def METHOD_NAME(self, mock_func, version=0, msg_count=0):
    ng_serv = self.ng_services_controller
    node_mgr = ng_serv._ng_node_mgr
    node_mgr._smf_assoc_version = version
    node_mgr._assoc_message_count = msg_count
    node_mgr._send_messsage_wrapper = mock_func
    node_message = node_mgr.get_node_assoc_message()
    return (node_message.associaton_state)