diff --git a/internal/common/helpers.go b/internal/common/helpers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6ba022f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/common/helpers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package common
+
+import (
+	"github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/go/openolt"
+	"strconv"
+)
+
+func OnuSnToString(sn *openolt.SerialNumber) string {
+	s := string(sn.VendorId)
+	for _, i := range sn.VendorSpecific {
+		s = s + strconv.FormatInt(int64(i/16), 16) + strconv.FormatInt(int64(i%16), 16)
+	}
+	return s
+}
diff --git a/internal/common/logger.go b/internal/common/logger.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc6e48d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/common/logger.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package common
+
+import log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+func SetLogLevel(logger *log.Logger, level string, caller bool) {
+
+	logger.SetReportCaller(caller)
+
+	switch level {
+	case "trace":
+		logger.SetLevel(log.TraceLevel)
+	case "debug":
+		logger.SetLevel(log.DebugLevel)
+	case "info":
+		logger.SetLevel(log.InfoLevel)
+	case "warn":
+		logger.SetLevel(log.WarnLevel)
+	case "error":
+		logger.SetLevel(log.ErrorLevel)
+	default:
+		logger.SetLevel(log.DebugLevel)
+		logger.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"level": level,
+		}).Warn("The provided level is unknown. Defaulting to 'debug'")
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/internal/common/logger_test.go b/internal/common/logger_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e9de8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/common/logger_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package common_test
+
+import (
+	"github.com/opencord/bbsim/internal/common"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"gotest.tools/assert"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func Test_SetLogLevel(t *testing.T) {
+	log := logrus.New()
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "trace", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.Level, logrus.TraceLevel)
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "debug", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.Level, logrus.DebugLevel)
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "info", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.Level, logrus.InfoLevel)
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "warn", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.Level, logrus.WarnLevel)
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "error", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.Level, logrus.ErrorLevel)
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "foobar", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.Level, logrus.DebugLevel)
+}
+
+func Test_SetLogLevelCaller(t *testing.T) {
+	log := logrus.New()
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "debug", true)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.ReportCaller, true)
+
+	common.SetLogLevel(log, "debug", false)
+	assert.Equal(t, log.ReportCaller, false)
+}
diff --git a/internal/common/omci/mibpackets.go b/internal/common/omci/mibpackets.go
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..99ebb56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/common/omci/mibpackets.go
@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package omci
+
+import (
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"github.com/cboling/omci"
+	me "github.com/cboling/omci/generated"
+	"github.com/google/gopacket"
+	omcisim "github.com/opencord/omci-sim"
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+)
+
+var omciLogger = log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+	"module": "OMCI",
+})
+
+const galEthernetEID = uint16(1)
+const maxGemPayloadSize = uint16(48)
+const gemEID = uint16(1)
+
+type txFrameCreator func() ([]byte, error)
+type rxFrameParser func(gopacket.Packet) error
+
+type ServiceStep struct {
+	MakeTxFrame txFrameCreator
+	RxHandler   rxFrameParser
+}
+
+func serialize(msgType omci.MessageType, request gopacket.SerializableLayer, tid uint16) ([]byte, error) {
+	omciLayer := &omci.OMCI{
+		TransactionID: tid,
+		MessageType:   msgType,
+	}
+	var options gopacket.SerializeOptions
+	options.FixLengths = true
+
+	buffer := gopacket.NewSerializeBuffer()
+	err := gopacket.SerializeLayers(buffer, options, omciLayer, request)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return buffer.Bytes(), nil
+}
+
+func hexEncode(omciPkt []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	dst := make([]byte, hex.EncodedLen(len(omciPkt)))
+	hex.Encode(dst, omciPkt)
+	return dst, nil
+}
+
+func DecodeOmci(payload []byte) (omci.MessageType, gopacket.Packet) {
+	// Perform base OMCI decode (common to all requests)
+	packet := gopacket.NewPacket(payload, omci.LayerTypeOMCI, gopacket.NoCopy)
+
+	if omciLayer := packet.Layer(omci.LayerTypeOMCI); omciLayer != nil {
+
+		omciObj, omciOk := omciLayer.(*omci.OMCI)
+		if !omciOk {
+			panic("Not Expected") // TODO: Do something better or delete...
