diff --git a/app/models/ext_management_system.rb b/app/models/ext_management_system.rb
index 08d4a0f43d4..81a04727533 100644
--- a/app/models/ext_management_system.rb
+++ b/app/models/ext_management_system.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def self.api_allowed_attributes
   has_one  :iso_datastore, :foreign_key => "ems_id", :dependent => :destroy, :inverse_of => :ext_management_system
 
   belongs_to :zone
+  belongs_to :zone_before_pause, :class_name => "Zone", :inverse_of => :paused_ext_management_systems # used for maintenance mode
 
   has_many :metrics,        :as => :resource  # Destroy will be handled by purger
   has_many :metric_rollups, :as => :resource  # Destroy will be handled by purger
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@ def self.api_allowed_attributes
   validates :hostname, :presence => true, :if => :hostname_required?
   validate :hostname_uniqueness_valid?, :hostname_format_valid?, :if => :hostname_required?
 
+  validate :validate_ems_enabled_when_zone_changed?, :validate_zone_visible_when_ems_enabled?
+
   scope :with_eligible_manager_types, ->(eligible_types) { where(:type => eligible_types) }
 
   serialize :options
@@ -109,6 +112,22 @@ def hostname_format_valid?
     errors.add(:hostname, _("format is invalid."))
   end
 
+  # validation - Zone cannot be changed when enabled == false
+  def validate_ems_enabled_when_zone_changed?
+    return if changed_attributes.include?('enabled')
+
+    if changed_attributes.include?('zone_id') && !enabled?
+      errors.add(:zone, N_("cannot be changed when provider paused"))
+    end
+  end
+
+  # validation - Zone has to be visible when enabled == true
+  def validate_zone_visible_when_ems_enabled?
+    if enabled? && zone.present? && !zone.visible?
+      errors.add(:zone, N_("cannot be invisible when provider active"))
+    end
+  end
+
   include NewWithTypeStiMixin
   include UuidMixin
   include EmsRefresh::Manager
@@ -186,6 +205,30 @@ def hostname_format_valid?
 
   default_value_for :enabled, true
 
+  after_save :change_maintenance_for_child_managers, :if => proc { |ems| ems.changed_attributes.include?('enabled') }
+
+  # Move ems to maintenance zone and backup current one
+  def pause!
+    _log.info("Pausing EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}].")
+    update!(
+      :zone_before_pause => zone,
+      :zone              => Zone.maintenance_zone,
+      :enabled           => false
+    )
+    _log.info("Pausing EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}] successful.")
+  end
+
+  # Move ems to original zone, reschedule task/jobs/.. collected during maintenance
+  def resume!
+    _log.info("Resuming EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}].")
+    update!(
+      :zone_before_pause => nil,
+      :zone              => zone_before_pause || Zone.default_zone,
+      :enabled           => true
+    )
+    _log.info("Resuming EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}] successful.")
+  end
+
   def self.with_ipaddress(ipaddress)
     joins(:endpoints).where(:endpoints => {:ipaddress => ipaddress})
   end
@@ -455,16 +498,6 @@ def self.ems_physical_infra_discovery_types
     @ems_physical_infra_discovery_types ||= %w(lenovo_ph_infra)
   end
 
-  def disable!
-    _log.info("Disabling EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}].")
-    update!(:enabled => false)
-  end
-
-  def enable!
-    _log.info("Enabling EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}].")
-    update!(:enabled => true)
-  end
-
   # override destroy_queue from AsyncDeleteMixin
   def self.destroy_queue(ids)
     find(Array.wrap(ids)).map(&:destroy_queue)
@@ -743,8 +776,31 @@ def allow_targeted_refresh?
     Settings.ems_refresh.fetch_path(emstype, :allow_targeted_refresh)
   end
 
+  protected
+
+  def disable!
+    _log.info("Disabling EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}].")
+    update!(:enabled => false)
+    _log.info("Disabling EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}] successful.")
+  end
+
+  def enable!
+    _log.info("Enabling EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}].")
+    update!(:enabled => true)
+    _log.info("Enabling EMS [#{name}] id [#{id}] successful.")
+  end
+
   private
 
