diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4c97719..db4d2a7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # go install
 
 
-all: package.pb.go
+all: package.pb.go machine.pb.go
 	make -C example
 
 vet: lint
@@ -36,3 +36,9 @@ package.pb.go: package.proto
 	cd ~/go/src && protoc --go_out=. --proto_path=go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb \
 		--go_opt=Mpackage.proto=go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb \
 		package.proto
+
+machine.pb.go: machine.proto
+	cd ~/go/src && protoc --go_out=. --proto_path=go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb \
+		--go_opt=Mpackage.proto=go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb \
+		--go_opt=Mmachine.proto=go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb \
+		machine.proto
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
index 618bec1..6bbb1f7 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -42,3 +42,12 @@ func (p *Packages) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
 	return proto.Unmarshal(data, p)
 }
 
+// marshal to wire
+func (m *Machine) Marshal() ([]byte, error) {
+	return proto.Marshal(m)
+}
+
+// unmarshal from wire
+func (m *Machine) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
+	return proto.Unmarshal(data, m)
+}
diff --git a/machine.proto b/machine.proto
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55772aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machine.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package gitpb;
+
+import "package.proto";
+import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto"; // Import the well-known type for Timestamp
+
+message Machine {
+  string hostname 		= 1;
+  int64 memory 			= 2;
+  int64 cpus			= 3;
+  Packages packages		= 4;
+  google.protobuf.Timestamp     laststamp      = 5;    // the last time we heard anything from this machine
+}
+
+message Machines {
+	string   uuid	        = 1;    // I guess why not just have this on each file
+	string   version        = 2;    // maybe can be used for protobuf schema change violations
+	repeated Machine 	machines = 3;
+}
diff --git a/machines.go b/machines.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52a37e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machines.go
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+package zoopb
+
+// this is becoming a standard format
+// todo: autogenerate this from the .proto file?
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"sort"
+	sync "sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// bad global lock until I figure out some other plan
+var machinesLock sync.RWMutex
+
+type MachineIterator struct {
+	sync.RWMutex
+
+	packs []*Machine
+	index int
+}
+
+// NewMachineIterator initializes a new iterator.
+func NewMachineIterator(packs []*Machine) *MachineIterator {
+	return &MachineIterator{packs: packs}
+}
+
+// Scan moves to the next element and returns false if there are no more packs.
+func (it *MachineIterator) Scan() bool {
+	if it.index >= len(it.packs) {
+		return false
+	}
+	it.index++
+	return true
+}
+
+// Machine returns the current repo.
+func (it *MachineIterator) Machine() *Machine {
+	if it.packs[it.index-1] == nil {
+		for i, d := range it.packs {
+			fmt.Println("i =", i, d)
+		}
+		fmt.Println("len =", len(it.packs))
+		fmt.Println("repo == nil", it.index, it.index-1)
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
+	return it.packs[it.index-1]
+}
+
+// Use Scan() in a loop, similar to a while loop
+//
+//	for iterator.Scan() {
+//		d := iterator.Machine()
+//		fmt.Println("Machine UUID:", d.Uuid)
+//	}
+
+func (r *Machines) All() *MachineIterator {
+	repoPointers := r.selectAllMachines()
+
+	iterator := NewMachineIterator(repoPointers)
+	return iterator
+}
+
+func (r *Machines) SortByName() *MachineIterator {
+	packs := r.selectAllMachines()
+
+	sort.Sort(ByMachineName(packs))
+
+	iterator := NewMachineIterator(packs)
+	return iterator
+}
+
+// enforces no duplicate package names
+func (r *Machines) Append(newP *Machine) bool {
+	machinesLock.Lock()
+	defer machinesLock.Unlock()
+
+	for _, p := range r.Machines {
+		if p.Hostname == newP.Hostname {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	r.Machines = append(r.Machines, newP)
+	return true
+}
+
+// returns time.Duration since last Update()
+func (r *Machine) Age(newP *Machine) time.Duration {
+	t := time.Since(r.Laststamp.AsTime())
+	return t
+}
+
+// find a package by name
+func (r *Machines) FindByName(name string) *Machine {
+	machinesLock.RLock()
+	defer machinesLock.RUnlock()
+
+	for _, p := range r.Machines {
+		if p.Hostname == name {
+			return p
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (r *Machines) Len() int {
+	machinesLock.RLock()
+	defer machinesLock.RUnlock()
+
+	return len(r.Machines)
+}
+
+type ByMachineName []*Machine
+
+func (a ByMachineName) Len() int           { return len(a) }
+func (a ByMachineName) Less(i, j int) bool { return a[i].Hostname < a[j].Hostname }
+func (a ByMachineName) Swap(i, j int)      { a[i], a[j] = a[j], a[i] }
+
+// safely returns a slice of pointers to the Machine protobufs
+func (r *Machines) selectAllMachines() []*Machine {
+	machinesLock.RLock()
+	defer machinesLock.RUnlock()
+
+	// Create a new slice to hold pointers to each Machine
+	var allPacks []*Machine
+	allPacks = make([]*Machine, len(r.Machines))
+	for i, p := range r.Machines {
+		allPacks[i] = p // Copy pointers for safe iteration
+	}
+
+	return allPacks
+}