diff --git a/daemon/core/api/grpc/client.py b/daemon/core/api/grpc/client.py
index 6b5343d8..ea32ffb4 100644
--- a/daemon/core/api/grpc/client.py
+++ b/daemon/core/api/grpc/client.py
@@ -148,6 +148,31 @@ class CoreGrpcClient:
         self.stub = None
         self.channel = None
 
+    def start_session(self, session_id, nodes, links):
+        """
+        Start a session.
+
+        :param int session_id: id of session
+        :param list nodes: list of nodes to create
+        :param list links: list of links to create
+        :return:
+        """
+        request = core_pb2.StartSessionRequest(
+            session_id=session_id, nodes=nodes, links=links
+        )
+        return self.stub.StartSession(request)
+
+    def stop_session(self, session_id):
+        """
+        Stop a running session.
+
+        :param int session_id: id of session
+        :return: stop session response
+        :rtype: core_pb2.StopSessionResponse
+        """
+        request = core_pb2.StopSessionRequest(session_id=session_id)
+        return self.stub.StopSession(request)
+
     def create_session(self, session_id=None):
         """
         Create a session.
diff --git a/daemon/core/api/grpc/grpcutils.py b/daemon/core/api/grpc/grpcutils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b729e584
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/core/api/grpc/grpcutils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import time
+
+from core.emulator.emudata import NodeOptions
+from core.emulator.enumerations import NodeTypes
+
+
+def add_node_data(node_proto):
+    _id = node_proto.id
+    _type = node_proto.type
+    if _type is None:
+        _type = NodeTypes.DEFAULT.value
+    _type = NodeTypes(_type)
+
+    options = NodeOptions(name=node_proto.name, model=node_proto.model)
+    options.icon = node_proto.icon
+    options.opaque = node_proto.opaque
+    options.image = node_proto.image
+    options.services = node_proto.services
+    if node_proto.server:
+        options.server = node_proto.server
+
+    position = node_proto.position
+    options.set_position(position.x, position.y)
+    options.set_location(position.lat, position.lon, position.alt)
+    return _type, _id, options
+
+
+async def async_add_node(session, node_proto):
+    _type, _id, options = add_node_data(node_proto)
+    session.add_node(_type=_type, _id=_id, options=options)
+
+
+async def create_nodes(loop, session, node_protos):
+    tasks = []
+    for node_proto in node_protos:
+        task = loop.create_task(async_add_node(session, node_proto))
+        tasks.append(task)
+
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    results = await asyncio.gather(*tasks, return_exceptions=True)
+    total = time.monotonic() - start
+
+    logging.info(f"created nodes time: {total}")
+    return results
+
+
+def sync_create_nodes(session, node_protos):
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    for node_proto in node_protos:
+        _type, _id, options = add_node_data(node_proto)
+        session.add_node(_type=_type, _id=_id, options=options)
+    total = time.monotonic() - start
+    logging.info(f"created nodes time: {total}")
diff --git a/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py b/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py
index 4381184d..ff23b43e 100644
--- a/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py
+++ b/daemon/core/api/grpc/server.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from queue import Empty, Queue
 
 import grpc
 
-from core.api.grpc import core_pb2, core_pb2_grpc
+from core.api.grpc import core_pb2, core_pb2_grpc, grpcutils
 from core.emane.nodes import EmaneNet
 from core.emulator.data import (
     ConfigData,
@@ -260,6 +260,53 @@ class CoreGrpcServer(core_pb2_grpc.CoreApiServicer):
         except CoreError:
             context.abort(grpc.StatusCode.NOT_FOUND, f"node {node_id} not found")
 
