diff --git a/src/common/tests/LoadScenario.py b/src/common/tests/LoadScenario.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..1c531ed6018a9fbb1850992b8d9b8a71c2ed0007
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/tests/LoadScenario.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Copyright 2021-2023 H2020 TeraFlow (https://www.teraflow-h2020.eu/)
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import json, logging
+from common.tools.descriptor.Loader import DescriptorLoader, compose_notifications
+from context.client.ContextClient import ContextClient
+from device.client.DeviceClient import DeviceClient
+from service.client.ServiceClient import ServiceClient
+from slice.client.SliceClient import SliceClient
+
+LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+LOGGERS = {
+    'success': LOGGER.info,
+    'danger' : LOGGER.error,
+    'error'  : LOGGER.error,
+}
+
+def load_scenario_from_descriptor(
+    descriptor_file : str, context_client : ContextClient, device_client : DeviceClient,
+    service_client : ServiceClient, slice_client : SliceClient
+) -> None:
+    with open(descriptor_file, 'r', encoding='UTF-8') as f:
+        descriptors = json.loads(f.read())
+
+    descriptor_loader = DescriptorLoader(
+        context_client=context_client, device_client=device_client,
+        service_client=service_client, slice_client=slice_client)
+    descriptor_loader.process_descriptors(descriptors)
+    results = descriptor_loader.get_results()
+
+    num_errors = 0
+    for message,level in compose_notifications(results):
+        LOGGERS.get(level)(message)
+        if level != 'success': num_errors += 1
+    if num_errors > 0:
+        MSG = 'Failed to load descriptors in file {:s}'
+        raise Exception(MSG.format(str(descriptor_file)))
diff --git a/src/common/tools/descriptor/Loader.py b/src/common/tools/descriptor/Loader.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..2674cdd3e8bf18077063d52b9a71857baa2bb374
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/tools/descriptor/Loader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+# Copyright 2021-2023 H2020 TeraFlow (https://www.teraflow-h2020.eu/)
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+# SDN controller descriptor loader
+
+# Usage example (WebUI):
+#    descriptors = json.loads(descriptors_data_from_client)
+#
+#    descriptor_loader = DescriptorLoader()
+#    descriptor_loader.process_descriptors(descriptors)
+#    results = descriptor_loader.get_results()
+#    for message,level in compose_notifications(results):
+#        flash(message, level)
+
+# Usage example (pytest):
+#    with open('path/to/descriptor.json', 'r', encoding='UTF-8') as f:
+#        descriptors = json.loads(f.read())
+#
+#    descriptor_loader = DescriptorLoader()
+#    descriptor_loader.process_descriptors(descriptors)
+#    results = descriptor_loader.get_results()
+#    loggers = {'success': LOGGER.info, 'danger': LOGGER.error, 'error': LOGGER.error}
+#    for message,level in compose_notifications(results):
+#        loggers.get(level)(message)
+
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
+from common.proto.context_pb2 import Connection, Context, Device, Link, Service, Slice, Topology
+from context.client.ContextClient import ContextClient
+from device.client.DeviceClient import DeviceClient
+from service.client.ServiceClient import ServiceClient
+from slice.client.SliceClient import SliceClient
+from .Tools import (
+    format_device_custom_config_rules, format_service_custom_config_rules, format_slice_custom_config_rules,
+    get_descriptors_add_contexts, get_descriptors_add_services, get_descriptors_add_slices,
+    get_descriptors_add_topologies, split_devices_by_rules)
+
+ENTITY_TO_TEXT = {
+    # name   => singular,    plural
+    'context'   : ('Context',    'Contexts'   ),
+    'topology'  : ('Topology',   'Topologies' ),
+    'device'    : ('Device',     'Devices'    ),
+    'link'      : ('Link',       'Links'      ),
+    'service'   : ('Service',    'Services'   ),
+    'slice'     : ('Slice',      'Slices'     ),
+    'connection': ('Connection', 'Connections'),
+}
+
+ACTION_TO_TEXT = {
+    # action =>  infinitive,  past
+    'add'     : ('Add',       'Added'),
+    'update'  : ('Update',    'Updated'),
+    'config'  : ('Configure', 'Configured'),
+}
+
+TypeResults = List[Tuple[str, str, int, List[str]]] # entity_name, action, num_ok, list[error]
+TypeNotification = Tuple[str, str] # message, level
+TypeNotificationList = List[TypeNotification]
+
+def compose_notifications(results : TypeResults) -> TypeNotificationList:
+    notifications = []
+    for entity_name, action_name, num_ok, error_list in results:
+        entity_name_singluar,entity_name_plural = ENTITY_TO_TEXT[entity_name]
+        action_infinitive, action_past = ACTION_TO_TEXT[action_name]
+        num_err = len(error_list)
+        for error in error_list:
+            notifications.append((f'Unable to {action_infinitive} {entity_name_singluar} {error}', 'error'))
+        if num_ok : notifications.append((f'{str(num_ok)} {entity_name_plural} {action_past}', 'success'))
+        if num_err: notifications.append((f'{str(num_err)} {entity_name_plural} failed', 'danger'))
+    return notifications
+
+class DescriptorLoader:
+    def __init__(
+        self, context_client : Optional[ContextClient] = None, device_client : Optional[DeviceClient] = None,
+        service_client : Optional[ServiceClient] = None, slice_client : Optional[SliceClient] = None
+    ) -> None:
+        self.__ctx_cli = ContextClient() if context_client is None else context_client
