I asked Robert/Tony if the following classes were still valid - the response is no:

• org.opendaylight.controller.sal.binding.api.AbstractBindingAwareConsumer
• org.opendaylight.controller.sal.binding.api.AbstractBindingAwareProvider

The reason why these are no longer valid or safe to use is that it takes the "first" instance of a data broker that it finds and doesn't allow for a service ( like databroker) to be redefined. For example AAA provides its own DataBroker service which redefines the data broker adding in security. In the above classes the claim is that there is a race condition in determining which data broker would be provided.