diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 5e706cd7e..f4fb31ea2 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ T: git://dpdk.org/next/dpdk-next-net
 F: lib/librte_ethdev/
 F: devtools/test-null.sh
 F: doc/guides/prog_guide/switch_representation.rst
+F: app/test/test_ethdev*
 
 Flow API
 M: Ori Kam <orika@mellanox.com>
diff --git a/app/test/Makefile b/app/test/Makefile
index e5440774b..9f43b8c3c 100644
--- a/app/test/Makefile
+++ b/app/test/Makefile
@@ -251,6 +251,9 @@ SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_SECURITY) += test_security.c
 
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_IPSEC) += test_ipsec.c test_ipsec_perf.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_IPSEC) += test_ipsec_sad.c
+
+SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_ETHER) += test_ethdev_link.c
+
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_IPSEC),y)
 LDLIBS += -lrte_ipsec
 endif
diff --git a/app/test/meson.build b/app/test/meson.build
index 56591db4e..1e6acf701 100644
--- a/app/test/meson.build
+++ b/app/test/meson.build
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ test_sources = files('commands.c',
 	'test_efd.c',
 	'test_efd_perf.c',
 	'test_errno.c',
+	'test_ethdev_link.c',
 	'test_event_crypto_adapter.c',
 	'test_event_eth_rx_adapter.c',
 	'test_event_ring.c',
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ fast_tests = [
         ['eal_flags_misc_autotest', false],
         ['eal_fs_autotest', true],
         ['errno_autotest', true],
+        ['ethdev_link_status', true],
         ['event_ring_autotest', true],
         ['fib_autotest', true],
         ['fib6_autotest', true],
diff --git a/app/test/test_ethdev_link.c b/app/test/test_ethdev_link.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c6b0c9ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/test/test_ethdev_link.c
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd All Rights Reserved
+ */
+
+#include <rte_log.h>
+#include <rte_ethdev.h>
+
+#include <rte_test.h>
+#include "test.h"
+
+
+static int32_t
+test_link_status_up_default(void)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	struct rte_eth_link link_status = {
+		.link_speed = ETH_SPEED_NUM_2_5G,
+		.link_status = ETH_LINK_UP,
+		.link_autoneg = ETH_LINK_AUTONEG,
+		.link_duplex = ETH_LINK_FULL_DUPLEX
+	};
+	char text[RTE_ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN];
+
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret > 0, "Failed to format default string\n");
+	printf("Default link up #1: %s\n", text);
+	TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL("Link up at 2.5 Gbps FDX Autoneg",
+		text, strlen(text), "Invalid default link status string");
+
+	link_status.link_duplex = ETH_LINK_HALF_DUPLEX;
+	link_status.link_autoneg = ETH_LINK_FIXED;
+	link_status.link_speed = ETH_SPEED_NUM_10M,
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	printf("Default link up #2: %s\n", text);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret > 0, "Failed to format default string\n");
+	TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL("Link up at 10 Mbps HDX Fixed",
+		text, strlen(text), "Invalid default link status "
+		"string with HDX");
+
+	link_status.link_speed = ETH_SPEED_NUM_UNKNOWN;
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	printf("Default link up #3: %s\n", text);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret > 0, "Failed to format default string\n");
+	TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL("Link up at Unknown HDX Fixed",
+		text, strlen(text), "Invalid default link status "
+		"string with HDX");
+
+	link_status.link_speed = ETH_SPEED_NUM_NONE;
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	printf("Default link up #3: %s\n", text);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret > 0, "Failed to format default string\n");
+	TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL("Link up at 0 Mbps HDX Fixed",
+		text, strlen(text), "Invalid default link status "
+		"string with HDX");
+
+	/* test max str len */
+	link_status.link_speed = ETH_SPEED_NUM_200G;