+  # Child managers went to/from maintenance mode with parent
+  def change_maintenance_for_child_managers
+    if enabled?
+      child_managers.each { |ems| ems.enable! }
+    else
+      child_managers.each { |ems| ems.disable! }
+    end
+  end
+
   def build_connection(options = {})
     build_endpoint_by_role(options[:endpoint])
     build_authentication_by_role(options[:authentication])
@@ -765,7 +821,7 @@ def build_authentication_by_role(options)
     role = options.delete(:role)
     creds = {}
     creds[role] = options
-    update_authentication(creds,options)
+    update_authentication(creds, options)
   end
 
   def clear_association_cache
diff --git a/app/models/miq_queue.rb b/app/models/miq_queue.rb
index d41e2458bf5..833fa04ed5a 100644
--- a/app/models/miq_queue.rb
+++ b/app/models/miq_queue.rb
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ def self.put(options)
       :handler_id   => nil,
     )
 
+    if options[:zone].present? && options[:zone] == Zone.maintenance_zone&.name
+      _log.debug("MiqQueue#put skipped: #{options.inspect}")
+      return
+    end
+
     create_with_options = all.values[:create_with] || {}
     options[:priority]    ||= create_with_options[:priority] || NORMAL_PRIORITY
     options[:queue_name]  ||= create_with_options[:queue_name] || "generic"
diff --git a/app/models/miq_region.rb b/app/models/miq_region.rb
index 29d97802e7a..8dc899d7008 100644
--- a/app/models/miq_region.rb
+++ b/app/models/miq_region.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 class MiqRegion < ApplicationRecord
+  belongs_to :maintenance_zone, :class_name => 'Zone', :inverse_of => :maintenance_zone_region
+
   has_many :metrics,        :as => :resource # Destroy will be handled by purger
   has_many :metric_rollups, :as => :resource # Destroy will be handled by purger
   has_many :vim_performance_states, :as => :resource # Destroy will be handled by purger
diff --git a/app/models/miq_server.rb b/app/models/miq_server.rb
index af2296a6b49..7bb9a23b142 100644
--- a/app/models/miq_server.rb
+++ b/app/models/miq_server.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ class MiqServer < ApplicationRecord
   scope :with_zone_id, ->(zone_id) { where(:zone_id => zone_id) }
   virtual_delegate :description, :to => :zone, :prefix => true
 
+  validate :validate_zone_visible?, :if => proc { |server| server.zone.present? }
+
   STATUS_STARTING       = 'starting'.freeze
   STATUS_STARTED        = 'started'.freeze
   STATUS_RESTARTING     = 'restarting'.freeze
@@ -53,6 +55,10 @@ class MiqServer < ApplicationRecord
 
   RESTART_EXIT_STATUS = 123
 
+  def validate_zone_visible?
+    errors.add(:zone, N_('has to be visible')) unless zone.visible?
+  end
+
   def hostname
     h = super
     h if h.to_s.hostname?
diff --git a/app/models/zone.rb b/app/models/zone.rb
index 3f85539314c..a92c3a56b85 100644
--- a/app/models/zone.rb
+++ b/app/models/zone.rb
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ class Zone < ApplicationRecord
 
   serialize :settings, Hash
 
-  belongs_to      :log_file_depot, :class_name => "FileDepot"
+  belongs_to :log_file_depot, :class_name => "FileDepot"
 
   has_many :miq_servers
   has_many :ext_management_systems
+  has_many :paused_ext_management_systems, :class_name => 'ExtManagementSystem', :inverse_of => :zone_before_pause
+  has_one  :maintenance_zone_region, :class_name => 'MiqRegion', :inverse_of => :maintenance_zone
   has_many :container_managers, :class_name => "ManageIQ::Providers::ContainerManager"
   has_many :miq_schedules, :dependent => :destroy
   has_many :providers
@@ -36,6 +38,11 @@ class Zone < ApplicationRecord
   include AggregationMixin
   include ConfigurationManagementMixin
 
+  scope :visible, -> { where(:visible => true) }
+  default_value_for :visible, true
+
+  MAINTENANCE_ZONE_NAME_PREFIX = '__maintenance__'.freeze
+
   def active_miq_servers
     MiqServer.active_miq_servers.where(:zone_id => id)
   end
@@ -48,7 +55,38 @@ def find_master_server
     active_miq_servers.detect(&:is_master?)
   end
 