+		}
+		if byte(omciObj.MessageType) & ^me.AK == 0 {
+			// Not a response, silently discard
+			return 0, nil
+		}
+		return omciObj.MessageType, packet
+	}
+
+	// FIXME
+	// if we can't properly decode the packet, try using shad helper method
+	// most likely this won't be necessary once we move omci-sim to use cboling/omci
+	// to generate packets
+	_, _, msgType, _, _, _, err := omcisim.ParsePkt(payload)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+	if msgType == omcisim.MibReset {
+		return omci.MibResetResponseType, nil
+	}
+	if msgType == omcisim.MibUpload {
+		return omci.MibUploadResponseType, nil
+	}
+	if msgType == omcisim.MibUploadNext {
+		return omci.MibUploadNextResponseType, nil
+	}
+	if msgType == omcisim.Create {
+		return omci.CreateResponseType, nil
+	}
+	if msgType == omcisim.Set {
+		return omci.SetResponseType, nil
+	}
+
+	omciLogger.Warnf("omci-sim returns msgType: %d", msgType)
+
+	return 0, nil
+}
+
+func CreateMibResetRequest(tid uint16) ([]byte, error) {
+
+	request := &omci.MibResetRequest{
+		MeBasePacket: omci.MeBasePacket{
+			EntityClass: me.OnuDataClassId,
+		},
+	}
+	pkt, err := serialize(omci.MibResetRequestType, request, tid)
+	if err != nil {
+		omciLogger.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"Err": err,
+		}).Fatalf("Cannot serialize MibResetRequest")
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return hexEncode(pkt)
+}
+
+func CreateMibUploadRequest(tid uint16) ([]byte, error) {
+	request := &omci.MibUploadRequest{
+		MeBasePacket: omci.MeBasePacket{
+			EntityClass: me.OnuDataClassId,
+			// Default Instance ID is 0
+		},
+	}
+	pkt, err := serialize(omci.MibUploadRequestType, request, tid)
+	if err != nil {
+		omciLogger.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"Err": err,
+		}).Fatalf("Cannot serialize MibUploadRequest")
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return hexEncode(pkt)
+}
+
+func CreateMibUploadNextRequest(tid uint16, seqNumber uint16) ([]byte, error) {
+
+	request := &omci.MibUploadNextRequest{
+		MeBasePacket: omci.MeBasePacket{
+			EntityClass: me.OnuDataClassId,
+			// Default Instance ID is 0
+		},
+		CommandSequenceNumber: seqNumber,
+	}
+	pkt, err := serialize(omci.MibUploadNextRequestType, request, tid)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		omciLogger.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"Err": err,
+		}).Fatalf("Cannot serialize MibUploadNextRequest")
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return hexEncode(pkt)
+}
+
+// TODO understand and refactor
+
+func CreateGalEnetRequest(tid uint16) ([]byte, error) {
+	params := me.ParamData{
+		EntityID:   galEthernetEID,
+		Attributes: me.AttributeValueMap{"MaximumGemPayloadSize": maxGemPayloadSize},
+	}
+	meDef, _ := me.NewGalEthernetProfile(params)
+	pkt, err := omci.GenFrame(meDef, omci.CreateRequestType, omci.TransactionID(tid))
+	if err != nil {
+		omciLogger.WithField("err", err).Fatalf("Can't generate GalEnetRequest")
+	}
+	return hexEncode(pkt)
+}
+
+func CreateEnableUniRequest(tid uint16, uniId uint16, enabled bool, isPtp bool) ([]byte, error) {
+
+	var _enabled uint8
+	if enabled {
+		_enabled = uint8(1)
+	} else {
+		_enabled = uint8(0)
+	}
+
+	data := me.ParamData{
+		EntityID: uniId,
+		Attributes: me.AttributeValueMap{
+			"AdministrativeState": _enabled,
+		},
+	}
+	var medef *me.ManagedEntity
+	var omciErr me.OmciErrors
+
+	if isPtp {
+		medef, omciErr = me.NewPhysicalPathTerminationPointEthernetUni(data)
