count}    ${olt_count}     ${provisioned}
     ...     ${withEapol}    ${withDhcp}     ${withIgmp}     ${withLldp}
     Wait Until Keyword Succeeds     10m     5s      Count ADDED flows
-    ...     ${onos_ip}    ${onos_port}  ${targetFlows}
+    ...     ${onos_ssh_connection}  ${targetFlows}
 
 Get Bandwidth Details
     [Arguments]    ${bandwidth_profile_name}
diff --git a/tests/scale/Voltha_Scale_Tests.robot b/tests/scale/Voltha_Scale_Tests.robot
index f39cbbc..e5f7153 100644
--- a/tests/scale/Voltha_Scale_Tests.robot
+++ b/tests/scale/Voltha_Scale_Tests.robot
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 Suite Setup       Setup Suite
 #Test Setup        Setup
 #Test Teardown     Teardown
-#Suite Teardown    Teardown Suite
+Suite Teardown    Teardown Suite
 Library           Collections
 Library           String
 Library           OperatingSystem
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 Port Discovery in ONOS
     [Documentation]    Check that all the UNI ports show up in ONOS
     [Tags]      non-critical    activation    plot-onos-ports
-    Wait for Ports in ONOS      ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}  ${total_onus}   BBSM
+    Wait for Ports in ONOS      ${onos_ssh_connection}  ${total_onus}   BBSM
 
 Flows validation in VOLTHA before subscriber provisioning
     [Documentation]    Check that all the flows has been stored in the logical device
@@ -119,22 +119,22 @@
     [Tags]      non-critical    flow-before   plot-onos-flows-before
     # NOTE fail the test immediately if we're trying to check flows without provisioning them
     Should Be Equal   ${enableFlowProvisioning}     true
-    Wait for all flows to in ADDED state    ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}
+    Wait for all flows to in ADDED state    ${onos_ssh_connection}
     ...     ${workflow}    ${total_onus}    ${olt}    false     ${withEapol}    ${withDhcp}
     ...     ${withIgmp}   ${withLLDP}
 
 Wait for subscribers to be Authenticated
     [Documentation]    Check that all subscribers have successfully authenticated
     [Tags]      non-critical    authentication    plot-onos-auth
-    Wait for AAA Authentication     ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}  ${total_onus}
+    Wait for AAA Authentication     ${onos_ssh_connection}  ${total_onus}
 
 Provision subscribers
     [Documentation]    Provision data plane flows for all the subscribers
     [Tags]      non-critical    provision
     Should Be Equal   ${enableSubscriberProvisioning}     true
-    ${olts}=    List OLTs   ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}
+    ${olts}=    List OLTs   ${onos_ssh_connection}
     FOR     ${olt}  IN  @{olts}
-        Provision all subscribers on device  ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}     ${ONOS_REST_PORT}  ${olt}
+        Provision all subscribers on device  ${onos_ssh_connection}     ${ONOS_SSH_IP}     ${ONOS_REST_PORT}  ${olt}
     END
 
 Flows validation in VOLTHA after subscriber provisioning
@@ -157,14 +157,14 @@
     [Tags]      non-critical    flow-after    plot-onos-flows-after
     # NOTE fail the test immediately if we're trying to check flows without provisioning them
     Should Be Equal   ${enableFlowProvisioning}     true
-    Wait for all flows to in ADDED state    ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}
+    Wait for all flows to in ADDED state    ${onos_ssh_connection}
     ...     ${workflow}    ${total_onus}    ${olt}    true      ${withEapol}    ${withDhcp}
     ...     ${withIgmp}   ${withLLDP}
 
 Wait for subscribers to have an IP
     [Documentation]    Check that all subscribers have received a DHCP_ACK
     [Tags]      non-critical    dhcp  plot-onos-dhcp
-    Wait for DHCP Ack     ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}  ${total_onus}
+    Wait for DHCP Ack     ${onos_ssh_connection}  ${total_onus}
 
 Disable and Delete devices
     [Documentation]  Disable and delete the OLTs in VOLTHA
@@ -178,10 +178,16 @@
 
 *** Keywords ***
 Setup Suite
-    [Documentation]    Setup test global variables and starts a timer
+    [Documentation]    Setup test global variables, open an SSH connection to ONOS and starts a timer
     Set Suite Variable    ${KUBECTL_CONFIG}    export KUBECONFIG=%{KUBECONFIG}
     Set Suite Variable    ${VOLTCTL_CONFIG}    export VOLTCONFIG=%{VOLTCONFIG}
 
     ${total_onus}=   Evaluate    ${olt} * ${pon} * ${onu}
     Set Suite Variable  ${total_onus}
 
+    ${onos_ssh_connection}    Open ONOS SSH Connection    ${ONOS_SSH_IP}    ${ONOS_SSH_PORT}
+    Set Suite Variable  ${onos_ssh_connection}
+
+Teardown Suite
+   [Documentation]    Close the SSH connection to ONOS
+    Close ONOS SSH Connection   ${onos_ssh_connection}
\ No newline at end of file