+  def self.create_maintenance_zone
+    if maintenance_zone.nil?
+      # 1) Create region, if not exists
+      MiqRegion.seed
+
+      # 2) Create Maintenance zone
+      threshold = 100 # avoiding infinite loop
+      zone = nil
+      (1..threshold).each do |idx|
+        zone = create(:name        => "#{MAINTENANCE_ZONE_NAME_PREFIX}#{idx}",
+                      :description => "Maintenance Zone",
+                      :visible     => false)
+        break if zone.valid?
+      end
+
+      # 3) Assign zone to region
+      if zone&.valid?
+        region = zone.miq_region
+        region&.maintenance_zone = zone
+        unless region&.save
+          _log.error("Saving Maintenance zone to region failed with: #{region&.errors&.messages.inspect}")
+        end
+        _log.info("Creating maintenance zone...")
+      else
+        _log.error("Maintenance zone not created in #{threshold} attempts")
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def self.seed
+    create_maintenance_zone
+
     create_with(:description => "Default Zone").find_or_create_by!(:name => 'default') do |_z|
       _log.info("Creating default zone...")
     end
@@ -78,6 +116,11 @@ def self.default_zone
     in_my_region.find_by(:name => "default")
   end
 
+  # Zone for paused providers (no servers in it), not visible by default
+  def self.maintenance_zone
+    MiqRegion.find_by(:region => my_region_number)&.maintenance_zone
+  end
+
   def remote_cockpit_ws_miq_server
     role_active?("cockpit_ws") ? miq_servers.find_by(:has_active_cockpit_ws => true) : nil
   end
@@ -209,6 +252,7 @@ def ntp_reload_queue
 
   def check_zone_in_use_on_destroy
     raise _("cannot delete default zone") if name == "default"
+    raise _("cannot delete maintenance zone") if self == miq_region&.maintenance_zone
     raise _("zone name '%{name}' is used by a server") % {:name => name} unless miq_servers.blank?
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/ext_management_system.rb b/spec/factories/ext_management_system.rb
index d021da928ef..984f2885482 100644
--- a/spec/factories/ext_management_system.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/ext_management_system.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     sequence(:hostname)  { |n| "ems-#{seq_padded_for_sorting(n)}" }
     sequence(:ipaddress) { |n| ip_from_seq(n) }
     guid                 { SecureRandom.uuid }
-    zone                 { Zone.first || FactoryGirl.create(:zone) }
+    zone                 { Zone.visible.first || FactoryGirl.create(:zone) }
     storage_profiles     { [] }
 
     # Traits
diff --git a/spec/models/ext_management_system_spec.rb b/spec/models/ext_management_system_spec.rb
index 7fe0fbe5b25..82e73106569 100644
--- a/spec/models/ext_management_system_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ext_management_system_spec.rb
@@ -396,6 +396,78 @@
     end
   end
 
+  context "#pause!" do
+    it 'disables an ems with child managers and moves parent to maintenance zone' do
+      zone  = FactoryGirl.create(:zone)
+      ems   = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system, :zone => zone)
+      child = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system, :zone => zone)
+      ems.child_managers << child
+
+      ems.pause!
+
+      expect(ems.enabled).to be_falsy
+      expect(ems.zone).to eq(Zone.maintenance_zone)
+      expect(ems.zone_before_pause).to eq(zone)
+
+      child.reload
+      expect(child.enabled).to be_falsy
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "#resume" do
+    it "enables an ems with child managers and move parent from maintenance zone" do
+      zone = FactoryGirl.create(:zone)
+      ems = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system,
+                               :zone_before_pause => zone,
+                               :zone              => Zone.maintenance_zone,
+                               :enabled           => false)
+
+      child = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system,
+                                 :zone    => zone,
+                                 :enabled => false)
+      ems.child_managers << child
+
+      ems.resume!
+
+      expect(ems.enabled).to be_truthy
+      expect(ems.zone).to eq(zone)
+      expect(ems.zone_before_pause).to be_nil
+
+      child.reload
+      expect(child.enabled).to be_truthy
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "changing zone" do
+    it 'is allowed when enabled' do
+      zones = (1..2).collect { FactoryGirl.create(:zone) }
+      ems   = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system, :zone => zones[0])
+
+      ems.zone = zones[1]
+      expect(ems.save).to be_truthy
+    end
+
+    it 'is denied when disabled' do
+      zones = (1..2).collect { FactoryGirl.create(:zone) }
+      ems   = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system, :zone => zones[0], :enabled => false)
+
+      ems.zone = zones[1]
+      expect(ems.save).to be_falsy
+      expect(ems.errors.messages[:zone]).to be_present
+    end
+
+    it 'to invisible is not possible when provider enabled' do
+      zone_visible = FactoryGirl.create(:zone)
+      zone_invisible = FactoryGirl.create(:zone, :visible => false)
+
+      ems = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system, :zone => zone_visible, :enabled => true)
+
+      ems.zone = zone_invisible
+      expect(ems.save).to be_falsy
+      expect(ems.errors.messages[:zone]).to be_present
+    end
+  end
+
   context "destroy" do
     it "destroys an ems with no active workers" do
       ems = FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system)
diff --git a/spec/models/miq_queue_spec.rb b/spec/models/miq_queue_spec.rb
index 8920e8c7dc6..fc5867e1b8c 100644
--- a/spec/models/miq_queue_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/miq_queue_spec.rb
@@ -368,6 +368,19 @@
       expect(MiqQueue.get).to eq(nil)
     end
 