+	link_status.link_duplex = ETH_LINK_HALF_DUPLEX;
+	link_status.link_autoneg = ETH_LINK_AUTONEG;
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	printf("Default link up #4:len = %d, %s\n", ret, text);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret < RTE_ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN,
+		"String length exceeds max allowed value\n");
+	return TEST_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static int32_t
+test_link_status_down_default(void)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	struct rte_eth_link link_status = {
+		.link_speed = ETH_SPEED_NUM_2_5G,
+		.link_status = ETH_LINK_DOWN,
+		.link_autoneg = ETH_LINK_AUTONEG,
+		.link_duplex = ETH_LINK_FULL_DUPLEX
+	};
+	char text[RTE_ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN];
+
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret > 0, "Failed to format default string\n");
+	TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL("Link down",
+		text, strlen(text), "Invalid default link status string");
+
+	return TEST_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static int32_t
+test_link_status_invalid(void)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	struct rte_eth_link link_status = {
+		.link_speed = 55555,
+		.link_status = ETH_LINK_UP,
+		.link_autoneg = ETH_LINK_AUTONEG,
+		.link_duplex = ETH_LINK_FULL_DUPLEX
+	};
+	char text[RTE_ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN];
+
+	ret = rte_eth_link_to_str(text, sizeof(text), &link_status);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret < RTE_ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN,
+		"Failed to format invalid string\n");
+	printf("invalid link up #1: len=%d %s\n", ret, text);
+	TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL("Link up at Invalid speed FDX Autoneg",
+		text, strlen(text), "Incorrect invalid link status string");
+
+	return TEST_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+
+static int32_t
+test_link_speed_all_values(void)
+{
+	const char *speed;
+	uint32_t i;
+	struct link_speed_t {
+		const char *value;
+		uint32_t link_speed;
+	} speed_str_map[] = {
+		{ "0 Mbps",   ETH_SPEED_NUM_NONE },
+		{ "10 Mbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_10M },
+		{ "100 Mbps", ETH_SPEED_NUM_100M },
+		{ "1 Gbps",   ETH_SPEED_NUM_1G },
+		{ "2.5 Gbps", ETH_SPEED_NUM_2_5G },
+		{ "5 Gbps",   ETH_SPEED_NUM_5G },
+		{ "10 Gbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_10G },
+		{ "20 Gbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_20G },
+		{ "25 Gbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_25G },
+		{ "40 Gbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_40G },
+		{ "50 Gbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_50G },
+		{ "56 Gbps",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_56G },
+		{ "100 Gbps", ETH_SPEED_NUM_100G },
+		{ "200 Gbps", ETH_SPEED_NUM_200G },
+		{ "Unknown",  ETH_SPEED_NUM_UNKNOWN },
+		{ "Invalid speed",   50505 }
+	};
+
+	for (i = 0; i < sizeof(speed_str_map) / sizeof(struct link_speed_t);
+			i++) {
+		speed = rte_eth_link_speed_to_str(speed_str_map[i].link_speed);
+		TEST_ASSERT_BUFFERS_ARE_EQUAL(speed_str_map[i].value,
+			speed, strlen(speed_str_map[i].value),
+			"Invalid link speed string");
+	}
+	return TEST_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static struct unit_test_suite link_status_testsuite = {
+	.suite_name = "link status formatting",
+	.setup = NULL,
+	.teardown = NULL,
+	.unit_test_cases = {
+		TEST_CASE(test_link_status_up_default),
+		TEST_CASE(test_link_status_down_default),
+		TEST_CASE(test_link_speed_all_values),
+		TEST_CASE(test_link_status_invalid),
+		TEST_CASES_END() /**< NULL terminate unit test array */
+	}
+};
+
+static int
+test_link_status(void)
+{
+	rte_log_set_global_level(RTE_LOG_DEBUG);
+	rte_log_set_level(RTE_LOGTYPE_EAL, RTE_LOG_DEBUG);
+
+	return unit_test_suite_runner(&link_status_testsuite);
+}
+
+REGISTER_TEST_COMMAND(ethdev_link_status, test_link_status);
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
index d06b7f9b1..cb624b7b4 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
