diff --git a/libra/common/logger.py b/libra/common/logger.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ab3b612
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libra/common/logger.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+#
+# 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
+
+import logging
+
+
+class Logger(object):
+    def __init__(self, logfile, level):
+        logging.basicConfig(
+            format='%(asctime)-6s: %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s',
+            filename=logfile
+        )
+        self.logger = logging.getLogger('libra')
+        if level == 'debug':
+            self.logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        elif level == 'info':
+            self.logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
diff --git a/libra/common/options.py b/libra/common/options.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25ba00a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libra/common/options.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+#
+# 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
+
+import argparse
+import ConfigParser
+
+
+class Options(object):
+    def __init__(self, title):
+        self.title = title
+        self._parse_args()
+        self._load_config()
+
+    def _parse_args(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            description='Libra {title}'.format(title=self.title)
+        )
+        parser.add_argument('config', help='configuration file', type=file)
+        parser.add_argument(
+            '-d', dest='nodaemon', action='store_true',
+            help='do not run in daemon mode'
+        )
+
+        self.args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    def _load_config(self):
+        self.config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
+        config.readfp(self.args.config)
diff --git a/libra/mgm/mgm.py b/libra/mgm/mgm.py
index 7130429f..013604cf 100644
--- a/libra/mgm/mgm.py
+++ b/libra/mgm/mgm.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import signal
 import sys
 
 from libra.mgm.listener import Listener
+from libra.common.options import Options
+from libra.common.logger import Logger
 
 
 class Server(object):
@@ -59,28 +61,19 @@ class Server(object):
 
 
 def main():
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
-        description='LBaaS Node Management Daemon'
-    )
-    parser.add_argument('nodes', metavar='N', type=int,
-                        help='number of nodes to maintain')
-    parser.add_argument('-d', dest='nodaemon', action='store_true',
-                        help='do not run in daemon mode')
-    options = parser.parse_args()
+    options = Options('Node Management Daemon')
 
-    logging.basicConfig(
-        format='%(asctime)-6s: %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s',
-        filename='/var/log/lbaas/lbaas_mgm.log'
+    logger = Logger(
+        options.config.get('mgm', 'logfile'),
+        options.config.get('mgm', 'loglevel')
     )
-    logger = logging.getLogger('lbaas_mgm')
-    logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
 
     pid_fn = '/var/run/lbaas_mgm/lbaas_mgm.pid'
     pid = daemon.pidlockfile.TimeoutPIDLockFile(pid_fn, 10)
 
-    server = Server(logger, options.nodes)
+    server = Server(logger.logger, options.config.get('mgm', 'nodes'))
 
-    if options.nodaemon:
+    if options.args.nodaemon:
         server.main()
     else:
         with daemon.DaemonContext(pidfile=pid):