diff --git a/acctonUseDpctl/util.py b/acctonUseDpctl/util.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..757d889
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acctonUseDpctl/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import subprocess
+import json
+import os
+from pprint import pprint
+
+test_tmp_file=os.getcwd()+os.sep+"dpctloutputtmp.tmp"
+
+
+def apply_dpctl_cmd(test, config, cmd):
+    switch_ip = config["switch_ip"]
+    if len(switch_ip) == 0:
+        assert(0)
+        
+    #create the tmp file
+    try:
+        subprocess.check_call(["ls", test_tmp_file])            
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        open(test_tmp_file, "w").close()
+        subprocess.call(["sudo", "chmod", "a+w", test_tmp_file])
+
+    #apply dpctl command     
+    subprocess.call("dpctl tcp:"+switch_ip+":6633 "+cmd+" > "+test_tmp_file, shell=True)
+
+    with open(test_tmp_file) as tmp_file:
+        try:
+            json_result=json.loads(tmp_file.read(), encoding='utf-8')
+        except ValueError:
+            subprocess.call("cat "+ test_tmp_file, shell=True)
+            """
+            https://docs.python.org/2/library/unittest.html#
+            """            
+            test.assertTrue(False, "NO json format, dpctl may fail")
+    
+    return json_result            
\ No newline at end of file