+        self.__dev_cli = DeviceClient()  if device_client  is None else device_client
+        self.__svc_cli = ServiceClient() if service_client is None else service_client
+        self.__slc_cli = SliceClient()   if slice_client   is None else slice_client
+        self.__results : TypeResults = list()
+        self.__connections = None
+        self.__contexts = None
+        self.__contexts_add = None
+        self.__devices = None
+        self.__devices_add = None
+        self.__devices_config = None
+        self.__dummy_mode = None
+        self.__links = None
+        self.__services = None
+        self.__services_add = None
+        self.__slices = None
+        self.__slices_add = None
+        self.__topologies = None
+        self.__topologies_add = None
+
+    def get_results(self) -> TypeResults: return self.__results
+
+    def process_descriptors(self, descriptors : Dict) -> None:
+        self.__dummy_mode  = descriptors.get('dummy_mode' , False)
+        self.__contexts    = descriptors.get('contexts'   , [])
+        self.__topologies  = descriptors.get('topologies' , [])
+        self.__devices     = descriptors.get('devices'    , [])
+        self.__links       = descriptors.get('links'      , [])
+        self.__services    = descriptors.get('services'   , [])
+        self.__slices      = descriptors.get('slices'     , [])
+        self.__connections = descriptors.get('connections', [])
+
+        # Format CustomConfigRules in Devices, Services and Slices provided in JSON format
+        self.__devices  = [format_device_custom_config_rules (device ) for device  in self.__devices ]
+        self.__services = [format_service_custom_config_rules(service) for service in self.__services]
+        self.__slices   = [format_slice_custom_config_rules  (slice_ ) for slice_  in self.__slices  ]
+
+        # Context and Topology require to create the entity first, and add devices, links, services,
+        # slices, etc. in a second stage.
+        self.__contexts_add = get_descriptors_add_contexts(self.__contexts)
+        self.__topologies_add = get_descriptors_add_topologies(self.__topologies)
+
+        if self.__dummy_mode:
+            self._dummy_mode()
+        else:
+            self._normal_mode()
+
+    def _dummy_mode(self) -> None:
+        # Dummy Mode: used to pre-load databases (WebUI debugging purposes) with no smart or automated tasks.
+        self.__ctx_cli.connect()
+        self._process_descr('context',    'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetContext,    Context,    self.__contexts_add  )
+        self._process_descr('topology',   'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetTopology,   Topology,   self.__topologies_add)
+        self._process_descr('device',     'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetDevice,     Device,     self.__devices       )
+        self._process_descr('link',       'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetLink,       Link,       self.__links         )
+        self._process_descr('service',    'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetService,    Service,    self.__services      )
+        self._process_descr('slice',      'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetSlice,      Slice,      self.__slices        )
+        self._process_descr('connection', 'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetConnection, Connection, self.__connections   )
+        self._process_descr('context',    'update', self.__ctx_cli.SetContext,    Context,    self.__contexts      )
+        self._process_descr('topology',   'update', self.__ctx_cli.SetTopology,   Topology,   self.__topologies    )
+        self.__ctx_cli.close()
+
+    def _normal_mode(self) -> None:
+        # Normal mode: follows the automated workflows in the different components
+        assert len(self.__connections) == 0, 'in normal mode, connections should not be set'
+
+        # Device, Service and Slice require to first create the entity and the configure it
+        self.__devices_add, self.__devices_config = split_devices_by_rules(self.__devices)
+        self.__services_add = get_descriptors_add_services(self.__services)
+        self.__slices_add = get_descriptors_add_slices(self.__slices)
+
+        self.__ctx_cli.connect()
+        self.__dev_cli.connect()
+        self.__svc_cli.connect()
+        self.__slc_cli.connect()
+
+        self._process_descr('context',  'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetContext,      Context,  self.__contexts_add  )
+        self._process_descr('topology', 'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetTopology,     Topology, self.__topologies_add)
+        self._process_descr('device',   'add',    self.__dev_cli.AddDevice,       Device,   self.__devices_add   )
+        self._process_descr('device',   'config', self.__dev_cli.ConfigureDevice, Device,   self.__devices_config)
+        self._process_descr('link',     'add',    self.__ctx_cli.SetLink,         Link,     self.__links         )
+        self._process_descr('service',  'add',    self.__svc_cli.CreateService,   Service,  self.__services_add  )
+        self._process_descr('service',  'update', self.__svc_cli.UpdateService,   Service,  self.__services      )
+        self._process_descr('slice',    'add',    self.__slc_cli.CreateSlice,     Slice,    self.__slices_add    )
+        self._process_descr('slice',    'update', self.__slc_cli.UpdateSlice,     Slice,    self.__slices        )
+        self._process_descr('context',  'update', self.__ctx_cli.SetContext,      Context,  self.__contexts      )
