diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 8e966cf..218b4ca 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -11,15 +11,16 @@ import "go.wit.com/log"
 var argv args
 
 type args struct {
-	Xml       []string `arg:"--libvirt"                         help:"import qemu xml files: --libvirt /etc/libvirt/qemu/*.xml"`
-	IgnoreCpu bool     `arg:"--xml-ignore-cpu"  default:"true"  help:"ignore non-standard libvirt xml cpus"`
-	IgnoreBr  bool     `arg:"--xml-ignore-net"  default:"true"  help:"ignore network bridge name changes"`
-	IgnDisk   bool     `arg:"--xml-ignore-disk" default:"false" help:"ignore duplicate disk names"`
-	Config    string   `arg:"env:VIRTIGO_HOME"                  help:"defaults to ~/.config/virtigo/"`
-	Port      int      `arg:"--port"     default:"8080"         help:"allow droplet events via http"`
-	Daemon    bool     `arg:"--daemon"                          help:"run in daemon mode"`
+	Xml    []string `arg:"--libvirt"                         help:"import qemu xml files: --libvirt /etc/libvirt/qemu/*.xml"`
+	Config string   `arg:"env:VIRTIGO_HOME"                  help:"defaults to ~/.config/virtigo/"`
+	Port   int      `arg:"--port"     default:"8080"         help:"allow droplet events via http"`
 }
 
+// Daemon    bool     `arg:"--daemon"                          help:"run in daemon mode"`
+// IgnoreCpu bool     `arg:"--xml-ignore-cpu"  default:"true"  help:"ignore non-standard libvirt xml cpus"`
+// IgnoreBr  bool     `arg:"--xml-ignore-net"  default:"true"  help:"ignore network bridge name changes"`
+// IgnDisk   bool     `arg:"--xml-ignore-disk" default:"false" help:"ignore duplicate disk names"`
+
 //	Save      bool     `arg:"--save"     default:"false"        help:"save protobuf config after import"`
 //	Start     string   `arg:"--start"                           help:"start a droplet"`
 //	Uptime bool     `arg:"--uptime"   default:"true"    help:"allow uptime checks for things like Kuma"`
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ This app talks to your hypervisors via the virtigod daemon.
 
 Import your existing libvirt xml files with:
 
-	virtigo --libvirt /etc/libvirt/qemu/*.xml --save
+	virtigo --libvirt /etc/libvirt/qemu/*.xml
 
 This runs a http server so you can control your virtual machines.
 For example to start a vm called 'www.wit.com' your cluster 'foo.bar.com':
diff --git a/create.go b/create.go
index 9cdde7e..d77daad 100644
--- a/create.go
+++ b/create.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func create(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (string, error) {
 		d.Networks = append(d.Networks, newNet)
 		// d.AddDefaultNetwork(mac)
 	}
-	me.cluster.Droplets = append(me.cluster.Droplets, d)
+	me.cluster.AddDroplet(d)
 
 	result, err := startDroplet(d)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -158,11 +158,6 @@ func startDroplet(d *pb.Droplet) (string, error) {
 	result += fmt.Sprintln("pool has", len(pool), "members", "rand =", n)
 	h := pool[n]
 
-	// update/resend the search directories to the hypervisor
-	result += fmt.Sprintln("h.sendDirs() HERE")
-	result += fmt.Sprintln("h.sendDirs() HERE")
-	h.sendDirs()
-
 	ok, output := h.start(d)
 	if ok {
 		return result + output, nil
diff --git a/dump.go b/dump.go
index 51d4cf3..e3ab9f7 100644
--- a/dump.go
+++ b/dump.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 */
 
 func dumpCluster(w http.ResponseWriter) {
-	umap, macs, err := ValidateDroplets(me.cluster)
+	umap, macs, err := ValidateDroplets()
 	for u, hostname := range umap {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, "uuid:", u, "hostname:", hostname)
 	}
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ func dumpCluster(w http.ResponseWriter) {
 