+    def StartSession(self, request, context):
+        """
+        Start a session.
+
+        :param core.api.grpc.core_pb2.StartSessionRequest request: start session request
+        :param context: grcp context
+        :return: start session response
+        :rtype: core.api.grpc.core_pb2.StartSessionResponse
+        """
+        logging.debug("start session: %s", request)
+        session = self.get_session(request.session_id, context)
+
+        # clear previous state and setup for creation
+        session.clear()
+        session.set_state(EventTypes.CONFIGURATION_STATE)
+        if not os.path.exists(session.session_dir):
+            os.mkdir(session.session_dir)
+
+        # create nodes
+        # loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+        # asyncio.set_event_loop(loop)
+        # results = loop.run_until_complete(
+        #     grpcutils.create_nodes(loop, session, request.nodes)
+        # )
+        grpcutils.sync_create_nodes(session, request.nodes)
+
+        # set to instantiation and start
+        session.set_state(EventTypes.INSTANTIATION_STATE)
+        session.instantiate()
+
+        return core_pb2.StartSessionResponse(result=True)
+
+    def StopSession(self, request, context):
+        """
+        Stop a running session.
+
+        :param core.api.grpc.core_pb2.StopSessionRequest request: stop session request
+        :param context: grcp context
+        :return: stop session response
+        :rtype: core.api.grpc.core_pb2.StopSessionResponse
+        """
+        logging.debug("stop session: %s", request)
+        session = self.coreemu.create_session(request.session_id)
+        session.set_state(EventTypes.DATACOLLECT_STATE)
+        session.clear()
+        return core_pb2.StopSessionResponse(result=True)
+
     def CreateSession(self, request, context):
         """
         Create a session
diff --git a/daemon/examples/grpc/large.py b/daemon/examples/grpc/large.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2a4d0b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/examples/grpc/large.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import logging
+
+from core.api.grpc import client, core_pb2
+
+
+def log_event(event):
+    logging.info("event: %s", event)
+
+
+def main():
+    core = client.CoreGrpcClient()
+
+    with core.context_connect():
+        # create session
+        response = core.create_session()
+        session_id = response.session_id
+        logging.info("created session: %s", response)
+
+        # create nodes for session
+        nodes = []
+        position = core_pb2.Position(x=50, y=100)
+        switch = core_pb2.Node(id=1, type=core_pb2.NodeType.SWITCH, position=position)
+        nodes.append(switch)
+        for i in range(2, 50):
+            position = core_pb2.Position(x=50 + 50 * i, y=50)
+            node = core_pb2.Node(id=i, position=position, model="PC")
+            nodes.append(node)
+
+        # start session
+        links = []
+        response = core.start_session(session_id, nodes, links)
+        logging.info("started session: %s", response)
+
+        # handle events session may broadcast
+        # core.events(session_id, log_event)
+
+        # change session state
+        # response = core.set_session_state(
+        #     session_id, core_pb2.SessionState.CONFIGURATION
+        # )
+        # logging.info("set session state: %s", response)
+
+        # create switch node
+        # switch = core_pb2.Node(type=core_pb2.NodeType.SWITCH)
+        # response = core.add_node(session_id, switch)
+        # logging.info("created switch: %s", response)
+        # switch_id = response.node_id
+
+        # helper to create interfaces
+        # interface_helper = client.InterfaceHelper(ip4_prefix="10.83.0.0/16")
+        #
+        # for i in range(2):
+        #     # create node
+        #     position = core_pb2.Position(x=50 + 50 * i, y=50)
+        #     node = core_pb2.Node(position=position)
+        #     response = core.add_node(session_id, node)
+        #     logging.info("created node: %s", response)
+        #     node_id = response.node_id
+        #
+        #     # create link
+        #     interface_one = interface_helper.create_interface(node_id, 0)
+        #     response = core.add_link(session_id, node_id, switch_id, interface_one)
+        #     logging.info("created link: %s", response)
+
+        # change session state
+        # response = core.set_session_state(
+        #     session_id, core_pb2.SessionState.INSTANTIATION
+        # )
+        # logging.info("set session state: %s", response)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+    main()
diff --git a/daemon/proto/core/api/grpc/core.proto b/daemon/proto/core/api/grpc/core.proto
index 325c436f..2a766fc3 100644
--- a/daemon/proto/core/api/grpc/core.proto
+++ b/daemon/proto/core/api/grpc/core.proto
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ option java_outer_classname = "CoreProto";
 
 service CoreApi {
     // session rpc
+    rpc StartSession (StartSessionRequest) returns (StartSessionResponse) {
+    }
+    rpc StopSession (StopSessionRequest) returns (StopSessionResponse) {
+    }
     rpc CreateSession (CreateSessionRequest) returns (CreateSessionResponse) {
     }
     rpc DeleteSession (DeleteSessionRequest) returns (DeleteSessionResponse) {
@@ -126,6 +130,24 @@ service CoreApi {
 }
 
 // rpc request/response messages
+message StartSessionRequest {
+    int32 session_id = 1;
+    repeated Node nodes = 2;
+    repeated Link links = 3;
+}
+
+message StartSessionResponse {
+    bool result = 1;
+}
+
+message StopSessionRequest {
+    int32 session_id = 1;
+}
+
+message StopSessionResponse {
+    bool result = 1;
+}
+
 message CreateSessionRequest {
     int32 session_id = 1;
 }