+        self._process_descr('topology', 'update', self.__ctx_cli.SetTopology,     Topology, self.__topologies    )
+
+        self.__slc_cli.close()
+        self.__svc_cli.close()
+        self.__dev_cli.close()
+        self.__ctx_cli.close()
+
+    def _process_descr(self, entity_name, action_name, grpc_method, grpc_class, entities) -> None:
+        num_ok, error_list = 0, []
+        for entity in entities:
+            try:
+                grpc_method(grpc_class(**entity))
+                num_ok += 1
+            except Exception as e: # pylint: disable=broad-except
+                error_list.append(f'{str(entity)}: {str(e)}')
+                num_err += 1
+        self.__results.append((entity_name, action_name, num_ok, error_list))
diff --git a/src/common/tools/descriptor/Tools.py b/src/common/tools/descriptor/Tools.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..909cec9d97b5baa2f7b0198091c3921a71c9b1f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/tools/descriptor/Tools.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+# Copyright 2021-2023 H2020 TeraFlow (https://www.teraflow-h2020.eu/)
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import copy, json
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
+
+def get_descriptors_add_contexts(contexts : List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
+    contexts_add = copy.deepcopy(contexts)
+    for context in contexts_add:
+        context['topology_ids'] = []
+        context['service_ids'] = []
+    return contexts_add
+
+def get_descriptors_add_topologies(topologies : List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
+    topologies_add = copy.deepcopy(topologies)
+    for topology in topologies_add:
+        topology['device_ids'] = []
+        topology['link_ids'] = []
+    return topologies_add
+
+def get_descriptors_add_services(services : List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
+    services_add = []
+    for service in services:
+        service_copy = copy.deepcopy(service)
+        service_copy['service_endpoint_ids'] = []
+        service_copy['service_constraints'] = []
+        service_copy['service_config'] = {'config_rules': []}
+        services_add.append(service_copy)
+    return services_add
+
+def get_descriptors_add_slices(slices : List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
+    slices_add = []
+    for slice_ in slices:
+        slice_copy = copy.deepcopy(slice_)
+        slice_copy['slice_endpoint_ids'] = []
+        slice_copy['slice_constraints'] = []
+        slice_copy['slice_config'] = {'config_rules': []}
+        slices_add.append(slice_copy)
+    return slices_add
+
+TypeResourceValue = Union[str, int, bool, float, dict, list]
+def format_custom_config_rules(config_rules : List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
+    for config_rule in config_rules:
+        if 'custom' not in config_rule: continue
+        custom_resource_value : TypeResourceValue = config_rule['custom']['resource_value']
+        if isinstance(custom_resource_value, (dict, list)):
+            custom_resource_value = json.dumps(custom_resource_value, sort_keys=True, indent=0)
+            config_rule['custom']['resource_value'] = custom_resource_value
+    return config_rules
+
+def format_device_custom_config_rules(device : Dict) -> Dict:
+    config_rules = device.get('device_config', {}).get('config_rules', [])
+    config_rules = format_custom_config_rules(config_rules)
+    device['device_config']['config_rules'] = config_rules
+    return device
+
+def format_service_custom_config_rules(service : Dict) -> Dict:
+    config_rules = service.get('service_config', {}).get('config_rules', [])
+    config_rules = format_custom_config_rules(config_rules)
+    service['service_config']['config_rules'] = config_rules
+    return service
+
+def format_slice_custom_config_rules(slice_ : Dict) -> Dict:
+    config_rules = slice_.get('service_config', {}).get('config_rules', [])
+    config_rules = format_custom_config_rules(config_rules)
+    slice_['service_config']['config_rules'] = config_rules
+    return slice_
+
+def split_devices_by_rules(devices : List[Dict]) -> Tuple[List[Dict], List[Dict]]:
+    devices_add = []
+    devices_config = []
+    for device in devices:
+        connect_rules = []
+        config_rules = []
+        for config_rule in device.get('device_config', {}).get('config_rules', []):
+            custom_resource_key : Optional[str] = config_rule.get('custom', {}).get('resource_key')
+            if custom_resource_key is not None and custom_resource_key.startswith('_connect/'):
+                connect_rules.append(config_rule)
+            else:
+                config_rules.append(config_rule)
+
+        if len(connect_rules) > 0:
+            device_add = copy.deepcopy(device)
+            device_add['device_endpoints'] = []
+            device_add['device_config'] = {'config_rules': connect_rules}
+            devices_add.append(device_add)
+
+        if len(config_rules) > 0:
+            device['device_config'] = {'config_rules': config_rules}
+            devices_config.append(device)
+
+    return devices_add, devices_config
diff --git a/src/common/tools/descriptor/__init__.py b/src/common/tools/descriptor/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..70a33251242c51f49140e596b8208a19dd5245f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/tools/descriptor/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Copyright 2021-2023 H2020 TeraFlow (https://www.teraflow-h2020.eu/)
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+