diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a81a4ad..284502e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 .*
 *~
+/bin/*
 /main
 /*.sublime-*
-/buildOnLinux.sh
 !.git*
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..581f8b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+SHELL := /bin/bash
+
+options:
+	echo "you can clean | test | build | run"
+clean:
+	rm -f bin/contentserver
+build:
+	make clean
+	go build -o bin/contentserver
+test:
+	go test -v  github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/repo
diff --git a/bin/.gitkeep b/bin/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/main.go b/contentserver.go
similarity index 80%
rename from main.go
rename to contentserver.go
index e7fb49e..0549328 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/contentserver.go
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	PROTOCOL_TCP  = "tcp"
-	PROTOCOL_HTTP = "http"
+	PROTOCOL_TCP = "tcp"
 )
 
 type ExitCode int
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@ var contentServer string
 
 var protocol = flag.String("protocol", PROTOCOL_TCP, "what protocol to server for")
 var address = flag.String("address", "127.0.0.1:8081", "address to bind host:port")
+var varDir = flag.String("vardir", "127.0.0.1:8081", "where to put my data")
 var logLevelOptions = []string{
 	log.LOG_LEVEL_NAME_ERROR,
 	log.LOG_LEVEL_NAME_RECORD,
@@ -52,11 +52,7 @@ func main() {
 		log.SetLogLevel(log.GetLogLevelByName(*logLevel))
 		switch *protocol {
 		case PROTOCOL_TCP:
-			server.RunSocketServer(flag.Arg(0), *address)
-			break
-		case PROTOCOL_HTTP:
-			//server.Run(":8080", "http://test.bestbytes/foomo/modules/Foomo.Page.Content/services/content.php")
-			fmt.Println("http server does not work yet - use tcp instead")
+			server.RunSocketServer(flag.Arg(0), *address, *varDir)
 			break
 		default:
 			exitUsage(EXIT_CODE_INSUFFICIENT_ARGS)
diff --git a/server/repo/history.go b/server/repo/history.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c00bda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/repo/history.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package repo
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"path"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const historyRepoJSONPrefix = "contentserver-repo-"
+const historyRepoJSONSuffix = ".json"
+
+type history struct {
+	varDir string
+}
+
+func newHistory(varDir string) *history {
+	return &history{
+		varDir: varDir,
+	}
+}
+
+func (h *history) add(jsonBytes []byte) error {
+	// historic file name
+	filename := path.Join(h.varDir, historyRepoJSONPrefix+time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339Nano)+historyRepoJSONSuffix)
+	err := ioutil.WriteFile(filename, jsonBytes, 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// current filename
+	return ioutil.WriteFile(h.getCurrentFilename(), jsonBytes, 0644)
+}
+
+func (h *history) getCurrentFilename() string {
+	return historyRepoJSONPrefix + "current" + historyRepoJSONSuffix
+}
+
+func (h *history) getCurrent() (jsonBytes []byte, err error) {
+	return ioutil.ReadFile(h.getCurrentFilename())
+}
diff --git a/server/repo/loader.go b/server/repo/loader.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15f8f69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/repo/loader.go
@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+package repo
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/log"
+	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/repo/content"
+	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/responses"
+	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/utils"
+	"time"
+	//golog "log"
+)
+
+func (repo *Repo) updateRoutine() {
+	repo.updateChannel = make(chan *RepoDimension)
+	repo.updateDoneChannel = make(chan error)
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case newDimension := <-repo.updateChannel:
+				repo.updateDoneChannel <- repo.updateDimension(newDimension.Dimension, newDimension.Node)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) UpdateDimension(dimension string, node *content.RepoNode) error {
+	repo.updateChannel <- &RepoDimension{
+		Dimension: dimension,
+		Node:      node,
+	}
+	return <-repo.updateDoneChannel
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) updateDimension(dimension string, newNode *content.RepoNode) error {
+	newNode.WireParents()
+	newDirectory := make(map[string]*content.RepoNode)
+	newURIDirectory := make(map[string]*content.RepoNode)
+
+	err := builDirectory(newNode, newDirectory, newURIDirectory)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = wireAliases(newDirectory)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	repo.Directory[dimension] = &Dimension{
+		Node:         newNode,
+		Directory:    newDirectory,
+		URIDirectory: newURIDirectory,
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func builDirectory(dirNode *content.RepoNode, directory map[string]*content.RepoNode, uRIDirectory map[string]*content.RepoNode) error {
+	log.Debug("repo.buildDirectory: " + dirNode.Id)
+	existingNode, ok := directory[dirNode.Id]
+	if ok {
+		return errors.New("duplicate node with id:" + existingNode.Id)
+	}
+	directory[dirNode.Id] = dirNode
+	//todo handle duplicate uris
+	if _, thereIsAnExistingUriNode := uRIDirectory[dirNode.URI]; thereIsAnExistingUriNode {
