diff --git a/src/sync-core.cc b/src/sync-core.cc
index cae3d6b..c0dc45b 100644
--- a/src/sync-core.cc
+++ b/src/sync-core.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "sync-core.h"
+#include "sync-state-helper.h"
 #include "logging.h"
 #include "random-interval-generator.h"
 
@@ -32,51 +33,20 @@
 const double SyncCore::RANDOM_PERCENT = 0.5;
 
 using namespace boost;
+using namespace Ccnx;
 
-// for debugging
-static void
-printMsg(SyncStateMsgPtr &msg)
-{
-  _LOG_TRACE (" ===== start Msg ======");
-  int size = msg->state_size();
-  if (size > 0)
-  {
-    int index = 0;
-    while (index < size)
-    {
-      SyncState state = msg->state(index);
-      string strName = state.name();
-      string strLocator = state.locator();
-      sqlite3_int64 seq = state.seq();
-      _LOG_TRACE ("Name: " << Name((const unsigned char *)strName.c_str(), strName.size())
-                  <<", Locator: " << Name((const unsigned char *)strLocator.c_str(), strLocator.size())
-                  << ", seq: " << seq);
-      index ++;
-    }
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    _LOG_TRACE ("Msg size 0");
-  }
-  _LOG_TRACE (" ++++++++ end Msg  ++++++++ ");
-}
-
-SyncCore::SyncCore(SyncLogPtr syncLog, const Name &userName, const Name &localPrefix, const Name &syncPrefix, const StateMsgCallback &callback, const CcnxWrapperPtr &handle, const SchedulerPtr &scheduler)
-         : m_log(syncLog)
-         , m_scheduler(scheduler)
-         , m_stateMsgCallback(callback)
-         // , m_userName(userName)
-         , m_syncPrefix(syncPrefix)
-         , m_handle(handle)
-         , m_syncClosure (boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleSyncData, this, _1, _2),
-                          boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleSyncInterestTimeout, this, _1))
-         , m_recoverClosure (boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleRecoverData, this, _1, _2),
-                             boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleRecoverInterestTimeout, this, _1))
-         , m_recoverWaitGenerator(new RandomIntervalGenerator(WAIT, RANDOM_PERCENT, RandomIntervalGenerator::UP))
+SyncCore::SyncCore(SyncLogPtr syncLog, const Name &userName, const Name &localPrefix, const Name &syncPrefix,
+                   const StateMsgCallback &callback, CcnxWrapperPtr ccnx, SchedulerPtr scheduler)
+  : m_ccnx (ccnx)
+  , m_log(syncLog)
+  , m_scheduler(scheduler)
+  , m_stateMsgCallback(callback)
+  , m_syncPrefix(syncPrefix)
+  , m_recoverWaitGenerator(new RandomIntervalGenerator(WAIT, RANDOM_PERCENT, RandomIntervalGenerator::UP))
 {
   m_rootHash = m_log->RememberStateInStateLog();
 
-  m_handle->setInterestFilter(m_syncPrefix, boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleInterest, this, _1));
+  m_ccnx->setInterestFilter(m_syncPrefix, boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleInterest, this, _1));
   // m_log->initYP(m_yp);
   m_log->UpdateLocalLocator (localPrefix);
 
@@ -89,52 +59,23 @@
   // need to "deregister" closures
 }
 
-// Name
-// SyncCore::yp(const Name &deviceName)
-// {
-//   Name locator;
-//   ReadLock lock(m_ypMutex);
-//   if (m_yp.find(deviceName) != m_yp.end())
-//   {
-//     locator = m_yp[deviceName];
-//   }
-//   else
-//   {
-//     cout << "self: " << m_userName << ", deviceName: " << deviceName << " not found in yp " << endl;
-//   }
-//   return locator;
-// }
-
-// void
-// SyncCore::updateLocalPrefix(const Name &localPrefix)
-// {
-//   m_localPrefix = localPrefix;
-//   // optionally, we can have a sync action to announce the new prefix
-//   // we are not doing this for now
-// }
-
 void
 SyncCore::updateLocalState(sqlite3_int64 seqno)
 {
   m_log->UpdateLocalSeqNo (seqno);
-  // choose to update locator everytime
-  // m_log->UpdateLocator(m_userName, m_localPrefix);
-  // {
-  //   WriteLock lock(m_ypMutex);
-  //   m_yp[m_userName] = m_localPrefix;
-  // }
+
   HashPtr oldHash = m_rootHash;
-  m_rootHash = m_log->RememberStateInStateLog();
+  m_rootHash = m_log->RememberStateInStateLog ();
 
