+/* API to get the NETNS name, from the ns pointer */
+extern const char *ns_get_name(struct ns *ns);
+
+/* only called from vrf ( when removing netns from vrf)
+ * or at VRF or logical router termination
+ */
+extern void ns_delete(struct ns *ns);
+
+/* return > 0 if netns is available
+ * called by VRF to check netns backend is available for VRF
+ */
+extern int ns_have_netns(void);
+
+/* API to get context information of a NS */
+extern void *ns_info_lookup(ns_id_t ns_id);
+
+/* API to map internal ns id value with
+ * user friendly ns id external value
+ */
+extern ns_id_t ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id_t ns_id, bool map);
+
+/*
+ * NS init routine
+ * should be called from backendx
+ */
+extern void ns_init(void);
+
+/* API to retrieve default NS */
+extern ns_id_t ns_get_default_id(void);
+
+#define NS_DEFAULT ns_get_default_id()
+
+/* API that can be used to change from NS */
+extern int ns_switchback_to_initial(void);
+extern int ns_switch_to_netns(const char *netns_name);
+
+/*
+ * NS handling routines.
+ * called by modules that use NS backend
+ */
+
+/* API to search for already present NETNS */
+extern struct ns *ns_lookup(ns_id_t ns_id);
+extern struct ns *ns_lookup_name(const char *name);
+
+/* API to handle NS : creation, enable, disable
+ * for enable, a callback function is passed as parameter
+ * the callback belongs to the module that uses NS as backend
+ * upon enabling the NETNS, the upper layer is informed
+ */
+extern int ns_enable(struct ns *ns, void (*func)(ns_id_t, void *));
+extern struct ns *ns_get_created(struct ns *ns, char *name, ns_id_t ns_id);
+extern void ns_disable(struct ns *ns);
+
+#endif /*_ZEBRA_NS_H*/