+	} else {
+		medef, omciErr = me.NewVirtualEthernetInterfacePoint(data)
+	}
+	if omciErr != nil {
+		return nil, omciErr.GetError()
+	}
+	pkt, err := omci.GenFrame(medef, omci.SetRequestType, omci.TransactionID(tid))
+	if err != nil {
+		omciLogger.WithField("err", err).Fatalf("Can't generate EnableUniRequest")
+	}
+	return hexEncode(pkt)
+}
+
+func CreateGemPortRequest(tid uint16) ([]byte, error) {
+	params := me.ParamData{
+		EntityID: gemEID,
+		Attributes: me.AttributeValueMap{
+			"PortId":                              1,
+			"TContPointer":                        1,
+			"Direction":                           0,
+			"TrafficManagementPointerForUpstream": 0,
+			"TrafficDescriptorProfilePointerForUpstream": 0,
+			"UniCounter":                                   0,
+			"PriorityQueuePointerForDownStream":            0,
+			"EncryptionState":                              0,
+			"TrafficDescriptorProfilePointerForDownstream": 0,
+			"EncryptionKeyRing":                            0,
+		},
+	}
+	meDef, _ := me.NewGemPortNetworkCtp(params)
+	pkt, err := omci.GenFrame(meDef, omci.CreateRequestType, omci.TransactionID(tid))
+	if err != nil {
+		omciLogger.WithField("err", err).Fatalf("Can't generate GemPortRequest")
+	}
+	return hexEncode(pkt)
+}
+
+// END TODO
diff --git a/internal/common/options.go b/internal/common/options.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46c8752
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/common/options.go
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package common
+
+import "flag"
+
+type BBSimCliOptions struct {
+	OltID        int
+	NumNniPerOlt int
+	NumPonPerOlt int
+	NumOnuPerPon int
+	STag         int
+	CTagInit     int
+	ProfileCpu   *string
+	LogLevel     string
+	LogCaller    bool
+}
+
+type BBRCliOptions struct {
+	*BBSimCliOptions
+	BBSimIp      string
+	BBSimPort    string
+	BBSimApiPort string
+}
+
+func GetBBSimOpts() *BBSimCliOptions {
+
+	olt_id := flag.Int("olt_id", 0, "Number of OLT devices to be emulated")
+	nni := flag.Int("nni", 1, "Number of NNI ports per OLT device to be emulated")
+	pon := flag.Int("pon", 1, "Number of PON ports per OLT device to be emulated")
+	onu := flag.Int("onu", 1, "Number of ONU devices per PON port to be emulated")
+
+	s_tag := flag.Int("s_tag", 900, "S-Tag value")
+	c_tag_init := flag.Int("c_tag", 900, "C-Tag starting value, each ONU will get a sequential one (targeting 1024 ONUs per BBSim instance the range is big enough)")
+
+	profileCpu := flag.String("cpuprofile", "", "write cpu profile to file")
+
+	logLevel := flag.String("logLevel", "debug", "Set the log level (trace, debug, info, warn, error)")
+	logCaller := flag.Bool("logCaller", false, "Whether to print the caller filename or not")
+
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	o := new(BBSimCliOptions)
+
+	o.OltID = int(*olt_id)
+	o.NumNniPerOlt = int(*nni)
+	o.NumPonPerOlt = int(*pon)
+	o.NumOnuPerPon = int(*onu)
+	o.STag = int(*s_tag)
+	o.CTagInit = int(*c_tag_init)
+	o.ProfileCpu = profileCpu
+	o.LogLevel = *logLevel
+	o.LogCaller = *logCaller
+
+	return o
+}
+
+func GetBBROpts() BBRCliOptions {
+
+	bbsimIp := flag.String("bbsimIp", "127.0.0.1", "BBSim IP")
+	bbsimPort := flag.String("bbsimPort", "50060", "BBSim Port")
+	bbsimApiPort := flag.String("bbsimApiPort", "50070", "BBSim API Port")
+
+	options := GetBBSimOpts()
+
+	bbrOptions := BBRCliOptions{
+		options,
+		*bbsimIp,
+		*bbsimPort,
+		*bbsimApiPort,
+	}
+
+	return bbrOptions
+}