diff --git a/src/libCom/bdt.c b/src/libCom/bdt.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80fc6c490
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libCom/bdt.c
@@ -0,0 +1,591 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
+#ifdef linux
+#include <sys/resource.h>
+#endif
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include "bdt.h"
+
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+/* server mode functions */
+
+#ifndef vxWorks /* server mode functions */
+static char* filename=(char*)NULL;
+
+/* ----------------------------- */
+/* signal catcher for the server */
+/* ----------------------------- */
+static void catch_sig(int sig)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr,"\nbdt server exiting\n");
+	unlink(filename);
+	exit(0);
+}
+
+/* -------------------------------- */
+/* child reaper for the server mode */
+/* -------------------------------- */
+static void get_child(int sig)
+{
+    while(wait3((int *)NULL,WNOHANG,(struct rusage *)NULL)>0);
+#ifdef linux
+	signal(SIGCHLD,get_child); /* for reaping children */
+#endif
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------- */
+/* Clear the signals for a process */
+/* ------------------------------- */
+int BdtServerClearSignals()
+{
+	signal(SIGCHLD,SIG_DFL);
+	signal(SIGHUP,SIG_DFL);
+	signal(SIGINT,SIG_DFL);
+	signal(SIGTERM,SIG_DFL);
+	signal(SIGQUIT,SIG_DFL);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* ----------------------------------------------------- */
+/* Make a unix process into a generic background process */
+/* ----------------------------------------------------- */
+int BdtMakeServer(char** argv)
+{
+	FILE* fd;
+
+	if(filename) return -1;
+
+	/* set up signal handling for the server */
+	signal(SIGCHLD,get_child); /* for reaping children */
+	signal(SIGHUP,catch_sig);
+	signal(SIGINT,catch_sig);
+	signal(SIGTERM,catch_sig);
+	signal(SIGQUIT,catch_sig);
+
+	/* disconnect from parent */
+    switch(fork())
+    {
+        case -1: /* error */
+			perror("Cannot fork");
+			return -1;
+        case 0: /* child */
+#ifdef linux
+			setpgrp();
+#else
+            setpgrp(0,0);
+#endif
+            setsid();
+            break;
+        default: /* parent goes away */
+        	exit(0);
+    }
+
+	/* save process ID */
+	filename=(char*)malloc(strlen(argv[0])+10);
+	sprintf(filename,"%s.%d",argv[0],getpid());
+	fd=fopen(filename,"w");
+	fprintf(fd,"%d",getpid());
+	fprintf(stderr,"\npv server pid: %d\n",getpid());
+	fclose(fd);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+#endif /* server mode functions */
+
+/* ------------------------------------------ */
+/* unimplemented channel access open function */
+/* ------------------------------------------ */
+BDT* BdtPvOpen(char* name)
+{
+	return (BDT*)NULL;
+}
+
+/* --------------------------------------------------------------- */
+/* open a bulk data socket to a server given the server IP address */
+/* --------------------------------------------------------------- */
+BDT* BdtIpOpen(char* address)
+{
+	struct sockaddr_in tsin;
+	unsigned long addr;
+	int osoc;
+	BDT* bdt;
+
+	/* request the process variables (bulk data?) */
+	addr=inet_addr(address);
+
+	tsin.sin_port=0;
+	tsin.sin_family=AF_INET;
+	tsin.sin_addr.s_addr=htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+
+	if((osoc=socket(AF_INET,SOCK_STREAM,BDT_TCP))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtIpOpen: create socket failed");
+		return (BDT*)NULL;
+	}
+
+	if((bind(osoc,(struct sockaddr*)&tsin,sizeof(tsin)))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtIpOpen: local address bind failed");
+		return (BDT*)NULL;
+	}
+
+	tsin.sin_port=htons(BDT_TCP_PORT);
+	memcpy((char*)&tsin.sin_addr,(char*)&addr,sizeof(addr));
+
+	if(connect(osoc,(struct sockaddr*)&tsin,sizeof(tsin))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtIpOpen: connect failed");
+		close(osoc);
+		return (BDT*)NULL;
+	}
+
+	bdt=(BDT*)malloc(sizeof(BDT));
+	bdt->soc=osoc;
+	bdt->pending_delta=0;
+	bdt->remaining_send=0;
+	bdt->remaining_recv=0;
+	bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+
+	/* now connected to the bulk data socket on the IOC */
+	return bdt;
+}
+
+/* -------------------------------------- */
+/* write size bytes from buffer to socket */