+		return errors.New("duplicate node with uri: " + dirNode.URI)
+	}
+	uRIDirectory[dirNode.URI] = dirNode
+	for _, childNode := range dirNode.Nodes {
+		err := builDirectory(childNode, directory, uRIDirectory)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func wireAliases(directory map[string]*content.RepoNode) error {
+	for _, repoNode := range directory {
+		if len(repoNode.LinkId) > 0 {
+			if destinationNode, ok := directory[repoNode.LinkId]; ok {
+				repoNode.URI = destinationNode.URI
+			} else {
+				return errors.New("that link id points nowhere " + repoNode.LinkId + " from " + repoNode.Id)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func loadNodesFromJSON(jsonBytes []byte) (nodes map[string]*content.RepoNode, err error) {
+	nodes = make(map[string]*content.RepoNode)
+	err = json.Unmarshal(jsonBytes, &nodes)
+	return nodes, err
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) Update() (updateResponse *responses.Update) {
+	floatSeconds := func(nanoSeconds int64) float64 {
+		return float64(nanoSeconds / 1000000)
+	}
+	startTime := time.Now().UnixNano()
+	updateRepotime, updateErr := repo.update()
+	updateResponse = responses.NewUpdate()
+	updateResponse.Stats.RepoRuntime = floatSeconds(updateRepotime)
+	if updateErr != nil {
+		// let us try to restore the world from a file
+		log.Error("could not update repository:" + updateErr.Error())
+		restoreErr := repo.tryToRestoreCurrent()
+		if restoreErr == nil {
+			log.Error("failed to restore preceding repo version")
+		} else {
+			log.Record("restored current repo from local history")
+		}
+	} else {
+		// add some stats
+		for dimension, _ := range repo.Directory {
+			updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfNodes += len(repo.Directory[dimension].Directory)
+			updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfURIs += len(repo.Directory[dimension].URIDirectory)
+		}
+
+	}
+	updateResponse.Stats.OwnRuntime = floatSeconds(startTime-time.Now().UnixNano()) - updateResponse.Stats.RepoRuntime
+	return updateResponse
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) tryToRestoreCurrent() error {
+	currentJsonBytes, err := repo.history.getCurrent()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return repo.loadJSONBytes(currentJsonBytes)
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) update() (repoRuntime int64, err error) {
+	startTimeRepo := time.Now().UnixNano()
+	jsonBytes, err := utils.Get(repo.server)
+	repoRuntime = time.Now().UnixNano() - startTimeRepo
+	if err != nil {
+		// we have no json to load - the repo server did not reply
+		return
+	} else {
+		nodes, err := loadNodesFromJSON(jsonBytes)
+		if err != nil {
+			// could not load nodes from json
+			return repoRuntime, err
+		}
+		err = repo.loadNodes(nodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			// repo failed to load nodes
+			return repoRuntime, err
+		}
+	}
+	return repoRuntime, nil
+
+	/*
+
+		log.Debug("loaded nodes for dimension " + dimension)
+		_, dimensionOk := repo.Directory[dimension]
+		if dimensionOk {
+			updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfNodes += len(repo.Directory[dimension].Directory)
+			updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfURIs += len(repo.Directory[dimension].URIDirectory)
+		}
+
+
+
+		jsonBytes
+			newNodes := loadNodesFromJSON(jsonBytes)
+
+		data, err := utils.GetRepo(repo.server, newNodes)
+		updateResponse.Stats.RepoRuntime =
+		startTimeOwn := time.Now()
+		if err == nil {
+		}
+		updateResponse.Success = (err != nil)
+
+		doneHandler := func() *responses.Update {
+			updateResponse.Stats.OwnRuntime = time.Now().Sub(startTimeOwn).Seconds()
+			return updateResponse
+		}
+
+		if updateResponse.Success {
+			log.Debug("going to load dimensions from" + utils.ToJSON(newNodes))
+	*/
+}
+
+func updateErrorHandler(err error, updateResponse *responses.Update) *responses.Update {
+	log.Error(fmt.Sprintf("update error: %", err))
+	if updateResponse == nil {
+		updateResponse = responses.NewUpdate()
+	}
+	updateResponse.Success = false
+	updateResponse.ErrorMessage = fmt.Sprintf("%", err)
+	updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfNodes = -1
+	updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfURIs = -1
+	return updateResponse
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) loadJSONBytes(jsonBytes []byte) error {
+	nodes, err := loadNodesFromJSON(jsonBytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = repo.loadNodes(nodes)
+	if err == nil {
+		historyErr := repo.history.add(jsonBytes)
+		if historyErr != nil {
+			log.Warning("could not add valid json to history:" + historyErr.Error())
+		} else {
+			log.Record("added valid json to history")
+		}
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) loadNodes(newNodes map[string]*content.RepoNode) error {
+	for dimension, newNode := range newNodes {
+		log.Debug("loading nodes for dimension " + dimension)
+		loadErr := repo.UpdateDimension(dimension, newNode)
+		if loadErr != nil {
+			log.Debug("	failed to load " + dimension + ": " + loadErr.Error())
+			return loadErr
+		}
+	}
+	// we need to throw away orphaned nodes
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/server/repo/repo.go b/server/repo/repo.go
index 5e81d6e..8f58b42 100644
--- a/server/repo/repo.go
+++ b/server/repo/repo.go
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
 package repo
 
