diff --git a/pkg/evpn/svi.go b/pkg/evpn/svi.go
index 9db99d33..f2f0abc9 100644
--- a/pkg/evpn/svi.go
+++ b/pkg/evpn/svi.go
@@ -7,15 +7,12 @@ package evpn
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"net"
 	"path"
 	"sort"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
 
 	pb "github.com/opiproject/opi-api/network/evpn-gw/v1alpha1/gen/go"
 
@@ -63,62 +60,14 @@ func (s *Server) CreateSvi(ctx context.Context, in *pb.CreateSviRequest) (*pb.Sv
 		err := status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "unable to find key %s", in.Svi.Spec.Vrf)
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	// not found, so create a new one
-	bridge, err := s.nLink.LinkByName(ctx, tenantbridgeName)
-	if err != nil {
-		err := status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "unable to find key %s", tenantbridgeName)
+	// configure netlink
+	if err := s.netlinkCreateSvi(ctx, in, bridgeObject, vrf); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	// configure FRR
 	vid := uint16(bridgeObject.Spec.VlanId)
-	// Example: bridge vlan add dev br-tenant vid <vlan-id> self
-	if err := s.nLink.BridgeVlanAdd(ctx, bridge, vid, false, false, true, false); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("Failed to add vlan to bridge: %v", err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// Example: ip link add link br-tenant name <link_svi> type vlan id <vlan-id>
 	vlanName := fmt.Sprintf("vlan%d", vid)
-	vlandev := &netlink.Vlan{LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{Name: vlanName, ParentIndex: bridge.Attrs().Index}, VlanId: int(vid)}
-	log.Printf("Creating VLAN %v", vlandev)
-	if err := s.nLink.LinkAdd(ctx, vlandev); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("Failed to create vlan link: %v", err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// Example: ip link set <link_svi> addr aa:bb:cc:00:00:41
-	if len(in.Svi.Spec.MacAddress) > 0 {
-		if err := s.nLink.LinkSetHardwareAddr(ctx, vlandev, in.Svi.Spec.MacAddress); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("Failed to set MAC on link: %v", err)
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	}
-	// Example: ip address add <svi-ip-with prefixlength> dev <link_svi>
-	for _, gwip := range in.Svi.Spec.GwIpPrefix {
-		fmt.Printf("Assign the GW IP address %v to the SVI interface %v", gwip, vlandev)
-		myip := make(net.IP, 4)
-		binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(myip, gwip.Addr.GetV4Addr())
-		addr := &netlink.Addr{IPNet: &net.IPNet{IP: myip, Mask: net.CIDRMask(int(gwip.Len), 32)}}
-		if err := s.nLink.AddrAdd(ctx, vlandev, addr); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("Failed to set IP on link: %v", err)
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	}
-	// get net device by name
 	vrfName := path.Base(vrf.Name)
-	vrfdev, err := s.nLink.LinkByName(ctx, vrfName)
-	if err != nil {
-		err := status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "unable to find key %s", vrf.Name)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// Example: ip link set <link_svi> master <vrf-name> up
-	if err := s.nLink.LinkSetMaster(ctx, vlandev, vrfdev); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("Failed to add vlandev to vrf: %v", err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// Example: ip link set <link_svi> up
-	if err := s.nLink.LinkSetUp(ctx, vlandev); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("Failed to up link: %v", err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// configure FRR
 	if err := s.frrCreateSviRequest(ctx, in, vrfName, vlanName); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/evpn/svi_netlink.go b/pkg/evpn/svi_netlink.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5535292b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/evpn/svi_netlink.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// Copyright (c) 2022-2023 Intel Corporation, or its subsidiaries.
+// Copyright (c) 2022-2023 Dell Inc, or its subsidiaries.
+
+// Package evpn is the main package of the application
+package evpn
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"net"
+	"path"
+
+	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
+
+	pb "github.com/opiproject/opi-api/network/evpn-gw/v1alpha1/gen/go"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
+)
+
+func (s *Server) netlinkCreateSvi(ctx context.Context, in *pb.CreateSviRequest, bridgeObject *pb.LogicalBridge, vrf *pb.Vrf) error {
+	bridge, err := s.nLink.LinkByName(ctx, tenantbridgeName)
+	if err != nil {
+		err := status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "unable to find key %s", tenantbridgeName)
+		return err
+	}
+	vid := uint16(bridgeObject.Spec.VlanId)
+	// Example: bridge vlan add dev br-tenant vid <vlan-id> self
+	if err := s.nLink.BridgeVlanAdd(ctx, bridge, vid, false, false, true, false); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to add vlan to bridge: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	// Example: ip link add link br-tenant name <link_svi> type vlan id <vlan-id>
+	vlanName := fmt.Sprintf("vlan%d", vid)
+	vlandev := &netlink.Vlan{LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{Name: vlanName, ParentIndex: bridge.Attrs().Index}, VlanId: int(vid)}
+	log.Printf("Creating VLAN %v", vlandev)
+	if err := s.nLink.LinkAdd(ctx, vlandev); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to create vlan link: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	// Example: ip link set <link_svi> addr aa:bb:cc:00:00:41
+	if len(in.Svi.Spec.MacAddress) > 0 {
+		if err := s.nLink.LinkSetHardwareAddr(ctx, vlandev, in.Svi.Spec.MacAddress); err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("Failed to set MAC on link: %v", err)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	// Example: ip address add <svi-ip-with prefixlength> dev <link_svi>
+	for _, gwip := range in.Svi.Spec.GwIpPrefix {
+		fmt.Printf("Assign the GW IP address %v to the SVI interface %v", gwip, vlandev)
+		myip := make(net.IP, 4)
+		binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(myip, gwip.Addr.GetV4Addr())
+		addr := &netlink.Addr{IPNet: &net.IPNet{IP: myip, Mask: net.CIDRMask(int(gwip.Len), 32)}}
+		if err := s.nLink.AddrAdd(ctx, vlandev, addr); err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("Failed to set IP on link: %v", err)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	// get net device by name
+	vrfName := path.Base(vrf.Name)
+	vrfdev, err := s.nLink.LinkByName(ctx, vrfName)
+	if err != nil {
+		err := status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "unable to find key %s", vrf.Name)
+		return err
+	}
+	// Example: ip link set <link_svi> master <vrf-name> up
+	if err := s.nLink.LinkSetMaster(ctx, vlandev, vrfdev); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to add vlandev to vrf: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	// Example: ip link set <link_svi> up
+	if err := s.nLink.LinkSetUp(ctx, vlandev); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to up link: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}