diff --git a/tools/ndn-autoconfig/base.hpp b/tools/ndn-autoconfig/base.hpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2015,  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,
+ *                           The University of Memphis.
+ *
+ * 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 NFD_TOOLS_NDN_AUTOCONFIG_BASE_HPP
+#define NFD_TOOLS_NDN_AUTOCONFIG_BASE_HPP
+
+#include "common.hpp"
+
+#include <boost/noncopyable.hpp>
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/face.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/security/key-chain.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/management/nfd-controller.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/management/nfd-face-status.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/encoding/buffer-stream.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/util/face-uri.hpp>
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace tools {
+namespace autoconfig {
+
+/**
+ * @brief Base class for discovery stages
+ */
+class Base : boost::noncopyable
+{
+public:
+  class Error : public std::runtime_error
+  {
+  public:
+    explicit
+    Error(const std::string& what)
+      : std::runtime_error(what)
+    {
+    }
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Callback to be called when the stage fails
+   */
+  typedef std::function<void(const std::string&)> NextStageCallback;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Start the stage
+   */
+  virtual void
+  start() = 0;
+
+protected:
+  /**
+   * @brief Initialize variables and create nfd::Controller instance
+   * @param face Face to be used for all operations (e.g., will send registration commands)
+   * @param keyChain KeyChain object
+   * @param nextStageOnFailure Callback to be called after the stage failed
+   */
+  Base(Face& face, KeyChain& keyChain, const NextStageCallback& nextStageOnFailure);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Attempt to connect to local hub using the \p uri FaceUri
+   * @throw Base::Error when failed to establish the tunnel
+   */
+  void
+  connectToHub(const std::string& uri);
+
+private:
+  void
+  onCanonizeSuccess(const util::FaceUri& canonicalUri);
+
+  void
+  onCanonizeFailure(const std::string& reason);
+
+  void
+  onHubConnectSuccess(const nfd::ControlParameters& resp);
+
+  void
+  onHubConnectError(uint32_t code, const std::string& error);
+
+  void
+  registerPrefix(const Name& prefix, uint64_t faceId);
+
+  void
+  onPrefixRegistrationSuccess(const nfd::ControlParameters& commandSuccessResult);
+
+  void
+  onPrefixRegistrationError(uint32_t code, const std::string& error);
+
+protected:
+  Face& m_face;
+  KeyChain& m_keyChain;
+  nfd::Controller m_controller;
+  NextStageCallback m_nextStageOnFailure;
+};
+
+} // namespace autoconfig
+} // namespace tools
+} // namespace ndn
+
+#endif // NFD_TOOLS_NDN_AUTOCONFIG_BASE_HPP