diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/service.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/service.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ba0426552a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/service.py
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+# This code is part of Ansible, but is an independent component.
+# This particular file snippet, and this file snippet only, is BSD licensed.
+# Modules you write using this snippet, which is embedded dynamically by Ansible
+# still belong to the author of the module, and may assign their own license
+# to the complete work.
+#
+# Copyright (c) Ansible Inc, 2015
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification,
+# are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+#
+#    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+#      this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+#      and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
+# ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
+# WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
+# IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+# INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+# PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+# INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE
+# USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+
+import platform
+import os
+import tempfile
+import shlex
+import select
+import json
+
+# The distutils module is not shipped with SUNWPython on Solaris.
+# It's in the SUNWPython-devel package which also contains development files
+# that don't belong on production boxes.  Since our Solaris code doesn't
+# depend on LooseVersion, do not import it on Solaris.
+if platform.system() != 'SunOS':
+    from distutils.version import LooseVersion
+
+class Service(object):
+    """
+    This is the generic Service manipulation class that is subclassed based on system.
+    A subclass should override the following methods:
+      - action
+      - enable
+      - status
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, module):
+
+        # states
+        self.running        = None
+        self.enabled        = None
+        self.action         = None
+
+        # outcome
+        self.changed        = False
+
+        # options
+        self.module         = module
+
+        # alias running to started
+        if self.module.params['state'] == 'running':
+            self.module.params['state'] == 'started'
+
+
+    # ===========================================
+    # Platform specific methods (must be replaced by subclass).
+
+    def action(self):
+        self.module.fail_json(msg="action not implemented on target service")
+
+    def status(self): # this should also set self.enabled
+        self.module.fail_json(msg="status not implemented on target service")
+
+    def enable(self):
+        self.module.fail_json(msg="enable not implemented on target service")
+
+    # ===========================================
+    # Generic methods that should be used on all services.
+
+    def execute_command(self, cmd, daemonize=False):
+
+        # Most things don't need to be daemonized
+        if not daemonize:
+            return self.module.run_command(cmd)
+
+        # This is complex because daemonization is hard for people.
+        # What we do is daemonize a part of this module, the daemon runs the
+        # command, picks up the return code and output, and returns it to the
+        # main process.
+        pipe = os.pipe()
+        pid = os.fork()
+        if pid == 0:
+            os.close(pipe[0])
+            # Set stdin/stdout/stderr to /dev/null
+            fd = os.open(os.devnull, os.O_RDWR)
+            if fd != 0:
+                os.dup2(fd, 0)
+            if fd != 1:
+                os.dup2(fd, 1)
+            if fd != 2:
+                os.dup2(fd, 2)
+            if fd not in (0, 1, 2):
+                os.close(fd)
+
+            # Make us a daemon. Yes, that's all it takes.
+            pid = os.fork()
+            if pid > 0:
+                os._exit(0)
+            os.setsid()
+            os.chdir("/")
+            pid = os.fork()
+            if pid > 0:
+                os._exit(0)
+
+            # Start the command
+            if isinstance(cmd, basestring):
+                cmd = shlex.split(cmd)
+            p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=False, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, preexec_fn=lambda: os.close(pipe[1]))
+            stdout = ""
+            stderr = ""
+            fds = [p.stdout, p.stderr]
+            # Wait for all output, or until the main process is dead and its output is done.
+            while fds:
+                rfd, wfd, efd = select.select(fds, [], fds, 1)
+                if not (rfd + wfd + efd) and p.poll() is not None:
+                    break
+                if p.stdout in rfd:
+                    dat = os.read(p.stdout.fileno(), 4096)
+                    if not dat:
+                        fds.remove(p.stdout)
+                    stdout += dat
+                if p.stderr in rfd:
+                    dat = os.read(p.stderr.fileno(), 4096)
+                    if not dat:
+                        fds.remove(p.stderr)
+                    stderr += dat
+            p.wait()
+            # Return a JSON blob to parent
+            os.write(pipe[1], json.dumps([p.returncode, stdout, stderr]))
+            os.close(pipe[1])
+            os._exit(0)
+        elif pid == -1:
+            self.module.fail_json(msg="unable to fork")
+        else:
+            os.close(pipe[1])
+            os.waitpid(pid, 0)
+            # Wait for data from daemon process and process it.
+            data = ""
+            while True:
+                rfd, wfd, efd = select.select([pipe[0]], [], [pipe[0]])
+                if pipe[0] in rfd:
+                    dat = os.read(pipe[0], 4096)
+                    if not dat:
+                        break
+                    data += dat
+            return json.loads(data)
+
+    def check_ps(self):
+
+        running = False
+
+        # Set ps flags
+        if platform.system() == 'SunOS':
+            psflags = '-ef'
+        else:
+            psflags = 'auxww'
+
+        # Find ps binary
+        psbin = self.module.get_bin_path('ps', True)
+
+        (rc, psout, pserr) = self.execute_command('%s %s' % (psbin, psflags))
+        # If rc is 0, set running as appropriate
+        if rc == 0:
+            lines = psout.split("\n")
+            for line in lines:
+                if self.module.params['pattern'] in line and not "pattern=" in line:
+                    # so as to not confuse ./hacking/test-module
+                    running = True
+                    break
+
+        self.running = running
+
+    def result(self, msg=''):
+        return {
+                'name': self.module.name,
+                'state': self.status(),
+                'enabled': self.enabled,
+                'changed' = self.changed,
+                'msg' = msg,
+               }
+
+    def run(self):
+
+        if self.module.params['state'] is None and self.module.params['enabled'] is None:
+            self.module.fail_json(msg="Neither 'state' nor 'enabled' set")
+
+        # Set service startup state on request
+        if self.module.params['enabled'] is not None and self.enabled != self.module.params['enabled']:
+            self.changed = True
+            if not self.module.check_mode:
+                self.enable()
+
+        if self.module.params['state'] is not None and self.module.params['state'] != self.status():
+            self.changed = True
+            if not self.module.check_mode:
+                self.action()
+
+        return self.result()
+
+
+def service_shared_arg_spec():
+
+    return argument_spec = dict(
+            name = dict(required=True),
+            state = dict(choices=['running', 'started', 'stopped', 'restarted', 'reloaded']),
+            enabled = dict(type='bool'),
+    )
+            # these are only needed/useful in init/rc systems
+            #arguments = dict(aliases=['args'], default=''),
+            #pattern = dict(required=False, default=None),
+            #sleep = dict(required=False, type='int', default=None),
+            #runlevel = dict(required=False, default='default'),