diff --git a/src/util/io-util.hpp b/src/util/io-util.hpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+* Copyright (c) 2016 Regents of the University of California.
+*
+* This file is part of the nTorrent codebase.
+*
+* nTorrent is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+* terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+* Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+*
+* nTorrent is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+* WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+* PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+*
+* You should have received copies of the GNU General Public License and GNU Lesser
+* General Public License along with nTorrent, e.g., in COPYING.md file. If not, see
+* <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*
+* See AUTHORS for complete list of nTorrent authors and contributors.
+*/
+
+#ifndef INCLUDED_UTIL_IO_UTIL_H
+#define INCLUDED_UTIL_IO_UTIL_H
+
+#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
+#include <boost/filesystem/fstream.hpp>
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/data.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/name.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/util/io.hpp>
+
+#include <set>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace fs = boost::filesystem;
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace ntorrent {
+
+class TorrentFile;
+class FileManifest;
+
+class IoUtil {
+ public:
+  /*
+   * An enum used to identify the type of content to which a name refers
+   */
+  enum NAME_TYPE
+  {
+    FILE_MANIFEST,
+    TORRENT_FILE,
+    DATA_PACKET,
+    UNKNOWN
+  };
+
+  template<typename T>
+  static std::vector<T>
+  load_directory(const std::string& dirPath,
+                 ndn::io::IoEncoding encoding = ndn::io::IoEncoding::BASE_64);
+
+  static std::vector<ndn::Data>
+  packetize_file(const fs::path& filePath,
+                 const ndn::Name& commonPrefix,
+                 size_t dataPacketSize,
+                 size_t subManifestSize,
+                 size_t subManifestNum);
+
+  /*
+   * @brief Write the @p segment torrent segment to disk at the specified path.
+   * @param segment The torrent file segment to be written to disk
+   * @param path The path at which to write the torrent file segment
+   * Write the segment to disk, return 'true' if data successfully written to disk 'false'
+   * otherwise. Behavior is undefined unless @segment is a correct segment for the torrent file of
+   * this manager and @p path is the directory used for all segments of this torrent file.
+   */
+  static bool
+  writeTorrentSegment(const TorrentFile& segment, const std::string& path);
+
+    /*
+   * @brief Write the @p manifest file manifest to disk at the specified @p path.
+   * @param manifest The file manifest  to be written to disk
+   * @param path The path at which to write the file manifest
+   * Write the file manifest to disk, return 'true' if data successfully written to disk 'false'
+   * otherwise. Behavior is undefined unless @manifest is a correct file manifest for a file in the
+   * torrent file of this manager and @p path is the directory used for all file manifests of this
+   * torrent file.
+   */
+  static bool
+  writeFileManifest(const FileManifest& manifest, const std::string& path);
+
+  /*
+   * @brief Write @p packet composed of torrent date to disk.
+   * @param packet The data packet to be written to the disk
+   * @param os The output stream to which to write
+   * Write the Data packet to disk, return 'true' if data successfully written to disk 'false'
+   * otherwise. Behavior is undefined unless the corresponding file manifest has already been
+   * downloaded.
+   */
+  static bool
+  writeData(const Data&         packet,
+            const FileManifest& manifest,
+            size_t              subManifestSize,
+            fs::fstream&        os);
+
+  /*
+   * @brief Read a data packet from the provided stream
+   * @param packetFullName The fullname of the expected Data packet
+   * @param manifest The file manifest for the requested  Data packet
+   * @param subManifestSize The number of Data packets in each catalog for this Data packet
+   * @param is The stream from which to read the  packet
+   * Read the data  packet from the @p is stream, validate it against the provided @p packetFullName
+   * and @p manifest, if successful return a pointer to the packet, otherwise return nullptr.
+   */
+  static std::shared_ptr<Data>
+  readDataPacket(const Name&         packetFullName,
+                 const FileManifest& manifest,
+                 size_t              subManifestSize,
+                 fs::fstream&        is);
+
+  /*
+   * @brief Return the type of the specified name
+   */
+  static IoUtil::NAME_TYPE
+  findType(const Name& name);
+
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+inline std::vector<T>
+IoUtil::load_directory(const std::string& dirPath,
+                       ndn::io::IoEncoding encoding) {
+  std::vector<T> structures;
+  std::set<std::string> fileNames;
+  if (fs::exists(dirPath)) {
+    for(fs::recursive_directory_iterator it(dirPath);
+      it !=  fs::recursive_directory_iterator();
+      ++it)
+    {
+      fileNames.insert(it->path().string());
+    }
+    for (const auto& f : fileNames) {
+      auto data_ptr = ndn::io::load<T>(f, encoding);
+      if (nullptr != data_ptr) {
+        structures.push_back(*data_ptr);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  structures.shrink_to_fit();
+  return structures;
+}
+
+} // namespace ntorrent
+} // namespace ndn
+
+#endif // INCLUDED_UTIL_IO_UTIL_H
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