to be verified
diff --git a/src/iterative-query.hpp b/src/iterative-query.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f0ab98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/iterative-query.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014, Regents of the University of California.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NDNS (Named Data Networking Domain Name Service).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NDNS authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NDNS 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.
+ *
+ * NDNS 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
+ * NDNS, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+#ifndef INTERATIVE_QUERY_HPP_
+#define INTERATIVE_QUERY_HPP_
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/data.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/interest.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/name.hpp>
+#include <sys/_types/_ssize_t.h>
+#include <cstdbool>
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include "query.hpp"
+#include "response.hpp"
+//#include "rr.hpp"
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace ndns {
+
+class IterativeQuery
+{
+
+public:
+  enum QuerySteps{
+    NSQuery,
+    NackNS,
+    RRQuery,
+    NackRR,
+    AnswerStub,
+    Abort,
+    FinishedSuccessfully
+  };
+
+
+  static std::string
+  toString(const QuerySteps& step)
+  {
+    std::string label;
+    switch(step)
+    {
+    case NSQuery:
+      label = "NSQuery";
+      break;
+    case NackNS:
+      label = "NackNS";
+      break;
+    case RRQuery:
+      label = "RRQuery";
+      break;
+    case NackRR:
+      label = "NackRR";
+      break;
+    case AnswerStub:
+      label = "AnswerStub";
+      break;
+    case Abort:
+      label = "Abort";
+      break;
+    default:
+      label = "UNKNOW";
+    }
+
+    return label;
+  }
+
+public:
+  IterativeQuery(const Query& );
+
+  void
+  doData(Data& data);
+
+  bool
+  doTimeout();
+
+
+  void
+  abort();
+
+
+  const Interest
+  toLatestInterest();
+
+
+  bool hasFinished() {
+    return m_query.getRrLabel().size() == m_finishedLabelNum;
+  }
+
+  void addTryNum() {
+    m_tryNum += 1;
+  }
+
+  ssize_t getFinishedLabelNum() const {
+    return m_finishedLabelNum;
+  }
+
+  void setFinishedLabelNum(ssize_t finishedLabelNum) {
+    m_finishedLabelNum = finishedLabelNum;
+  }
+
+  const Query& getQuery() const {
+    return m_query;
+  }
+
+  const Response& getLastResponse() const {
+    return m_lastResponse;
+  }
+
+  void setLastResponse(const Response& response) {
+    m_lastResponse = response;
+  }
+
+  unsigned short getTryMax() const {
+    return m_tryMax;
+  }
+
+  void setTryMax(unsigned short tryMax) {
+    m_tryMax = tryMax;
+  }
+
+  unsigned short getTryNum() const {
+    return m_tryNum;
+  }
+
+  void setTryNum(unsigned short tryNum) {
+    m_tryNum = tryNum;
+  }
+
+  const Interest& getLastInterest() const {
+    return m_lastInterest;
+  }
+
+  void setLastInterest(const Interest& lastInterest) {
+    m_lastInterest = lastInterest;
+
+  }
+
+  QuerySteps getStep() const {
+    return m_step;
+  }
+
+  void setStep(QuerySteps step) {
+    m_step = step;
+  }
+
+  ssize_t getRrLabelLen() const {
+    return m_rrLabelLen;
+  }
+
+  void setRrLabelLen(ssize_t rrLabelLen) {
+    m_rrLabelLen = rrLabelLen;
+  }
+
+  unsigned int getAuthZoneIndex() const {
+    return m_authZoneIndex;
+  }
+
+  void setRrAsNextAuthorityZoneToTry(unsigned int authZoneIndex) {
+    m_authZoneIndex = authZoneIndex;
+  }
+
+private:
+  QuerySteps m_step;
+
+  unsigned short m_tryNum;
+  unsigned short m_tryMax;
+  //Name m_dstLabel;
+
+
+  /*
+   * the original query, not the intermediate query
+   */
+  const Query m_query;
+  /*
+   * the number of label that has been resolved successfully
+   * This also define the next AuthZone prefix
+   * AuthZone = m_query.getRrLabel().getPrefix(m_finishedLabelNum)
+   */
+  ssize_t m_finishedLabelNum;
+
+  /*
+   * the number used to generated the label
+   * query.getRrLabel().getSubName(m_finishedLabelNum, m_labelLength);
+   */
+  ssize_t m_rrLabelLen;
+
+
+  /*
+   * m_lastResponse is changed once a new expecting Data is understood:
+   * response.from(data)
+   */
+  Response m_lastResponse;
+
+  /*
+   * next auth zone should be m_lastResponse.getRrs()[m_authZoneIndex]
+   */
+  unsigned int m_authZoneIndex;
+
+
+
+
+  /*
+   * last interest that has sent
+   */
+  Interest m_lastInterest;
+};
+
+inline std::ostream&
+operator<<(std::ostream& os, const IterativeQuery iq)
+{
+  os<<"InterativeQuery: dstLabel="<<iq.getQuery().getRrLabel().toUri()
+      <<" currentStep="<<IterativeQuery::toString( iq.getStep())
+      <<" finishedLabel="<<iq.getFinishedLabelNum()
+      <<" rrLabelen="<<iq.getRrLabelLen()
+      <<" NextAuZoneIndex="<<iq.getAuthZoneIndex()
+      << " [OriginalQuery: " <<iq.getQuery() << "]"
+      <<" [LastReponse: "<<iq.getLastResponse()<<"]"
+      <<" [LastInterest: " <<iq.getLastInterest()<<"]";
+
+  return os;
+}
+
+} /* namespace ndns */
+} /* namespace ndn */
+
+#endif /* INTERATIVE_QUERY_HPP_ */