+    it "should skip putting message on queue in maintenance zone" do
+      Zone.seed
+
+      msg = MiqQueue.put(
+        :class_name  => 'MyClass',
+        :method_name => 'method1',
+        :args        => [1, 2],
+        :zone        => Zone.maintenance_zone&.name
+      )
+
+      expect(MiqQueue.get).to eq(nil)
+    end
+
     it "should accept non-Array args (for now)" do
       begin
         class MiqQueueSpecNonArrayArgs
diff --git a/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb b/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb
index b18ffe04972..a2e7f8b55a1 100644
--- a/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/miq_server_spec.rb
@@ -91,6 +91,14 @@
       expect(@miq_server.zone.name).to eq(@zone.name)
     end
 
+    it "cannot have invisible zone" do
+      zone = FactoryGirl.create(:zone, :visible => false)
+
+      @miq_server.zone = zone
+      expect(@miq_server.save).to be_falsy
+      expect(@miq_server.errors.messages[:zone]).to be_present
+    end
+
     it "shutdown will raise an event and quiesce" do
       expect(MiqEvent).to receive(:raise_evm_event)
       expect(@miq_server).to receive(:quiesce)
diff --git a/spec/models/zone_spec.rb b/spec/models/zone_spec.rb
index c74fac3a64b..79ff7571016 100644
--- a/spec/models/zone_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/zone_spec.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 describe Zone do
-  include_examples ".seed called multiple times"
+  include_examples ".seed called multiple times", 2
 
   context "with two small envs" do
     before do
@@ -192,6 +192,37 @@
     end
   end
 
+  context "maintenance zone" do
+    it "creates missing region during seed" do
+      expect(MiqRegion.find_by(:region => MiqRegion.my_region_number)).to be_nil
+      described_class.seed
+      expect(MiqRegion.find_by(:region => MiqRegion.my_region_number)).to be_present
+    end
+
+    it "is seeded with relation to region" do
+      described_class.seed
+      zone = Zone.where("name LIKE ?", "#{Zone::MAINTENANCE_ZONE_NAME_PREFIX}%").first
+
+      expect(described_class.maintenance_zone).to be_present
+      expect(described_class.maintenance_zone.id).to eq(zone.id)
+      expect(MiqRegion.find_by(:region => MiqRegion.my_region_number)&.maintenance_zone).to eq(zone)
+    end
+
+    it "is not visible" do
+      described_class.seed
+      expect(described_class.maintenance_zone.visible).to be_falsey
+    end
+
+    it "is created when default name exists" do
+      (1..5).each do |idx|
+        FactoryGirl.create(:zone, :name => "#{Zone::MAINTENANCE_ZONE_NAME_PREFIX}#{idx}")
+      end
+      described_class.seed
+
+      expect(Zone.maintenance_zone.name).to eq("#{Zone::MAINTENANCE_ZONE_NAME_PREFIX}6")
+    end
+  end
+
   context "validate multi region" do
     let!(:other_region_id)         { ApplicationRecord.id_in_region(1, ApplicationRecord.my_region_number + 1) }
     let!(:default_in_other_region) { described_class.create(:name => "default", :description => "Default Zone", :id => other_region_id) }