 import (
-	"errors"
+	//	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/log"
 	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/repo/content"
 	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/requests"
-	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/responses"
-	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/utils"
-	golog "log"
+	//"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/responses"
+	//"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/utils"
 	"strings"
-	"time"
+	//"time"
 )
 
 type Dimension struct {
@@ -29,55 +28,25 @@ type Repo struct {
 	Directory         map[string]*Dimension
 	updateChannel     chan *RepoDimension
 	updateDoneChannel chan error
+	history           *history
 }
 
-func NewRepo(server string) *Repo {
+func NewRepo(server string, varDir string) *Repo {
 	log.Notice("creating new repo for " + server)
 	repo := new(Repo)
 	repo.Directory = make(map[string]*Dimension)
 	repo.server = server
-	repo.updateChannel = make(chan *RepoDimension)
-	repo.updateDoneChannel = make(chan error)
-	go func() {
-		for {
-			select {
-			case newDimension := <-repo.updateChannel:
-				repo.updateDoneChannel <- repo.load(newDimension.Dimension, newDimension.Node)
-			}
-		}
-	}()
+	repo.history = newHistory(varDir)
+	go repo.updateRoutine()
+	restoreErr := repo.tryToRestoreCurrent()
+	if restoreErr == nil {
+		log.Record("could not restore previous repo content:" + restoreErr.Error())
+	} else {
+		log.Record("restored previous repo content")
+	}
 	return repo
 }
 