 // list running droplets and droplets that should be running
 func dumpDroplets(w http.ResponseWriter, full bool) {
-	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
+		fmt.Println(w, "Droplet UUID:", d.Uuid)
+
 		var macs []string
 		for _, n := range d.Networks {
 			macs = append(macs, n.Mac)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 69a8f45..98af0d0 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"embed"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
@@ -33,9 +34,9 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
-	if argv.Daemon {
-		log.DaemonMode(true)
-	}
+	// if argv.Daemon {
+	// 	log.DaemonMode(true)
+	// }
 
 	// set defaults
 	me.unstable = time.Now() // initialize the grid as unstable
@@ -52,20 +53,25 @@ func main() {
 	// how long the cluster must be stable before new droplets can be started
 	me.clusterStableDuration = 37 * time.Second
 
-	// read in the config file
-	me.cluster = new(pb.Cluster)
-	me.cluster.E = new(pb.Events)
+	me.cluster = pb.InitCluster()
 	if err := me.cluster.ConfigLoad(); err != nil {
 		log.Info("config load error", err)
 		os.Exit(-1)
 	}
 
-	for i, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
+		if d == nil {
+			fmt.Println("d == nil")
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
+		fmt.Println("Droplet UUID:", d.Uuid)
 		if d.Current == nil {
 			d.Current = new(pb.Current)
 		}
 		d.Current.State = pb.DropletState_OFF
-		log.Info(i, "droplet", d.Hostname)
+		log.Info("droplet", d.Hostname)
 	}
 	hmm := "pihole.wit.com"
 	d := me.cluster.FindDropletByName(hmm)
@@ -78,11 +84,11 @@ func main() {
 	var newEvents []*pb.Event
 
 	// sanity check the cluster & droplets
-	if _, _, err := ValidateDroplets(me.cluster); err != nil {
+	if _, _, err := ValidateDroplets(); err != nil {
 		log.Info("todo: add flag to ignore. for now, fix problems in the config file.")
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
-	newe, err := ValidateDiskFilenames(me.cluster)
+	newe, err := ValidateDiskFilenames()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Info(err)
 		os.Exit(-1)
@@ -91,7 +97,7 @@ func main() {
 	for _, e := range newe {
 		newEvents = append(newEvents, e)
 	}
-	ValidateUniqueFilenames(me.cluster)
+	ValidateUniqueFilenames()
 
 	for _, filename := range argv.Xml {
 		domcfg, err := virtigolib.ReadXml(filename)
@@ -138,7 +144,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	// initialize each hypervisor
-	for _, pbh := range me.cluster.Hypervisors {
+	for _, pbh := range me.cluster.H.Hypervisors {
 		// this is a new unknown droplet (not in the config file)
 		var h *HyperT
 		h = new(HyperT)
@@ -155,9 +161,6 @@ func main() {
 	for _, h := range me.hypers {
 		log.Info("starting polling on", h.pb.Hostname)
 
-		// inititialize the search directories on each hypervisor
-		h.sendDirs()
-
 		// start a watchdog on each hypervisor
 		go h.NewWatchdog()
 	}
diff --git a/poll.go b/poll.go
index 0cf9709..dc5235f 100644
--- a/poll.go
+++ b/poll.go
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ func uptimeCheck() (bool, string) {
 	var unknown int
 	var unknownList []string
 
