diff --git a/birdwatcher.go b/birdwatcher.go
index c2d1bcc..6b3d75f 100644
--- a/birdwatcher.go
+++ b/birdwatcher.go
@@ -1,12 +1,115 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
+	"log/syslog"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"regexp"
+
+	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
+	yaml "gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 )
 
+var debug int = 0
+var slog *syslog.Writer // Our syslog connection
+var conf Config
+
+type Match struct {
+	Expr   string   // The regular expression as a string.
+	Fields []string // The named fields for grouped expressions.
+	Next   string   // The next regular expression in the flow.
+}
+
+// Compiled regular expression and it's corresponding match data.
+type RE struct {
+	RE    *regexp.Regexp
+	Match Match
+}
+
+// The configuration found in the configuration file.
+type FileConfig struct {
+	Matches  map[string]Match // All our regular expressions and related data.
+	Listen   string           // Listen to this address:port for HTTP.
+	FileName string           // File to look for patterns
+
+}
+
+type Config struct {
+	Conf FileConfig
+	Res  map[string]RE
+}
+
+// Parse the configuration file. Returns the configuration.
+func parseconfig(filename string) (conf *Config, err error) {
+	conf = new(Config)
+
+	contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	fileconf := new(FileConfig)
+	if err = yaml.Unmarshal(contents, &fileconf); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	conf.Res = make(map[string]RE)
+
+	// Build the regexps from the configuration.
+	for key, match := range fileconf.Matches {
+		var err error
+		var re RE
+
+		re.Match = match
+		re.RE, err = regexp.Compile(match.Expr)
+		if err != nil {
+			slog.Err("Couldn't compile re: " + match.Expr)
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
+
+		// Check that the number of capturing groups matches the number of expected fields.
+		lengroups := len(re.RE.SubexpNames()) - 1
+		lenfields := len(re.Match.Fields)
+
+		if lengroups != lenfields {
+			line := fmt.Sprintf("Number of capturing groups (%v) not equal to number of fields (%v): %s", lengroups, lenfields, re.Match.Expr)
+			slog.Err(line)
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
+
+		conf.Res[key] = re
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
 func main() {
+	var configfile = flag.String("config", "birdwatcher.yaml", "Path to configuration file")
+	var flagdebug = flag.Int("debug", 0, "Be more verbose")
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	debug = *flagdebug
+
+	slog, err := syslog.New(syslog.LOG_ERR, "birdwatcher")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Couldn't open syslog")
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
+
+	slog.Debug("birdwatcher starting")
+
+	conf, err := parseconfig(*configfile)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Err("Couldn't parse configuration file: " + err.Error())
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("%v\n", conf)
+
 	r := httprouter.New()
 	r.GET("/status", Status)
 	r.GET("/routes", Routes)
diff --git a/birdwatcher.yaml b/birdwatcher.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c235d5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/birdwatcher.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+---
+filename: v4-show-protocols-all.txt
+
+# A map of all the expected patterns.
+# fields: A list of variables to set from the grouped patterns.
+# expr: The regular expression.
+# next: The next regexp to go to after the current one has a match. ""
+# if we are finished.
+# action: What to do with the stored values.
+
+matches:
+
+  # pp_0236_as10310 Pipe     master   up     2016-07-22  => t_0236_as10310
+  getprotocol: 
+    fields:
+      - name
+      - prot
+      - date
+      - status
+    expr: "^([A-Z][a-z][0-9]*) (.*) .* (.*) (.*)"
+    next: "protdescription"
+
+  # Description:    Pipe for AS10310 - Yahoo! - VLAN Interface 236
+  protdescription:
+    fields:
+      - desc
+    expr: "  Description: (.*)"
+    next: ""
diff --git a/patterns.go b/patterns.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e4ecce5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patterns.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// readLines reads a whole file into memory
+// and returns a slice of its lines.
+func readLines(path string) ([]string, error) {
+	file, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	var lines []string
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		lines = append(lines, scanner.Text())
+	}
+	return lines, scanner.Err()
+}
+
+// pattern looks for pattern matching regular expression re in the
+// lines buffer. Returns the name of our next regular expression to
+// look for.
+func pattern(re RE, lines []string) (next string) {
+	for _, line := range lines {
+		if debug > 1 {
+			slog.Debug("Looking at: " + line)
+		}
+
+		fields := re.RE.FindStringSubmatch(line)
+
+		if len(fields)-1 == len(re.Match.Fields) {
+			if debug > 0 {
+				line := fmt.Sprintf("Found match for a message of type '%v'", re.Match)
+				slog.Debug(line)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return re.Match.Next
+}
diff --git a/routes.go b/routes.go
index 0392dd0..df32824 100644
--- a/routes.go
+++ b/routes.go
@@ -2,10 +2,18 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
 	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
 )
 
 func Protocols(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, ps httprouter.Params) {
 	fmt.Fprint(w, "protocols\n")
+
+	lines, err := readLines(conf.Conf.FileName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	pattern(conf.Res["getprotocol"], lines)
 }