-func (repo *Repo) Load(dimension string, node *content.RepoNode) error {
-	repo.updateChannel <- &RepoDimension{
-		Dimension: dimension,
-		Node:      node,
-	}
-	return <-repo.updateDoneChannel
-}
-
-func (repo *Repo) load(dimension string, newNode *content.RepoNode) error {
-	newNode.WireParents()
-	newDirectory := make(map[string]*content.RepoNode)
-	newURIDirectory := make(map[string]*content.RepoNode)
-
-	err := builDirectory(newNode, newDirectory, newURIDirectory)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	err = wireAliases(newDirectory)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	repo.Directory[dimension] = &Dimension{
-		Node:         newNode,
-		Directory:    newDirectory,
-		URIDirectory: newURIDirectory,
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (repo *Repo) ResolveContent(dimensions []string, URI string) (resolved bool, resolvedURI string, resolvedDimension string, repoNode *content.RepoNode) {
 	parts := strings.Split(URI, content.PATH_SEPARATOR)
 	resolved = false
@@ -214,74 +183,3 @@ func (repo *Repo) GetRepo() map[string]*content.RepoNode {
 func uriKeyForState(state string, uri string) string {
 	return state + "-" + uri
 }
-
-func builDirectory(dirNode *content.RepoNode, directory map[string]*content.RepoNode, uRIDirectory map[string]*content.RepoNode) error {
-	log.Debug("repo.buildDirectory: " + dirNode.Id)
-	existingNode, ok := directory[dirNode.Id]
-	if ok {
-		return errors.New("duplicate node with id:" + existingNode.Id)
-	}
-	directory[dirNode.Id] = dirNode
-	//todo handle duplicate uris
-	if _, thereIsAnExistingUriNode := uRIDirectory[dirNode.URI]; thereIsAnExistingUriNode {
-		return errors.New("duplicate node with uri: " + dirNode.URI)
-	}
-	uRIDirectory[dirNode.URI] = dirNode
-	for _, childNode := range dirNode.Nodes {
-		err := builDirectory(childNode, directory, uRIDirectory)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func wireAliases(directory map[string]*content.RepoNode) error {
-	for _, repoNode := range directory {
-		if len(repoNode.LinkId) > 0 {
-			if destinationNode, ok := directory[repoNode.LinkId]; ok {
-				repoNode.URI = destinationNode.URI
-			} else {
-				return errors.New("that link id points nowhere " + repoNode.LinkId + " from " + repoNode.Id)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (repo *Repo) Update() *responses.Update {
-	updateResponse := responses.NewUpdate()
-	newNodes := make(map[string]*content.RepoNode) //content.NewRepoNode()
-	startTimeRepo := time.Now()
-	ok, err := utils.GetRepo(repo.server, newNodes)
-	updateResponse.Stats.RepoRuntime = time.Now().Sub(startTimeRepo).Seconds()
-	startTimeOwn := time.Now()
-	updateResponse.Success = ok
-	if ok {
-		log.Debug("going to load dimensions from" + utils.ToJSON(newNodes))
-		for dimension, newNode := range newNodes {
-			log.Debug("loading nodes for dimension " + dimension)
-			loadErr := repo.Load(dimension, newNode)
-			if loadErr != nil {
-				golog.Println(loadErr)
-				panic(loadErr)
-			}
-			log.Debug("loaded nodes for dimension " + dimension)
-			_, dimensionOk := repo.Directory[dimension]
-			if dimensionOk {
-				updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfNodes += len(repo.Directory[dimension].Directory)
-				updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfURIs += len(repo.Directory[dimension].URIDirectory)
-			} else {
-				log.Debug("where is dimension " + dimension)
-				golog.Println(repo.Directory)
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
-		log.Error(fmt.Sprintf("update error: %", err))
-		updateResponse.ErrorMessage = fmt.Sprintf("%", err)
-		updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfNodes = -1
-		updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfURIs = -1
-	}
-	updateResponse.Stats.OwnRuntime = time.Now().Sub(startTimeOwn).Seconds()
-	return updateResponse
-}
diff --git a/server/socket.go b/server/socket.go
index e197af6..6d99556 100644
--- a/server/socket.go
+++ b/server/socket.go
@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ func handleConnection(conn net.Conn) {
 	}
 }
 
-func RunSocketServer(server string, address string) {
+func RunSocketServer(server string, address string, varDir string) {
 	log.Record("building repo with content from " + server)
-	contentRepo = repo.NewRepo(server)
+	contentRepo = repo.NewRepo(server, varDir)
 	contentRepo.Update()
 	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", address)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/server/utils/utils.go b/server/utils/utils.go
index 78a9ea2..5afaaff 100644
--- a/server/utils/utils.go
+++ b/server/utils/utils.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/foomo/contentserver/server/repo/content"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 )
@@ -47,56 +46,16 @@ func PopulateRequest(r *http.Request, obj interface{}) {
 	json.Unmarshal(extractJsonFromRequest(r), obj)
 }
 
-func GetRepo(URL string, obj map[string]*content.RepoNode) (ok bool, err error) {
-	// add proper error handling
+func Get(URL string) (data []byte, err error) {
 	response, err := http.Get(URL)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
+		return data, err
 	} else {
 		defer response.Body.Close()
 		if response.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-			return false, errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Bad HTTP Response: %v", response.Status))
+			return data, errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Bad HTTP Response: %v", response.Status))
 		} else {
-			contents, err := ioutil.ReadAll(response.Body)
-			if err != nil {
-				return false, err
-			} else {
-				fmt.Printf("json string %s", string(contents))
-				jsonErr := json.Unmarshal(contents, &obj)
-				if jsonErr != nil {
-					panic(jsonErr)
-					return false, jsonErr
-				} else {
-					return true, nil
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func Get(URL string, obj interface{}) (ok bool, err error) {
-	// add proper error handling
-	response, err := http.Get(URL)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	} else {
-		defer response.Body.Close()
-		if response.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-			return false, errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Bad HTTP Response: %v", response.Status))
-		} else {
-			contents, err := ioutil.ReadAll(response.Body)
-			if err != nil {
-				return false, err
-			} else {
-				fmt.Printf("json string %s", string(contents))
-				jsonErr := json.Unmarshal(contents, &obj)
-				if jsonErr != nil {
-					panic(jsonErr)
-					return false, jsonErr
-				} else {
-					return true, nil
-				}
-			}
+			return ioutil.ReadAll(response.Body)
 		}
 	}
 }