-	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		total += 1
 		if d.StartState != pb.DropletState_ON {
 			continue
diff --git a/resources/initcfg/cluster.text b/resources/initcfg/cluster.text
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d94cad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/initcfg/cluster.text
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+dirs:  "/var/lib/libvirt/images"
+dirs:  "/home/isos"
+dirs:  "/home/nfs"
+dirs:  "/home/ceph"
+dirs:  "/home"
diff --git a/resources/initcfg/droplets.text b/resources/initcfg/droplets.text
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fae130a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/initcfg/droplets.text
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+droplets:  {
+  hostname:  "git.wit.org"
+  cpus:  16
+  memory:  103079215104
+  preferred_hypervisor:  "farm04"
+  qemu_machine:  "pc-q35-9.0"
+  networks:  {
+    mac:  "22:22:22:22:22:03"
+    name:  ""
+  }
+  disks:  {
+    filename:  "git.wit.org.qcow2"
+    filepath:  "/home/nfs3"
+  }
+}
+droplets:  {
+  hostname:  "go.wit.com"
+  cpus:  2
+  memory:  2147483648
+  preferred_hypervisor:  "farm04"
+  qemu_machine:  "pc-q35-9.0"
+  networks:  {
+    mac:  "22:22:22:22:22:05"
+    name:  ""
+  }
+  disks:  {
+    filename:  "go.wit.com.qcow2"
+    filepath:  "/home/nfs"
+  }
+}
+droplets:  {
+  hostname:  "wekan.foo.com"
+  cpus:  2
+  memory:  2147483648
+  qemu_machine:  "pc-q35-9.1"
+  networks:  {
+    mac:  "22:22:22:22:22:08"
+    name:  ""
+  }
+  disks:  {
+    filename:  "wekan.foo.com.qcow2"
+    filepath:  "/home/nfs"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/resources/initcfg/events.text b/resources/initcfg/events.text
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12a7515
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/initcfg/events.text
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+events:  {
+  droplet:  "www.foo.org"
+  start:  {
+    seconds:  1729895589
+    nanos:  425114400
+  }
+  field_name:  "Droplet.Memory"
+  orig_val:  "1073741824"
+  new_val:  "2147483648"
+}
diff --git a/resources/initcfg/hypervisors.text b/resources/initcfg/hypervisors.text
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7817eb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/initcfg/hypervisors.text
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+hypervisors:  {
+  uuid:  "11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555"
+  hostname:  "hyper01"
+  active:  true
+  cpus:  16
+  memory:  8796093022208
+  comment:  "this is a fake hypervisor"
+  autoscan:  true
+}
+hypervisors:  {
+  hostname:  "hyper02"
+  active:  true
+  cpus:  16
+  memory:  8796093022208
+  comment:  "this is a fake hypervisor"
+  autoscan:  true
+}
diff --git a/start.go b/start.go
index cf82d36..eaad2c5 100644
--- a/start.go
+++ b/start.go
@@ -101,11 +101,6 @@ func Start(name string) (string, error) {
 	result += fmt.Sprintln("pool has", len(pool), "members", "rand =", n)
 	h := pool[n]
 
-	// update/resend the search directories to the hypervisor
-	result += fmt.Sprintln("h.sendDirs() HERE")
-	result += fmt.Sprintln("h.sendDirs() HERE")
-	h.sendDirs()
-
 	ok, output := h.start(d)
 	if ok {
 		return result + output, nil
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index d8c0823..725b424 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ func (b *virtigoT) Enable() {
 
 // this app's variables
 type virtigoT struct {
-	cluster               *pb.Cluster                // basic cluster settings
+	cluster *pb.NewCluster // basic cluster settings
+	// newc                  *pb.NewCluster             // basic cluster settings
 	e                     *pb.Events                 // virtbuf events
 	hmap                  map[*pb.Hypervisor]*HyperT // map to the local struct
 	names                 []string
diff --git a/validate.go b/validate.go
index 49b2088..ac2712d 100644
--- a/validate.go
+++ b/validate.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -26,8 +27,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 // will make sure the mac address is unique
-func ValidateUniqueMac(cluster *pb.Cluster, mac string) bool {
-	for _, d := range cluster.Droplets {
+func ValidateUniqueMac(mac string) bool {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		for _, n := range d.Networks {
 			if n.Mac == mac {
 				log.Info("duplicate MAC", n.Mac, "in droplet", d.Hostname)
@@ -39,10 +42,10 @@ func ValidateUniqueMac(cluster *pb.Cluster, mac string) bool {
 }
 