   SyncStateMsgPtr msg = m_log->FindStateDifferences(*oldHash, *m_rootHash);
 
   // reply sync Interest with oldHash as last component
-  Name syncName = constructSyncName(oldHash);
-  Bytes syncData;
-  msgToBytes(msg, syncData);
-  m_handle->publishData(syncName, syncData, FRESHNESS);
-  _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << " publishes: " << *oldHash);
-  printMsg(msg);
+  Name syncName = Name (m_syncPrefix)(oldHash->GetHash(), oldHash->GetHashBytes());
+  BytesPtr syncData = serializeMsg (msg);
+
+  m_ccnx->publishData(syncName, *syncData, FRESHNESS);
+  _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << " publishes: " << *oldHash);
+  _LOG_TRACE (msg);
 
   // no hurry in sending out new Sync Interest; if others send the new Sync Interest first, no problem, we know the new root hash already;
   // this is trying to avoid the situation that the order of SyncData and new Sync Interest gets reversed at receivers
@@ -172,35 +113,11 @@
   {
     // we know the hash, should reply everything
     SyncStateMsgPtr msg = m_log->FindStateDifferences(*(Hash::Origin), *m_rootHash);
-    // DEBUG
-    /*
-    assert(msg->state_size() > 0);
-    int size = msg->state_size();
-    int index = 0;
-    cerr << "Reply recover interest with: " << endl;
-    while (index < size)
-    {
-      SyncState state = msg->state(index);
-      string strName = state.name();
-      string strLoc = state.locator();
-      cout << "Name: " << Name((const unsigned char *)strName.c_str(), strName.size()) << ", Loc: " << Name((const unsigned char *)strLoc.c_str(), strLoc.size()) << ", seq: " << state.seq() << endl;
-      if (state.type() == SyncState::UPDATE)
-      {
-        cout << "Action: update" << endl;
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        cout << "Action: delete" << endl;
-      }
-      index++;
-    }
-    */
-    // END DEBUG
-    Bytes syncData;
-    msgToBytes(msg, syncData);
-    m_handle->publishData(name, syncData, FRESHNESS);
-    _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << " publishes " << hash);
-    printMsg(msg);
+
+    BytesPtr syncData = serializeMsg (msg);
+    m_ccnx->publishData(name, *syncData, FRESHNESS);
+    _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << " publishes " << hash);
+    _LOG_TRACE (msg);
   }
   else
   {
@@ -216,27 +133,26 @@
   if (*hash == *m_rootHash)
   {
     // we have the same hash; nothing needs to be done
-    _LOG_DEBUG ("same as root hash: " << *hash);
+    _LOG_TRACE ("same as root hash: " << *hash);
     return;
   }
   else if (m_log->LookupSyncLog(*hash) > 0)
   {
     // we know something more
-    _LOG_DEBUG ("found hash in sync log");
+    _LOG_TRACE ("found hash in sync log");
     SyncStateMsgPtr msg = m_log->FindStateDifferences(*hash, *m_rootHash);
 
-    Bytes syncData;
-    msgToBytes(msg, syncData);
-    m_handle->publishData(name, syncData, FRESHNESS);
-    _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << " publishes: " << *hash);
-    printMsg(msg);
+    BytesPtr syncData = serializeMsg (msg);
+    m_ccnx->publishData(name, *syncData, FRESHNESS);
+    _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << " publishes: " << *hash);
+    _LOG_TRACE (msg);
   }
   else
   {
     // we don't recognize the hash, send recover Interest if still don't know the hash after a randomized wait period
     double wait = m_recoverWaitGenerator->nextInterval();
-    _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << ", rootHash: " << *m_rootHash << ", hash: " << *hash);
-    _LOG_DEBUG ("recover task scheduled after wait: " << wait);
+    _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << ", rootHash: " << *m_rootHash << ", hash: " << *hash);
+    _LOG_TRACE ("recover task scheduled after wait: " << wait);
 
