diff --git a/arangod/Sharding/AgencyComm.h b/arangod/Sharding/AgencyComm.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e1855753f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arangod/Sharding/AgencyComm.h
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief communication with agency node(s)
+///
+/// @file
+///
+/// DISCLAIMER
+///
+/// Copyright 2010-2012 triagens GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+/// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+/// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+///
+///     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+///
+/// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+/// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+/// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+/// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+/// limitations under the License.
+///
+/// Copyright holder is triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// @author Jan Steemann
+/// @author Max Neunhoeffer
+/// @author Copyright 2013, triagens GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#ifndef TRIAGENS_SHARDING_AGENCY_COMM_H
+#define TRIAGENS_SHARDING_AGENCY_COMM_H 1
+
+#include "Basics/Common.h"
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+
+namespace triagens {
+  namespace arango {
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                             Agent
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    struct Agent {
+      std::string  _name;
+
+      std::string  _endpoint;
+    };
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                  AgencyCommResult
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    struct AgencyCommResult {
+      AgencyCommResult ();
+
+      ~AgencyCommResult ();
+
+      int _statusCode;
+
+      std::map<std::string, std::string> _values;
+      
+    };
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                        AgencyComm
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    class AgencyComm {
+
+      public:
+
+        AgencyComm ();
+
+        ~AgencyComm ();
+
+        int addAgent (Agent);
+
+        int removeAgent (Agent);
+
+
+        int setValue (std::string const& key, std::string const& value);
+        
+        AgencyCommResult getValues (std::string const& key, bool recursive);
+        
+        int removeValue (std::string const& key, bool recursive);
+        
+        int casValue (std::string const& key, std::string const& oldValue, std::string const& newValue);
+        
+        AgencyCommResult watchValues (std::string const& key, double timeout);
+
+      private:
+    };
+
+  }
+}
+
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif
+
+// Local Variables:
+// mode: outline-minor
+// outline-regexp: "^\\(/// @brief\\|/// {@inheritDoc}\\|/// @addtogroup\\|// --SECTION--\\|/// @\\}\\)"
+// End:
+