diff --git a/data/variables.py b/data/variables.py
index 71744a5..f8dd91f 100644
--- a/data/variables.py
+++ b/data/variables.py
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@
 # Dump URI variable
 DUMP_URI = OPENBMC_BASE_URI +'/dump/'
 DUMP_ENTRY_URI = DUMP_URI + 'entry/'
+# The path on the BMC where dumps are stored.
+DUMP_DIR_PATH = "/var/lib/phosphor-debug-collector/dumps/"
 
 # Boot progress variables.
 STATE_DBUS_BASE = 'xyz.openbmc_project.State.'
diff --git a/lib/dump_utils.py b/lib/dump_utils.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..16bf224
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/dump_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+r"""
+This file contains functions which are useful for processing BMC dumps.
+"""
+
+import gen_print as gp
+import bmc_ssh_utils as bsu
+import var_funcs as vf
+from robot.libraries.BuiltIn import BuiltIn
+import sys
+import os
+import imp
+base_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(
+                            imp.find_module("gen_robot_print")[1])) + os.sep
+sys.path.append(base_path + "data/")
+import variables as var
+
+
+def get_dump_dict(quiet=None):
+
+    r"""
+    Get dump information and return as an ordered dictionary where the keys
+    are the dump IDs and the values are the full path names of the dumps.
+
+    Example robot program call:
+
+    ${dump_dict}=  Get Dump Dict
+    Rpvars                          1  dump_dict
+
+    Example output:
+
+    dump_dict:
+      [1]: /var/lib/phosphor-debug-collector/dumps/1/obmcdump_1_1508255216.tar.xz
+      [2]: /var/lib/phosphor-debug-collector/dumps/2/obmcdump_2_1508255245.tar.xz
+      [3]: /var/lib/phosphor-debug-collector/dumps/3/obmcdump_3_1508255267.tar.xz
+      [4]: /var/lib/phosphor-debug-collector/dumps/4/obmcdump_4_1508255283.tar.xz
+
+    Description of argument(s):
+    quiet                           If quiet is set to 1, this function will
+                                    NOT write status messages to stdout.
+    """
+
+    quiet = int(gp.get_var_value(quiet, 1))
+    cmd_buf = "dump_dir_path=" + var.DUMP_DIR_PATH  + " ; " \
+              + "for dump_id in $(ls ${dump_dir_path} | sort -n) ; " \
+              + "do echo -n $dump_id: ; ls ${dump_dir_path}${dump_id}/* ; done"
+    output, stderr, rc = bsu.bmc_execute_command(cmd_buf, quiet=quiet)
+
+    return vf.key_value_outbuf_to_dict(output)
+
+
+def valid_dump(dump_id,
+               dump_dict=None,
+               quiet=None):
+
+    r"""
+    Verify that dump_id is a valid.  If it is not valid, issue robot failure
+    message.
+
+    A dump is valid if the indicated dump_id refers to an existing dump with a
+    valid associated dump file.
+
+    Description of argument(s):
+    dump_id                         A dump ID (e.g. "1", "2", etc.)
+    dump_dict                       A dump dictionary such as the one returned
+                                    by get_dump_dict.  If this value is None,
+                                    this function will call get_dump_dict on
+                                    the caller's behalf.
+    quiet                           If quiet is set to 1, this function will
+                                    NOT write status messages to stdout.
+    """
+
+    if dump_dict is None:
+        dump_dict = get_dump_dict(quiet=quiet)
+
+    if dump_id not in dump_dict:
+        message = "The specified dump ID was not found among the existing" \
+            + " dumps:\n"
+        message += gp.sprint_var(dump_id)
+        message += gp.sprint_var(dump_dict)
+        BuiltIn().fail(gp.sprint_error(message))
+
+    if not dump_dict[dump_id].endswith("tar.xz"):
+        message = "There is no \"tar.xz\" file associated with the given" \
+            + " dump_id:\n"
+        message += gp.sprint_var(dump_id)
+        dump_file_path = dump_dict[dump_id]
+        message += gp.sprint_var(dump_file_path)
+        BuiltIn().fail(gp.sprint_error(message))