diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 2f3639f..aa1f261 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ Intel i40e
 M: Helin Zhang <helin.zhang@intel.com>
 M: Jingjing Wu <jingjing.wu@intel.com>
 F: drivers/net/i40e/
+F: drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e.h - EXPERIMENTAL
 F: doc/guides/nics/i40e.rst
 F: doc/guides/nics/intel_vf.rst
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/Makefile b/drivers/net/i40e/Makefile
index 89bd85a..94482cf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #   BSD LICENSE
 #
-#   Copyright(c) 2010-2015 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+#   Copyright(c) 2010-2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
 #   All rights reserved.
 #
 #   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ ifeq ($(findstring RTE_MACHINE_CPUFLAG_SSE4_1,$(CFLAGS)),)
 CFLAGS_i40e_rxtx_vec_sse.o += -msse4.1
 endif
 
+# install this header file
+SYMLINK-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_I40E_PMD)-include := rte_pmd_i40e.h
 
 # this lib depends upon:
 DEPDIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_I40E_PMD) += lib/librte_eal lib/librte_ether
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
index 4b148bf..58f9dfa 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 #include "i40e_rxtx.h"
 #include "i40e_pf.h"
 #include "i40e_regs.h"
+#include "rte_pmd_i40e.h"
 
 #define ETH_I40E_FLOATING_VEB_ARG	"enable_floating_veb"
 #define ETH_I40E_FLOATING_VEB_LIST_ARG	"floating_veb_list"
@@ -10188,3 +10189,40 @@ static void i40e_set_default_mac_addr(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	i40e_tunnel_filter_restore(pf);
 	i40e_fdir_filter_restore(pf);
 }
+
+static int
+is_i40e_pmd(const char *driver_name)
+{
+	if (!strstr(driver_name, "i40e"))
+		return -ENOTSUP;
+
+	if (strstr(driver_name, "i40e_vf"))
+		return -ENOTSUP;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+rte_pmd_i40e_ping_vfs(uint8_t port, uint16_t vf)
+{
+	struct rte_eth_dev *dev;
+	struct i40e_pf *pf;
+
+	RTE_ETH_VALID_PORTID_OR_ERR_RET(port, -ENODEV);
+
+	dev = &rte_eth_devices[port];
+
+	if (is_i40e_pmd(dev->data->drv_name))
+		return -ENOTSUP;
+
+	pf = I40E_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_PF(dev->data->dev_private);
+
+	if (vf >= pf->vf_num || !pf->vfs) {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Invalid argument.");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	i40e_notify_vf_link_status(dev, &pf->vfs[vf]);
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.c
index ddfc140..f606c2a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*-
  *   BSD LICENSE
  *
- *   Copyright(c) 2010-2015 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *   Copyright(c) 2010-2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
  *   All rights reserved.
  *
  *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static void
+void
 i40e_notify_vf_link_status(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, struct i40e_pf_vf *vf)
 {
 	struct i40e_virtchnl_pf_event event;
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.h b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.h
index cddc45c..47a9c34 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_pf.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*-
  *   BSD LICENSE
  *
- *   Copyright(c) 2010-2015 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *   Copyright(c) 2010-2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
  *   All rights reserved.
  *
  *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -123,5 +123,7 @@ void i40e_pf_host_handle_vf_msg(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 				uint8_t *msg, uint16_t msglen);
 int i40e_pf_host_init(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
 int i40e_pf_host_uninit(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
+void i40e_notify_vf_link_status(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
+				struct i40e_pf_vf *vf);
 
 #endif /* _I40E_PF_H_ */
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e.h b/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46ba60c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e.h
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*-
+ *   BSD LICENSE
+ *
+ *   Copyright (c) 2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *   are met:
+ *
+ *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *       distribution.
+ *     * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+ *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ *   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ *   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ *   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ *   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ *   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ *   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _PMD_I40E_H_
+#define _PMD_I40E_H_
+
+/**
+ * @file rte_pmd_i40e.h
+ *
+ * i40e PMD specific functions.
+ *
+ * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change, or be removed, without prior notice
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <rte_ethdev.h>
+
+/**
+ * Notify VF when PF link status changes.
+ *
+ * @param port
+ *   The port identifier of the Ethernet device.
+ * @param vf
+ *   VF id.
+ * @return
+ *   - (0) if successful.
+ *   - (-ENODEV) if *port* invalid.
+ *   - (-EINVAL) if *vf* invalid.
+ */
+int rte_pmd_i40e_ping_vfs(uint8_t port, uint16_t vf);
+
+#endif /* _PMD_I40E_H_ */
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e_version.map b/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e_version.map
index ef35398..3c6a192 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e_version.map
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/rte_pmd_i40e_version.map
@@ -2,3 +2,10 @@ DPDK_2.0 {
 
 	local: *;
 };
+
+DPDK_17.02 {
+	global:
+
+	rte_pmd_i40e_ping_vfs;
+
+} DPDK_2.0;