@@ -2383,6 +2383,59 @@ rte_eth_link_get_nowait(uint16_t port_id, struct rte_eth_link *eth_link)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+const char *
+rte_eth_link_speed_to_str(uint32_t link_speed)
+{
+	switch (link_speed) {
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_UNKNOWN:
+		return "Unknown";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_NONE:
+		return "0 Mbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_10M:
+		return "10 Mbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_100M:
+		return "100 Mbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_1G:
+		return "1 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_2_5G:
+		return "2.5 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_5G:
+		return "5 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_10G:
+		return "10 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_20G:
+		return "20 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_25G:
+		return "25 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_40G:
+		return "40 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_50G:
+		return "50 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_56G:
+		return "56 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_100G:
+		return "100 Gbps";
+	case ETH_SPEED_NUM_200G:
+		return "200 Gbps";
+	default:
+		return "Invalid speed";
+	}
+}
+
+int
+rte_eth_link_to_str(char *str, size_t len, const struct rte_eth_link *eth_link)
+{
+	if (eth_link->link_status == ETH_LINK_DOWN)
+		return snprintf(str, len, "Link down");
+	else
+		return snprintf(str, len, "Link up at %s %s %s",
+			rte_eth_link_speed_to_str(eth_link->link_speed),
+			(eth_link->link_duplex == ETH_LINK_FULL_DUPLEX) ?
+			"FDX" : "HDX",
+			(eth_link->link_autoneg == ETH_LINK_AUTONEG) ?
+			"Autoneg" : "Fixed");
+}
+
 int
 rte_eth_stats_get(uint16_t port_id, struct rte_eth_stats *stats)
 {
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h
index 2090af501..a86f8f916 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ struct rte_eth_link {
 #define ETH_LINK_UP          1 /**< Link is up (see link_status). */
 #define ETH_LINK_FIXED       0 /**< No autonegotiation (see link_autoneg). */
 #define ETH_LINK_AUTONEG     1 /**< Autonegotiated (see link_autoneg). */
+#define RTE_ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN 40 /**< Max length of default link string. */
 
 /**
  * A structure used to configure the ring threshold registers of an RX/TX
@@ -2295,6 +2296,37 @@ int rte_eth_link_get(uint16_t port_id, struct rte_eth_link *link);
  */
 int rte_eth_link_get_nowait(uint16_t port_id, struct rte_eth_link *link);
 
+/**
+ * The function converts a link_speed to a string. It handles all special
+ * values like unknown or none speed.
+ * @param link_speed
+ *   link_speed of rte_eth_link struct
+ * @return
+ *   Link speed in textual format. It's pointer to immutable memory.
+ *   No free is required.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+const char *rte_eth_link_speed_to_str(uint32_t speed_link);
+
+/**
+ * The function converts a rte_eth_link struct representing a link status to
+ * a string.
+ * @param str
+ *   A pointer to a string to be filled with textual representation of
+ *   device status. At least ETH_LINK_MAX_STR_LEN bytes should be allocated to
+ *   store default link status text.
+ * @param len
+ *   Length of available memory at 'str' string.
+ * @param eth_link
+ *   Link status returned by rte_eth_link_get function
+ * @return
+ *   - Number of bytes written to str array.
+ *
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+int rte_eth_link_to_str(char *str, size_t len,
+			const struct rte_eth_link *eth_link);
+
 /**
  * Retrieve the general I/O statistics of an Ethernet device.
  *
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map
index 715505604..69a763d4b 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map
@@ -241,4 +241,8 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	__rte_ethdev_trace_rx_burst;
 	__rte_ethdev_trace_tx_burst;
 	rte_flow_get_aged_flows;
+
+	# added in 20.11
+	rte_eth_link_to_str;
+	rte_eth_link_speed_to_str;
 };