+/* -------------------------------------- */
+int BdtWrite(int soc,void* buffer,int size)
+{
+	int rc,total;
+	unsigned char* data;
+
+	data=(unsigned char*)buffer;
+	total=size;
+
+	do
+	{
+		/* send block of data */
+		if((rc=send(soc,&data[size-total],total,0))<0)
+		{
+			if(errno==EINTR)
+				rc=0;
+			else
+				{ perror("BdtWrite: Send to remote failed"); }
+		}
+		else
+			total-=rc;
+	}
+	while(rc>0 && total>0);
+
+	return (rc<=0)?-1:0;
+}
+
+/* --------------------------------------- */
+/* send a message header down a BDT socket */
+/* --------------------------------------- */
+int BdtSendHeader(BDT* bdt,unsigned short verb,int size)
+{
+	BdtMsgHead buf;
+
+	if(bdt->state!=BdtIdle)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtSendHeader: Interface not idle\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtBad;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	buf.verb=htons(verb);
+	buf.size=htonl((unsigned long)size);
+
+	if(BdtWrite(bdt->soc,&buf,sizeof(buf))<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtSendHeader: write to remote failed");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* don't wait for response if data must go out */
+	if(size)
+	{
+		bdt->remaining_send=size;
+		bdt->state=BdtSData;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------------- */
+/* send a message data chunk down a BDT socket */
+/* ------------------------------------------- */
+int BdtSendData(BDT* bdt,void* buffer,int size)
+{
+	int len,remaining,rc;
+
+	if(bdt->state!=BdtSData)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtSendData: Interface not in send data mode\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtBad;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	remaining=bdt->remaining_send-size;
+
+	if(remaining<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtSendData: To much data to send\n");
+		len=bdt->remaining_send;
+	}
+	else
+		len=size;
+
+	/* this function should loop until size bytes is sent */
+
+	/* send out the chunk */
+	if((rc=send(bdt->soc,(char*)buffer,len,0))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtSendData: Send data chunk to remote failed");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	bdt->remaining_send-=rc;
+
+	if(bdt->remaining_send<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtSendData: To much data Sent\n");
+		bdt->remaining_send=0;
+	}
+
+	if(bdt->remaining_send==0)
+		bdt->state=BdtIdle;
+
+	return rc;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+	report if data is pending from remote 
+	clear the pending data condition
+   ------------------------------------------------------------------------ */
+int BdtPvDeltaPending(BDT* bdt)
+{
+	int rc = bdt->pending_delta;
+	bdt->pending_delta=0;
+	return rc;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------- */
+/* Read exactly size bytes from remote   */
+/* ------------------------------------- */
+int BdtRead(int soc,void* buffer,int size)
+{
+	int rc,total;
+	unsigned char* data;
+
+	data=(unsigned char*)buffer;
+	total=size;
+
+	do
+	{
+		/* wait for data chunk */
+		if((rc=recv(soc,&data[size-total],total,0))<0)
+		{
+			if(errno==EINTR)
+				rc=0;
+			else
+				{ perror("BdtRead: Receive data chunk failed"); }
+		}
+		else
+			total-=rc;
+	}
+	while(rc>0 && total>0);
+
+	return (rc<=0)?-1:0;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------- */
+/* wait for a message header from remote */
+/* ------------------------------------- */
+int BdtReceiveHeader(BDT* bdt,int* verb,int* size)
+{
+	BdtMsgHead buf;
+
+	/* can only receive header when in the idle state */
+	if(bdt->state!=BdtIdle)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtReceiveHeader: Interface not idle\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtBad;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if(BdtRead(bdt->soc,&buf,sizeof(buf))<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtReceiveHeader: Read failed\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* copy message data to user */
+	*verb=ntohs(buf.verb);
+	*size=ntohl(buf.size);
+
+	if(*size)
+	{
+		bdt->state=BdtRData;
+		bdt->remaining_recv=*size;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+	Wait for a chunk of data from remote.
+	User can continually call this with a maximum size until it return 0.
