diff --git a/util/proc.cpp b/util/proc.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0e891be5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/proc.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/// \file proc.cpp
+/// Contains generic functions for managing processes.
+
+#include "proc.h"
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <wait.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#if DEBUG >= 1
+#include <iostream>
+#endif
+
+std::map<pid_t, std::string> Util::Procs::plist;
+bool Util::Procs::handler_set = false;
+
+/// Used internally to capture child signals and update plist.
+void Util::Procs::childsig_handler(int signum){
+  if (signum != SIGCHLD){return;}
+  pid_t ret = wait(0);
+  #if DEBUG >= 1
+  std::cerr << "Process " << plist[ret] << " terminated." << std::endl;
+  #endif
+  plist.erase(ret);
+}
+
+/// Starts a new process if the name is not already active.
+/// \return 0 if process was not started, process PID otherwise.
+/// \arg name Name for this process - only used internally.
+/// \arg cmd Commandline for this process.
+pid_t Util::Procs::Start(std::string name, std::string cmd){
+  if (isActive(name)){return getPid(name);}
+  if (!handler_set){
+    struct sigaction new_action;
+    new_action.sa_handler = Util::Procs::childsig_handler;
+    sigemptyset(&new_action.sa_mask);
+    new_action.sa_flags = 0;
+    sigaction(SIGCHLD, &new_action, NULL);
+    handler_set = true;
+  }
+  pid_t ret = fork();
+  if (ret == 0){
+    //split cmd into arguments
+    //supports a maximum of 20 arguments
+    char * tmp = (char*)cmd.c_str();
+    char * tmp2 = 0;
+    char * args[21];
+    int i = 0;
+    tmp2 = strtok(tmp, " ");
+    args[0] = tmp2;
+    while (tmp2 != 0 && (i < 20)){
+      tmp2 = strtok(0, " ");
+      ++i;
+      args[i] = tmp2;
+    }
+    if (i == 20){args[20] = 0;}
+    //execute the command
+    execvp(args[0], args);
+    #if DEBUG >= 1
+    std::cerr << "Error: " << strerror(errno) << std::endl;
+    #endif
+    _exit(42);
+  }else{
+    if (ret > 0){
+      #if DEBUG >= 1
+      std::cerr << "Process " << name << " started, PID " << ret << ": " << cmd << std::endl;
+      #endif
+      plist.insert(std::pair<pid_t, std::string>(ret, name));
+    }else{
+      #if DEBUG >= 1
+      std::cerr << "Process " << name << " could not be started. fork() failed." << std::endl;
+      #endif
+      return 0;
+    }
+  }
+  return ret;
+}
+
+/// Stops the named process, if running.
+/// \arg name (Internal) name of process to stop
+void Util::Procs::Stop(std::string name){
+  if (!isActive(name)){return;}
+  Stop(getPid(name));
+}
+
+/// Stops the process with this pid, if running.
+/// \arg name The PID of the process to stop.
+void Util::Procs::Stop(pid_t name){
+  if (isActive(name)){
+    kill(name, SIGTERM);
+  }
+}
+
+/// (Attempts to) stop all running child processes.
+void Util::Procs::StopAll(){
+  std::map<pid_t, std::string>::iterator it;
+  for (it = plist.begin(); it != plist.end(); it++){
+    Stop((*it).first);
+  }
+}
+
+/// Returns the number of active child processes.
+int Util::Procs::Count(){
+   return plist.size();
+}
+
+/// Returns true if a process by this name is currently active.
+bool Util::Procs::isActive(std::string name){
+  std::map<pid_t, std::string>::iterator it;
+  for (it = plist.begin(); it != plist.end(); it++){
+    if ((*it).second == name){return true;}
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+/// Returns true if a process with this PID is currently active.
+bool Util::Procs::isActive(pid_t name){
+  return (plist.count(name) == 1);
+}
+
+/// Gets PID for this named process, if active.
+/// \return NULL if not active, process PID otherwise.
+pid_t Util::Procs::getPid(std::string name){
+  std::map<pid_t, std::string>::iterator it;
+  for (it = plist.begin(); it != plist.end(); it++){
+    if ((*it).second == name){return (*it).first;}
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets name for this process PID, if active.
+/// \return Empty string if not active, name otherwise.
+std::string Util::Procs::getName(pid_t name){
+  if (plist.count(name) == 1){
+    return plist[name];
+  }
+  return "";
+}
diff --git a/util/proc.h b/util/proc.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2c10ec0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/proc.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/// \file proc.h
+/// Contains generic function headers for managing processes.
+
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <string>
+#include <map>
+
+/// Contains utility code, not directly related to streaming media
+namespace Util{
+
+  /// Deals with spawning, monitoring and stopping child processes
+  class Procs{
+    private:
+      static std::map<pid_t, std::string> plist; ///< Holds active processes
+      static bool handler_set; ///< If true, the sigchld handler has been setup.
+      static void childsig_handler(int signum);
+    public:
+      static pid_t Start(std::string name, std::string cmd);
+      static void Stop(std::string name);
+      static void Stop(pid_t name);
+      static void StopAll();
+      static int Count();
+      static bool isActive(std::string name);
+      static bool isActive(pid_t name);
+      static pid_t getPid(std::string name);
+      static std::string getName(pid_t name);
+  };
+};