diff --git a/test/python/controlVMnetworkstate.py b/test/python/controlVMnetworkstate.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..29566b4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/python/controlVMnetworkstate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+import os
+import sys
+import time
+import subprocess
+import random
+bindir='/usr/bin'
+sys.path.append(bindir)
+
+def input_sel(prompt,max_,selectionoption):
+    # let the user choose the VM and verify selection
+    while True:
+        try:
+            print ('Please select from the list of running VMs\n\n'+'\n'.join(selectionoption))
+            userin = int(raw_input(prompt))
+        except ValueError:
+            print('\nThat was not a number\n\n')
+            continue
+        if userin > max_:
+            print('\nInput must be less than or equal to {0}.\n\n'.format(max_))
+        elif userin < 1:
+            print('\nInput must be greater than or equal to 1\n\n')
+        else:
+            return userin
+
+def statustext(result):
+    if result == 0:
+        status = 'OK'
+    else:
+        status = 'Failed'
+    return status
+
+def controlvmnetworkstate():
+    try:
+        offtime = 600
+        ontime = 14
+        vmdict={}
+        vmlist=[]
+        executable = os.path.join(bindir, 'VBoxManage')
+
+        #retrieve a list of all running VMs
+        runningvms= subprocess.check_output('%s list runningvms' %executable,shell=True).splitlines()
+        if len(runningvms) != 0:
+            for n in range(0, len(runningvms)):
+                vmlist.append('%s: %s' %(n+1,runningvms[n].rsplit(' ',1)[0].strip('"')))
+                vmdict[n+1]=runningvms[n].rsplit(' ',1)[-1]
+            usersel=input_sel('\nEnter the number of the VM: ',len(runningvms),vmlist)
+
+        else:
+            print('Can not retrieve list of running VMs')
+            sys.exit()
+
+        vmuuid=vmdict[usersel]
+        while True:
+            offtime = random.randint(60, 90)
+            ontime = random.randint(10, 90)
+            timenow = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", time.gmtime())
+            on = subprocess.call('%s controlvm %s setlinkstate1 on' %(executable,vmuuid),
+                                 shell=True)
+            status=statustext(on)
+            print ('%s: Plug Network cable into VM %s for %ds: %s' % (timenow, runningvms[usersel-1].rsplit(' ',1)[0].strip('"'),ontime, str(status)))
+            time.sleep(ontime)
+            timenow = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", time.gmtime())
+            off = subprocess.call('%s controlvm %s setlinkstate1 off' %(executable,vmuuid),
+                                  shell=True)
+            status = statustext(off)
+            print ('%s: Unplug Network cable from VM %s for %ds: %s' % (timenow, runningvms[usersel-1].rsplit(' ',1)[0].strip('"'),offtime, str(status)))
+            time.sleep(offtime)
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        sys.exit('\nUser Interrupt')
+    except Exception as e:
+        print("Error in %s in function %s: %s" % (__name__, sys._getframe().f_code.co_name, e.message))
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(controlvmnetworkstate())