diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7ee0638c4..a3e82b162 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Lighthouse: a (future) Ethereum 2.0 client 
 
-[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/sigp/lighthouse.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/sigp/lighthouse)
+[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/sigp/lighthouse.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/sigp/lighthouse) [![Gitter](https://badges.gitter.im/Join%20Chat.svg)](https://gitter.im/sigp/lighthouse?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge)
 
 A **work-in-progress** implementation of the Ethereum 2.0 Beacon Chain in Rust.
 
diff --git a/lighthouse/client/mod.rs b/lighthouse/client/mod.rs
index f87f05738..ee73c2d29 100644
--- a/lighthouse/client/mod.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/client/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-use std::sync::{ Arc, RwLock };
+use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::thread;
-use super::db::{ DB, open_db };
+use super::db::{ DiskDB };
 use super::config::LighthouseConfig;
 use super::futures::sync::mpsc::{
     unbounded,
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ use super::network_libp2p::state::NetworkState;
 use super::slog::Logger;
 use super::sync::run_sync_future;
 
+use super::db::ClientDB;
+
 /// Represents the co-ordination of the
 /// networking, syncing and RPC (not-yet-implemented) threads.
 pub struct Client {
-    pub db: Arc<RwLock<DB>>,
+    pub db: Arc<ClientDB>,
     pub network_thread: thread::JoinHandle<()>,
     pub sync_thread: thread::JoinHandle<()>,
 }
@@ -29,8 +31,8 @@ impl Client {
     {
         // Open the local db
         let db = {
-            let db = open_db(&config.data_dir);
-            Arc::new(RwLock::new(db))
+            let db = DiskDB::open(&config.data_dir, None);
+            Arc::new(db)
         };
 
