diff --git a/include/ipmid/api.hpp b/include/ipmid/api.hpp
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+/*
+ * Copyright © 2018 Intel Corporation
+ *
+ * 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.
+ *
+ */
+#pragma once
+
+#define ALLOW_DEPRECATED_API 1
+
+#include <ipmid/iana.hpp>
+#include <ipmid/message/types.hpp>
+#include <optional>
+#include <sdbusplus/asio/connection.hpp>
+#include <sdbusplus/asio/object_server.hpp>
+
+/* NOTE:
+ *
+ * This is intended for native C++ use. For the legacy C api, include
+ * ipmid-api.h for a reduced functionality. Note that the C api is now marked
+ * as deprecated and will be removed once all the internal users of it have
+ * been updated to use the new C++ api.
+ */
+
+namespace ipmi
+{
+
+using Iana = oem::Number;
+
+using Group = uint8_t;
+constexpr Group groupPICMG = 0x00;
+constexpr Group groupDMTG = 0x01;
+constexpr Group groupSSI = 0x02;
+constexpr Group groupVSO = 0x03;
+constexpr Group groupDCMI = 0xDC;
+
+/*
+ * Set the priority as the lowest number that is necessary so
+ * it is possible that others can override it if desired.
+ * This may be linked to what level of integration the handler
+ * is being created at.
+ */
+constexpr int prioOpenBmcBase = 10;
+constexpr int prioOemBase = 20;
+constexpr int prioOdmBase = 30;
+constexpr int prioCustomBase = 40;
+constexpr int prioMax = 50;
+
+/*
+ * Channel IDs pulled from the IPMI 2.0 specification
+ */
+constexpr int channelPrimaryIpmb = 0x00;
+// 0x01-0x0B Implementation specific
+// Implementation specific channel numbers are specified
+// by a configuration file external to ipmid
+// 0x0C-0x0D reserved
+constexpr int channelCurrentIface = 0x0E; // 'Present I/F'
+constexpr int channelSystemIface = 0x0F;
+
+/*
+ * Specifies the minimum privilege level required to execute the command
+ * This means the command can be executed at a given privilege level or higher
+ * privilege level. Those commands which can be executed via system interface
+ * only should use SYSTEM_INTERFACE
+ */
+enum class Privilege : uint8_t
+{
+    None = 0x00,
+    Callback,
+    User,
+    Operator,
+    Admin,
+    Oem,
+};
+
+// IPMI Net Function number as specified by IPMI V2.0 spec.
+using NetFn = uint8_t;
+
+// IPMI Command for a Net Function number as specified by IPMI V2.0 spec.
+using Cmd = uint8_t;
+
+// ipmi function return the status code
+using Cc = uint8_t;
+
+// These are the command network functions, the response
+// network functions are the function + 1. So to determine
+// the proper network function which issued the command
+// associated with a response, subtract 1.
+// Note: these will be left shifted when combined with the LUN
+constexpr NetFn netFnChassis = 0x00;
+constexpr NetFn netFnBridge = 0x02;
+constexpr NetFn netFnSensor = 0x04;
+constexpr NetFn netFnApp = 0x06;
+constexpr NetFn netFnFirmware = 0x08;
+constexpr NetFn netFnStorage = 0x0A;
+constexpr NetFn netFnTransport = 0x0C;
+// reserved 0Eh..28h
+constexpr NetFn netFnGroup = 0x2C;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOem = 0x2E;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemOne = 0x30;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemTwo = 0x32;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemThree = 0x34;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemFour = 0x36;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemFive = 0x38;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemSix = 0x3A;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemSeven = 0x3C;
+constexpr NetFn netFnOemEight = 0x3E;
+
+// IPMI commands for net functions. Callbacks using this should be careful to
+// parse arguments to the sub-functions and can take advantage of the built-in
+// message handling mechanism to create custom routing
+constexpr Cmd cmdWildcard = 0xFF;
+
+// IPMI standard completion codes specified by the IPMI V2.0 spec.
+//
+// This might have been an enum class, but that would make it hard for
+// OEM- and command-specific completion codes to be added elsewhere.