 // records all the known paths. this should go in the protobuf
-func addClusterFilepath(cluster *pb.Cluster, dir string) *pb.Event {
+func addClusterFilepath(dir string) *pb.Event {
 	var found bool = false
 	var e *pb.Event
-	for _, d := range cluster.Dirs {
+	for _, d := range me.cluster.Dirs {
 		if d == dir {
 			// found dir
 			found = true
@@ -53,17 +56,19 @@ func addClusterFilepath(cluster *pb.Cluster, dir string) *pb.Event {
 		if dir != "." {
 			// make a new Add Event
 			e = pb.NewAddEvent(nil, "Add Cluster Directory", dir)
-			cluster.Dirs = append(cluster.Dirs, dir)
+			me.cluster.Dirs = append(me.cluster.Dirs, dir)
 		}
 	}
 	return e
 }
 
 // returns the droplet using a filename
-func lookupFilename(cluster *pb.Cluster, filename string) *pb.Droplet {
+func lookupFilename(filename string) *pb.Droplet {
 	filebase := filepath.Base(filename)
 
-	for _, d := range cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		for _, disk := range d.Disks {
 			if filebase == disk.Filename {
 				return d
@@ -73,15 +78,17 @@ func lookupFilename(cluster *pb.Cluster, filename string) *pb.Droplet {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func ValidateUniqueFilenames(cluster *pb.Cluster) bool {
+func ValidateUniqueFilenames() bool {
 	var ok bool = true
 	var disks map[string]string
 	disks = make(map[string]string)
 
-	for _, d := range cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		for _, disk := range d.Disks {
 			filename := disk.Filename
-			addClusterFilepath(cluster, disk.Filepath)
+			addClusterFilepath(disk.Filepath)
 			if _, ok := disks[filename]; ok {
 				/*
 					if argv.IgnDisk {
@@ -103,16 +110,18 @@ func ValidateUniqueFilenames(cluster *pb.Cluster) bool {
 	return ok
 }
 
-func ValidateDiskFilenames(cluster *pb.Cluster) ([]*pb.Event, error) {
+func ValidateDiskFilenames() ([]*pb.Event, error) {
 	var alle []*pb.Event
 
-	for _, d := range cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		var found bool = false
 		for _, disk := range d.Disks {
 			filename := disk.Filename
 			filebase := filepath.Base(filename)
 			dir := filepath.Dir(filename)
-			addClusterFilepath(cluster, dir)
+			addClusterFilepath(dir)
 			if disk.Filename != filebase {
 				// update filename
 				e := d.NewChangeEvent("Disk.Filename", disk.Filename, filebase)
@@ -159,7 +168,9 @@ func getNewMac() string {
 	var macs map[string]string
 	macs = make(map[string]string)
 
-	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		for _, n := range d.Networks {
 			// log.Println("network:", n.Mac, d.Uuid, d.Hostname)
 			if _, ok := macs[n.Mac]; ok {
@@ -189,7 +200,7 @@ func getNewMac() string {
 
 // runs on startup. dies if there are duplicates
 // the config file must then be edited by hand
-func ValidateDroplets(cluster *pb.Cluster) (map[string]string, map[string]string, error) {
+func ValidateDroplets() (map[string]string, map[string]string, error) {
 	// uuid map to check for duplicates
 	var umap map[string]string
 	umap = make(map[string]string)
@@ -198,7 +209,9 @@ func ValidateDroplets(cluster *pb.Cluster) (map[string]string, map[string]string
 	var macs map[string]string
 	macs = make(map[string]string)
 
-	for _, d := range cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		// Generate a new UUID
 		if d.Uuid == "" {
 			u := uuid.New()
@@ -231,6 +244,26 @@ func ValidateDroplets(cluster *pb.Cluster) (map[string]string, map[string]string
 	return umap, macs, nil
 }
 