     Scheduler::scheduleOneTimeTask (m_scheduler,
                                     wait, boost::bind(&SyncCore::recover, this, hash),
@@ -292,8 +208,8 @@
     return;
   }
 
-  _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << " receives Msg ");
-  printMsg (msg);
+  _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << " receives Msg ");
+  _LOG_TRACE (msg);
   int size = msg->state_size();
   int index = 0;
   while (index < size)
@@ -311,16 +227,15 @@
       {
         string locStr = state.locator();
         Name locatorName((const unsigned char *)locStr.c_str(), locStr.size());
-    //    cout << ", Got loc: " << locatorName << endl;
+        // cout << ", Got loc: " << locatorName << endl;
         m_log->UpdateLocator(deviceName, locatorName);
-        // WriteLock lock(m_ypMutex);
-        // m_yp[deviceName] = locatorName;
-        _LOG_DEBUG ("self: " << m_log->GetLocalName () << ", device: " << deviceName << " < == > " << locatorName);
+
+        _LOG_TRACE ("self: " << m_log->GetLocalName () << ", device: " << deviceName << " < == > " << locatorName);
       }
     }
     else
     {
-      _LOG_TRACE ("nani");
+      _LOG_ERROR ("Receive SYNC DELETE, but we don't support it yet");
       deregister(deviceName);
     }
     index++;
@@ -341,9 +256,13 @@
 void
 SyncCore::sendSyncInterest()
 {
-  Name syncInterest = constructSyncName(m_rootHash);
-  m_handle->sendInterest(syncInterest, m_syncClosure);
-  _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << " send SYNC interest: " << *m_rootHash);
+  Name syncInterest = Name (m_syncPrefix)(m_rootHash->GetHash(), m_rootHash->GetHashBytes());
+
+  m_ccnx->sendInterest(syncInterest,
+                         Closure (boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleSyncData, this, _1, _2),
+                                  boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleSyncInterestTimeout, this, _1)));
+
+  _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << " send SYNC interest: " << *m_rootHash);
 }
 
 void
@@ -351,16 +270,19 @@
 {
   if (!(*hash == *m_rootHash) && m_log->LookupSyncLog(*hash) <= 0)
   {
-    _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << ", Recover for: " << *hash);
+    _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << ", Recover for: " << *hash);
     // unfortunately we still don't recognize this hash
     Bytes bytes;
     readRaw(bytes, (const unsigned char *)hash->GetHash(), hash->GetHashBytes());
-    Name recoverInterest = m_syncPrefix;
-    recoverInterest.appendComp(RECOVER);
+
     // append the unknown hash
-    recoverInterest.appendComp(bytes);
-    m_handle->sendInterest(recoverInterest, m_recoverClosure);
-    _LOG_DEBUG (m_log->GetLocalName () << " send RECOVER Interest: " << *hash);
+    Name recoverInterest = Name (m_syncPrefix)(RECOVER)(bytes);
+
+    m_ccnx->sendInterest(recoverInterest,
+                         Closure (boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleRecoverData, this, _1, _2),
+                                  boost::bind(&SyncCore::handleRecoverInterestTimeout, this, _1)));
+
+    _LOG_TRACE (m_log->GetLocalName () << " send RECOVER Interest: " << *hash);
   }
   else
   {
@@ -375,24 +297,6 @@
   // TODO: handle deregistering
 }
 
-Name
-SyncCore::constructSyncName(const HashPtr &hash)
-{
-  Bytes bytes;
-  readRaw(bytes, (const unsigned char*)hash->GetHash(), hash->GetHashBytes());
-  Name syncName = m_syncPrefix;
-  syncName.appendComp(bytes);
-  return syncName;
-}
-
-void
-SyncCore::msgToBytes(const SyncStateMsgPtr &msg, Bytes &bytes)
-{
-  int size = msg->ByteSize();
-  bytes.resize(size);
-  msg->SerializeToArray(head(bytes), size);
-}
-
 sqlite3_int64
 SyncCore::seq(const Name &name)
 {