+   ------------------------------------------------------------------------ */
+int BdtReceiveData(BDT* bdt,void* buffer,int size)
+{
+	int rc;
+
+	/* can only receive data when in the receive data state */
+	switch(bdt->state)
+	{
+	case BdtRData: break;
+	case BdtIdle: return 0;
+	default:
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtReceiveData: bad receive state\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtBad;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	/* wait for a chunk of data */
+	if((rc=recv(bdt->soc,(char*)buffer,size,0))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtReceiveData: Receive message data chunk failed");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	bdt->remaining_recv-=rc;
+
+	if(bdt->remaining_recv<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtReceiveData: To much data received\n");
+		bdt->remaining_recv=0;
+	}
+
+	if(bdt->remaining_recv==0)
+		bdt->state=BdtIdle;
+
+	return rc;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------------ */
+/* connect to a process variable, useful if raw open used */
+/* ------------------------------------------------------ */
+int BdtServiceConnect(BDT* bdt, char* service_name)
+{
+	int len,rc,size,verb;
+
+	if(bdt->state!=BdtUnbound)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtServiceConnect: can only bind to one service\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	bdt->state=BdtIdle;
+	len=strlen(service_name)+1;
+
+	/* send out connect message */
+	if(BdtSendHeader(bdt,BDT_Connect,len)<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtServiceConnect: send of connect header failed\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* send out the process variable to connect to */
+	if(BdtSendData(bdt,service_name,len)<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtServiceConnect: send of connect body failed\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	rc=0;
+
+	/* wait for response from connect to process variable */
+	if(BdtReceiveHeader(bdt,&verb,&size)<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtServiceConnect: receive reponse failed\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* check response */
+	switch(verb)
+	{
+	case BDT_Ok:
+		rc=0;
+		break;
+	case BDT_Error:
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtServiceConnect: connection rejected\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+		rc=-1;
+		break;
+	default:
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtServiceConnect: unknown response from remote\n");
+		bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+		rc=-1;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return rc;
+}
+
+/* -------------------- */
+/* close the connection */
+/* -------------------- */
+int BdtClose(BDT* bdt)
+{
+	int verb,size,done;
+
+	/* send a close message out */
+	if(BdtSendHeader(bdt,BDT_Close,0)<0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,"BdtClose: Cannot send close message\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	done=0;
+
+	do
+	{
+		/* check response */
+		if(BdtReceiveHeader(bdt,&verb,&size)<0)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr,"BdtClose: Close message response error\n");
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		switch(verb)
+		{
+		case BDT_Ok:
+			done=1;
+			break;
+		case BDT_Error:
+			fprintf(stderr,"BdtClose: Close rejected\n");
+			return -1;
+			break;
+		default: break;
+		}
+	}
+	while(done==0);
+
+	bdt->state=BdtUnbound;
+	free(bdt);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* --------------------------------------- */
+/* make a listener socket for UDP - simple */
+/* --------------------------------------- */
+int BdtOpenListenerUDP()
+{
+	int nsoc;
+	struct sockaddr_in tsin;
+
+	tsin.sin_port=htons(BDT_UDP_PORT);
+	tsin.sin_family=AF_INET;
+	tsin.sin_addr.s_addr=htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+
+	if((nsoc=socket(AF_INET,SOCK_DGRAM,BDT_UDP))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtOpenListenerUDP: open socket failed");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if((bind(nsoc,(struct sockaddr*)&tsin,sizeof(tsin)))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtOpenListenerUDP: local bind failed");
+		close(nsoc);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return nsoc;
+}
+
+/* --------------------------------------- */
+/* make a listener socket for TCP - simple */
+/* --------------------------------------- */
+int BdtOpenListenerTCP()
+{
+	int nsoc;
+	struct sockaddr_in tsin;
+
+	tsin.sin_port=htons(BDT_TCP_PORT);
+	tsin.sin_family=AF_INET;
+	tsin.sin_addr.s_addr=htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+
+	if((nsoc=socket(AF_INET,SOCK_STREAM,BDT_TCP))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtOpenListenerTCP: open socket failed");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if((bind(nsoc,(struct sockaddr*)&tsin,sizeof(tsin)))<0)
+	{
+		perror("BdtOpenListenerTCP: local bind failed");
+		close(nsoc);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	listen(nsoc,5);
+	return nsoc;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------- */
+/* make BDT from a socket - simple */
+/* ------------------------------- */
+BDT* BdtMakeBDT(int soc)
+{
+	BDT* bdt;
+	bdt=(BDT*)malloc(sizeof(BDT));
+	bdt->soc=soc;
+	bdt->pending_delta=0;
+	bdt->remaining_send=0;
+	bdt->remaining_recv=0;
+	bdt->state=BdtIdle;
+	return bdt;
+}
+
+/* --------------------------- */
+/* free a BDT and close socket */
+/* --------------------------- */
+int BdtFreeBDT(BDT* bdt)
+{
+	close(bdt->soc);
+	free(bdt);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------- */
+/* connect to a generic service on the remote server */
+/* ------------------------------------------------- */
+int BdtPvConnect(BDT* bdt, char* pv_name)
+{
+	char* data;
+	int len,rc;
+
+	len=strlen(pv_name)+strlen(BDT_PV_SERVICE)+2;
+	data=(char*)malloc(len);
+	sprintf(data,"%s %s",BDT_PV_SERVICE,pv_name);
+
+	rc=BdtServiceConnect(bdt,data);
+
+	free(data);
+	return rc;
+}
+