diff --git a/catalog/src/util/config-file.hpp b/catalog/src/util/config-file.hpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014  Regents of the University of California,
+ *                     Arizona Board of Regents,
+ *                     Colorado State University,
+ *                     University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
+ *                     Washington University in St. Louis,
+ *                     Beijing Institute of Technology
+ *
+ * This file is part of NFD (Named Data Networking Forwarding Daemon).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NFD authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NFD is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NFD 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 General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * NFD, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ **/
+
+#ifndef ATMOS_CATALOG_CONFIG_FILE_HPP
+#define ATMOS_CATALOG_CONFIG_FILE_HPP
+
+#include <boost/property_tree/ptree.hpp>
+#include <map>
+
+namespace atmos {
+namespace util{
+
+typedef boost::property_tree::ptree ConfigSection;
+
+/// \brief callback for config file sections
+typedef std::function<void(const ConfigSection& /*section*/,
+                             bool /*isDryRun*/,
+                             const std::string& /*filename*/)> ConfigSectionHandler;
+
+/// \brief callback for config file sections without a subscribed handler
+typedef std::function<void(const std::string& /*filename*/,
+                             const std::string& /*sectionName*/,
+                             const ConfigSection& /*section*/,
+                             bool /*isDryRun*/)> UnknownConfigSectionHandler;
+
+class ConfigFile : boost::noncopyable
+{
+public:
+
+  class Error : public std::runtime_error
+  {
+  public:
+    explicit
+    Error(const std::string& what)
+      : std::runtime_error(what)
+    {
+
+    }
+  };
+
+  ConfigFile(UnknownConfigSectionHandler unknownSectionCallback = throwErrorOnUnknownSection);
+
+  static void
+  throwErrorOnUnknownSection(const std::string& filename,
+                             const std::string& sectionName,
+                             const ConfigSection& section,
+                             bool isDryRun);
+
+  static void
+  ignoreUnknownSection(const std::string& filename,
+                       const std::string& sectionName,
+                       const ConfigSection& section,
+                       bool isDryRun);
+
+  /// \brief setup notification of configuration file sections
+  void
+  addSectionHandler(const std::string& sectionName,
+                    ConfigSectionHandler subscriber);
+
+
+  /**
+   * \param filename file to parse
+   * \param isDryRun true if performing a dry run of configuration, false otherwise
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if file not found
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if parse error
+   */
+  void
+  parse(const std::string& filename, bool isDryRun);
+
+  /**
+   * \param input configuration (as a string) to parse
+   * \param isDryRun true if performing a dry run of configuration, false otherwise
+   * \param filename optional convenience argument to provide more detailed error messages
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if file not found
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if parse error
+   */
+  void
+  parse(const std::string& input, bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename);
+
+  /**
+   * \param input stream to parse
+   * \param isDryRun true if performing a dry run of configuration, false otherwise
+   * \param filename optional convenience argument to provide more detailed error messages
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if parse error
+   */
+  void
+  parse(std::istream& input, bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename);
+
+private:
+
+  void
+  process(bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename);
+
+private:
+  UnknownConfigSectionHandler m_unknownSectionCallback;
+
+  typedef std::map<std::string, ConfigSectionHandler> SubscriptionTable;
+
+  SubscriptionTable m_subscriptions;
+
+  ConfigSection m_global;
+};
+} // namespace util
+} // namespace atmos
+
+
+#endif // ATMOS_CATALOG_CONFIG_FILE_HPP