+func searchForDuplicateUUIDs() {
+	// var broken int
+}
+
+/*
+// remove from the slice
+func deleteDroplet(bad int) {
+	var all *pb.Droplets
+	all = me.cluster.DeleteDroplet(b *db.Droplet)
+
+	fmt.Println("deleting", bad, all.Droplets[bad].Hostname)
+
+	// Check if the index is within bounds
+	if bad >= 0 && bad < len(all.Droplets) {
+		// Remove element at targetIndex
+		all.Droplets = append(all.Droplets[:bad], all.Droplets[bad+1:]...)
+	}
+}
+*/
+
 // checks a droplet right before a start event
 // verify ethernet mac address
 // verify uuid (but probably can ignore this since it's not used)
@@ -239,7 +272,9 @@ func ValidateDroplets(cluster *pb.Cluster) (map[string]string, map[string]string
 // check filenames
 func ValidateDroplet(check *pb.Droplet) error {
 	// check for duplicate uuid's
-	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		if check == d {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -247,13 +282,21 @@ func ValidateDroplet(check *pb.Droplet) error {
 			// UUID already exists
 			log.Info("duplicate UUID", d.Uuid, d.Hostname)
 			log.Info("duplicate UUID", d.Uuid, check.Hostname)
+			// d.Archive = new(pb.DropletArchive)
+			if d.Archive == nil {
+				log.Info("d.Archive == nil")
+				os.Exit(-1)
+			}
+			d.Archive.Reason = pb.DropletArchive_DUP
 			return errors.New("duplicate UUID: " + d.Uuid)
 		}
 	}
 
 	// check for duplicate mac addresses
 	for _, checkn := range check.Networks {
-		for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+		loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+		for loop.Scan() {
+			d := loop.Droplet()
 			if check == d {
 				continue
 			}
@@ -280,7 +323,9 @@ func setUniqueSpicePort(check *pb.Droplet) error {
 
 	// check spice ports
 	//	checkn.SpicePort = getUniqueSpicePort()
-	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	loop := me.cluster.DropletsAll() // get the list of droplets
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		d := loop.Droplet()
 		if d.SpicePort == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -330,7 +375,7 @@ func setUniqueSpicePort(check *pb.Droplet) error {
 		// generate change port event
 		log.Info("going to try port", start, "on", check.Hostname)
 		e := check.NewChangeEvent("SpicePort", check.SpicePort, start)
-		me.cluster.E.Events = append(me.cluster.E.Events, e)
+		me.cluster.AddEvent(e)
 
 		// set port to start
 		check.SpicePort = start
diff --git a/watchdog.go b/watchdog.go
index 97baac4..ff1c68b 100644
--- a/watchdog.go
+++ b/watchdog.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
-	pb "go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/virtbuf"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
@@ -15,29 +14,6 @@ func TimeFunction(f func()) time.Duration {
 	return time.Since(startTime) // Calculate the elapsed time
 }
 
-func (h *HyperT) sendDirs() {
-	url := "http://" + h.pb.Hostname + ":2520/cluster"
-	var msg string
-	var data []byte
-
-	var c *pb.Cluster
-	c = new(pb.Cluster)
-	for _, dir := range me.cluster.Dirs {
-		c.Dirs = append(c.Dirs, dir)
-	}
-	msg = c.FormatJSON()
-	data = []byte(msg) // Convert the string to []byte
-	req, err := httpPost(url, data)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Info("error:", err)
-		return
-	}
-	// log.Info("http post url:", url)
-	// log.Info("http post data:", msg)
-
-	log.Info("EVENT start droplet response: " + string(req))
-}
-
 func (h *HyperT) NewWatchdog() {
 	h.dog = time.NewTicker(me.hyperPollDelay)
 	defer h.dog.Stop()