tested on recent lithium snapshot:
configure netconf connector to not existing device with connection-attempts set to some value, for example
"odl-sal-netconf-connector-cfg:max-connection-attempts": 3

then after while, device shoud have connection status:
"netconf-node-topology:connection-status":"unable-to-connect"

but it has:
"netconf-node-topology:connection-status":"connecting"

2015-05-29 13:15:12,072 | WARN | entLoopGroup-2-4 | NetconfConnectorModule | 245 - org.opendaylight.controller.sal-netconf-connector - 1.2.0.SNAPSHOT | Keepalive executor missing. Using default instance for now, the configuration needs to be updated
2015-05-29 13:15:12,074 | WARN | entLoopGroup-2-4 | NetconfConnectorModule | 245 - org.opendaylight.controller.sal-netconf-connector - 1.2.0.SNAPSHOT | Keepalive executor missing. Using default instance for now, the configuration needs to be updated
2015-05-29 13:15:12,115 | WARN | cketConnector-31 | AsyncSshHandler | 169 - org.opendaylight.controller.netconf-netty-util - 0.3.0.SNAPSHOT | Unable to setup SSH connection on channel: [id: 0x60fce7f1]
java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.checkConnect(Native Method)[:1.7.0_67]
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.finishConnect(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:221)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:46)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.processConnections(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:442)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.access$700(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector$Connector.run(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:510)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.util.NamePreservingRunnable.run(NamePreservingRunnable.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
2015-05-29 13:15:14,133 | WARN | cketConnector-32 | AsyncSshHandler | 169 - org.opendaylight.controller.netconf-netty-util - 0.3.0.SNAPSHOT | Unable to setup SSH connection on channel: [id: 0x56c81f19]
java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.checkConnect(Native Method)[:1.7.0_67]
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.finishConnect(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:221)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:46)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.processConnections(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:442)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.access$700(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector$Connector.run(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:510)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.util.NamePreservingRunnable.run(NamePreservingRunnable.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
2015-05-29 13:15:17,147 | WARN | cketConnector-33 | AsyncSshHandler | 169 - org.opendaylight.controller.netconf-netty-util - 0.3.0.SNAPSHOT | Unable to setup SSH connection on channel: [id: 0x7545dc16]
java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.checkConnect(Native Method)[:1.7.0_67]
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.finishConnect(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:221)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:46)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.processConnections(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:442)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.access$700(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector$Connector.run(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:510)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.util.NamePreservingRunnable.run(NamePreservingRunnable.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
2015-05-29 13:15:21,659 | WARN | cketConnector-34 | AsyncSshHandler | 169 - org.opendaylight.controller.netconf-netty-util - 0.3.0.SNAPSHOT | Unable to setup SSH connection on channel: [id: 0x6b8c7fb1]
java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.checkConnect(Native Method)[:1.7.0_67]
at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.finishConnect(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:221)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.transport.socket.nio.NioSocketConnector.finishConnect(NioSocketConnector.java:46)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.processConnections(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:442)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector.access$700(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.core.polling.AbstractPollingIoConnector$Connector.run(AbstractPollingIoConnector.java:510)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at org.apache.mina.util.NamePreservingRunnable.run(NamePreservingRunnable.java:64)[51:org.apache.mina.core:2.0.7]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]
2015-05-29 13:15:21,663 | WARN | entExecutor-1-10 | DefaultPromise | 149 - io.netty.common - 4.0.26.Final | An exception was thrown by org.opendaylight.controller.sal.connect.netconf.listener.NetconfDeviceCommunicator$1.operationComplete()
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.opendaylight.controller.sal.connect.netconf.sal.KeepaliveSalFacade.stopKeepalives(KeepaliveSalFacade.java:103)[245:org.opendaylight.controller.sal-netconf-connector:1.2.0.SNAPSHOT]
at org.opendaylight.controller.sal.connect.netconf.sal.KeepaliveSalFacade.onDeviceFailed(KeepaliveSalFacade.java:138)[245:org.opendaylight.controller.sal-netconf-connector:1.2.0.SNAPSHOT]
at org.opendaylight.controller.sal.connect.netconf.NetconfDevice.onRemoteSessionFailed(NetconfDevice.java:268)[245:org.opendaylight.controller.sal-netconf-connector:1.2.0.SNAPSHOT]
at org.opendaylight.controller.sal.connect.netconf.listener.NetconfDeviceCommunicator$1.operationComplete(NetconfDeviceCommunicator.java:115)[245:org.opendaylight.controller.sal-netconf-connector:1.2.0.SNAPSHOT]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.notifyListener0(DefaultPromise.java:680)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.notifyListeners(DefaultPromise.java:567)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.setFailure(DefaultPromise.java:415)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at org.opendaylight.protocol.framework.ReconnectPromise$2.operationComplete(ReconnectPromise.java:65)[151:org.opendaylight.controller.protocol-framework:0.6.0.SNAPSHOT]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.notifyListener0(DefaultPromise.java:680)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.notifyListeners(DefaultPromise.java:567)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.setFailure(DefaultPromise.java:415)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at org.opendaylight.protocol.framework.ProtocolSessionPromise$BootstrapConnectListener$ReconnectingStrategyListener.operationComplete(ProtocolSessionPromise.java:149)[151:org.opendaylight.controller.protocol-framework:0.6.0.SNAPSHOT]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise.notifyListener0(DefaultPromise.java:680)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultPromise$3.run(DefaultPromise.java:664)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.GlobalEventExecutor$TaskRunner.run(GlobalEventExecutor.java:229)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at io.netty.util.concurrent.DefaultThreadFactory$DefaultRunnableDecorator.run(DefaultThreadFactory.java:137)[149:io.netty.common:4.0.26.Final]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)[:1.7.0_67]