+//
+// Custom completion codes can be defined in individual modules for
+// command specific errors in the 0x80-0xBE range
+//
+// Alternately, OEM completion codes are in the 0x01-0x7E range
+constexpr Cc ccSuccess = 0x00;
+constexpr Cc ccBusy = 0xC0;
+constexpr Cc ccInvalidCommand = 0xC1;
+constexpr Cc ccInvalidCommandOnLun = 0xC2;
+constexpr Cc ccTimeout = 0xC2;
+constexpr Cc ccOutOfSpace = 0xC2;
+constexpr Cc ccInvalidReservationId = 0xC5;
+constexpr Cc ccReqDataTruncated = 0xC6;
+constexpr Cc ccReqDataLenInvalid = 0xC7;
+constexpr Cc ccReqDataLenExceeded = 0xC8;
+constexpr Cc ccParmOutOfRange = 0xC9;
+constexpr Cc ccRetBytesUnavailable = 0xCA;
+constexpr Cc ccSensorInvalid = 0xCB;
+constexpr Cc ccInvalidFieldRequest = 0xCC;
+constexpr Cc ccIllegalCommand = 0xCD;
+constexpr Cc ccResponseError = 0xCE;
+constexpr Cc ccDuplicateRequest = 0xCF;
+constexpr Cc ccCmdFailSdrMode = 0xD0;
+constexpr Cc ccCmdFailFwUpdMode = 0xD1;
+constexpr Cc ccCmdFailInitAgent = 0xD2;
+constexpr Cc ccDestinationUnavailable = 0xD3;
+constexpr Cc ccInsufficientPrivilege = 0xD4;
+constexpr Cc ccCommandNotAvailable = 0xD5;
+constexpr Cc ccCommandDisabled = 0xD6;
+constexpr Cc ccUnspecifiedError = 0xFF;
+
+/* ipmi often has two return types:
+ * 1. Failure: CC is non-zero; no trailing data
+ * 2. Success: CC is zero; trailing data (usually a fixed type)
+ *
+ * using ipmi::response(cc, ...), it will automatically always pack
+ * the correct type for the response without having to explicitly type out all
+ * the parameters that the function would return.
+ *
+ * To enable this feature, you just define the ipmi function as returning an
+ * ipmi::RspType which has the optional trailing data built in, with your types
+ * defined as parameters.
+ */
+
+template <typename... RetTypes>
+using RspType = std::tuple<ipmi::Cc, std::optional<std::tuple<RetTypes...>>>;
+
+/**
+ * @brief helper function to create an IPMI response tuple
+ *
+ * IPMI handlers all return a tuple with two parts: a completion code and an
+ * optional tuple containing the rest of the data to return. This helper
+ * function makes it easier by constructing that out of an arbitrary number of
+ * arguments.
+ *
+ * @param cc - the completion code for the response
+ * @param args... - the optional list of values to return
+ *
+ * @return a standard IPMI return type (as described above)
+ */
+template <typename... Args>
+static inline auto response(ipmi::Cc cc, Args&&... args)
+{
+    return std::make_tuple(cc, std::make_optional(std::make_tuple(args...)));
+}
+static inline auto response(ipmi::Cc cc)
+{
+    return std::make_tuple(cc, std::nullopt);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief helper function to create an IPMI success response tuple
+ *
+ * IPMI handlers all return a tuple with two parts: a completion code and an
+ * optional tuple containing the rest of the data to return. This helper
+ * function makes it easier by constructing that out of an arbitrary number of
+ * arguments. Because it is a success response, this automatically packs
+ * the completion code, without needing to explicitly pass it in.
+ *
+ * @param args... - the optional list of values to return
+ *
+ * @return a standard IPMI return type (as described above)
+ */
+template <typename... Args>
+static inline auto responseSuccess(Args&&... args)
+{
+    return std::make_tuple(ipmi::ccSuccess,
+                           std::make_optional(std::make_tuple(args...)));
+}
+static inline auto responseSuccess()
+{
+    return std::make_tuple(ipmi::ccSuccess, std::nullopt);
+}
+
+} // namespace ipmi
+
+// any client can interact with the main asio service
+std::shared_ptr<boost::asio::io_service> getIoService();
+
+// any client can interact with the main sdbus
+std::shared_ptr<sdbusplus::asio::connection> getSdBus();
+
+/**
+ * @brief post some work to the async exection queue
+ *
+ * The IPMI daemon runs an async exection queue; this allows any function to
+ * pass in work to be executed in that context
+ *
+ * @tparam WorkFn - a function of type void(void)
+ * @param work - the callback function to be executed
+ */
+template <typename WorkFn>
+static inline void post_work(WorkFn work)
+{
+    getIoService()->post(std::forward<WorkFn>(work));
+}