diff --git a/db/kvstore/kvutils.go b/db/kvstore/kvutils.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..318482f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/kvstore/kvutils.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package kvstore
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// GetDuration converts a timeout value from int to duration.  If the timeout value is
+// either not set of -ve then we default KV timeout (configurable) is used.
+func GetDuration(timeout int) time.Duration {
+	if timeout <= 0 {
+		return defaultKVGetTimeout * time.Second
+	}
+	return time.Duration(timeout) * time.Second
+}
+
+// ToString converts an interface value to a string.  The interface should either be of
+// a string type or []byte.  Otherwise, an error is returned.
+func ToString(value interface{}) (string, error) {
+	switch t := value.(type) {
+	case []byte:
+		return string(value.([]byte)), nil
+	case string:
+		return value.(string), nil
+	default:
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("unexpected-type-%T", t)
+	}
+}
+
+// ToByte converts an interface value to a []byte.  The interface should either be of
+// a string type or []byte.  Otherwise, an error is returned.
+func ToByte(value interface{}) ([]byte, error) {
+	switch t := value.(type) {
+	case []byte:
+		return value.([]byte), nil
+	case string:
+		return []byte(value.(string)), nil
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected-type-%T", t)
+	}
+}