         // Start the network thread
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ impl Client {
             let (sync_out_sender, sync_out_receiver) = unbounded();
             let (sync_in_sender, sync_in_receiver) = unbounded();
             let sync_log = log.new(o!());
-            let sync_db = Arc::clone(&db);
+            let sync_db = db.clone();
             let thread = thread::spawn(move || {
                 run_sync_future(
                     sync_db,
diff --git a/lighthouse/db/disk_db.rs b/lighthouse/db/disk_db.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4ebdedec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse/db/disk_db.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+extern crate rocksdb;
+
+use std::fs;
+use std::path::Path;
+use super::rocksdb::{
+    DB,
+    Options,
+};
+use super::rocksdb::Error as RocksError;
+use super::{
+    ClientDB,
+    DBValue,
+    DBError
+};
+
+/// A on-disk database which implements the ClientDB trait.
+///
+/// This implementation uses RocksDB with default options.
+pub struct DiskDB {
+    db: DB,
+}
+
+impl DiskDB {
+    /// Open the RocksDB database, optionally supplying columns if required.
+    ///
+    /// The RocksDB database will be contained in a directory titled
+    /// "database" in the supplied path.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics if the database is unable to be created.
+    pub fn open(path: &Path, columns: Option<&[&str]>) -> Self {
+        /*
+         * Initialise the options
+         */
+        let mut options = Options::default();
+        options.create_if_missing(true);
+
+        /*
+         * Initialise the path
+         */
+        fs::create_dir_all(&path)
+            .expect(&format!("Unable to create {:?}", &path));
+        let db_path = path.join("database");
+
+        /*
+         * Open the database
+         */
+        let db = match columns {
+            None => DB::open(&options, db_path),
+            Some(columns) => DB::open_cf(&options, db_path, columns)
+        }.expect("Unable to open local database");;
+
+        Self {
+            db,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<RocksError> for DBError {
+    fn from(e: RocksError) -> Self {
+        Self { message: e.to_string() }
+    }
+}
+
+impl ClientDB for DiskDB {
+    /// Create a RocksDB column family. Corresponds to the
+    /// `create_cf()` function on the RocksDB API.
+    fn create_col(&mut self, col: &str)
+        -> Result<(), DBError>
+    {
+        match self.db.create_cf(col, &Options::default()) {
+            Err(e) => Err(e.into()),
+            Ok(_) => Ok(())
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Get the value for some key on some column.
+    ///
+    /// Corresponds to the `get_cf()` method on the RocksDB API.
+    /// Will attempt to get the `ColumnFamily` and return an Err
+    /// if it fails.
+    fn get(&self, col: &str, key: &[u8])
+        -> Result<Option<DBValue>, DBError>
+    {
+        match self.db.cf_handle(col) {
+            None => Err(DBError{ message: "Unknown column".to_string() }),
+            Some(handle) => {
+                match self.db.get_cf(handle, key)? {
+                    None => Ok(None),
+                    Some(db_vec) => Ok(Some(DBValue::from(&*db_vec)))
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Set some value for some key on some column.
+    ///
+    /// Corresponds to the `cf_handle()` method on the RocksDB API.
+    /// Will attempt to get the `ColumnFamily` and return an Err
+    /// if it fails.
+    fn put(&self, col: &str, key: &[u8], val: &[u8])
+        -> Result<(), DBError>
+    {
+        match self.db.cf_handle(col) {
+            None => Err(DBError{ message: "Unknown column".to_string() }),
+            Some(handle) => self.db.put_cf(handle, key, val).map_err(|e| e.into())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use super::super::ClientDB;
+    use std::{ env, fs, thread };
+    use std::sync::Arc;
+
+    #[test]
+    #[ignore]
+    fn test_rocksdb_can_use_db() {
+        let pwd = env::current_dir().unwrap();
+        let path = pwd.join("testdb_please_remove");
+        let _ = fs::remove_dir_all(&path);
+        fs::create_dir_all(&path).unwrap();
+
+        let col_name: &str = "TestColumn";
+        let column_families = vec![col_name];
+
+        let mut db = DiskDB::open(&path, None);
+
+        for cf in column_families {
+            db.create_col(&cf).unwrap();
+        }
+
+        let db = Arc::new(db);
+
+        let thread_count = 10;
+        let write_count = 10;
+
+        // We're execting the product of these numbers to fit in one byte.
+        assert!(thread_count * write_count <= 255);
+
+        let mut handles = vec![];
+        for t in 0..thread_count {
+            let wc = write_count;
+            let db = db.clone();
+            let col = col_name.clone();
+            let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+                for w in 0..wc {
+                    let key = (t * w) as u8;
+                    let val = 42;
+                    db.put(&col, &vec![key], &vec![val]).unwrap();
+                }
+            });
+            handles.push(handle);
+        }
+
+        for handle in handles {
+            handle.join().unwrap();
+        }
+
+        for t in 0..thread_count {
+            for w in 0..write_count {
+                let key = (t * w) as u8;
+                let val = db.get(&col_name, &vec![key]).unwrap().unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(vec![42], val);
+            }
+        }
+        fs::remove_dir_all(&path).unwrap();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lighthouse/db/mod.rs b/lighthouse/db/mod.rs
index 92323b3ac..c85eaf18b 100644
--- a/lighthouse/db/mod.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/db/mod.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 extern crate rocksdb;
 
-use std::fs;
-use std::path::Path;
-pub use self::rocksdb::DB;
+mod disk_db;
+mod traits;
 
-pub fn open_db(path: &Path) -> DB {
-    let db_path = path.join("rocksdb");
-    fs::create_dir_all(&db_path)
-        .expect(&format!("Unable to create {:?}", &db_path));
-    let db = DB::open_default(db_path.join("lighthouse.rdb"))
-        .expect("Unable to open local database.");
-    db
-}
+pub use self::disk_db::DiskDB;
+pub use self::traits::{
+    DBError,
+    DBValue,
+    ClientDB,
+};
diff --git a/lighthouse/db/traits.rs b/lighthouse/db/traits.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..97759d3b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse/db/traits.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+pub type DBValue = Vec<u8>;
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct DBError {
+    pub message: String
+}
+
+impl DBError {
+    pub fn new(message: String) -> Self {
+        Self { message }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A generic database to be used by the "client' (i.e.,
+/// the lighthouse blockchain client).
+///
+/// The purpose of having this generic trait is to allow the
+/// program to use a persistent on-disk database during production,
+/// but use a transient database during tests.
+pub trait ClientDB: Sync + Send {
+    fn create_col(&mut self, col: &str)
+        -> Result<(), DBError>;
+
+    fn get(&self, col: &str, key: &[u8])
+        -> Result<Option<DBValue>, DBError>;
+
+    fn put(&self, col: &str, key: &[u8], val: &[u8])
+        -> Result<(), DBError>;
+}
+
diff --git a/lighthouse/sync/block.rs b/lighthouse/sync/block.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72d827285
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse/sync/block.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use super::db::ClientDB;
+use slog::Logger;
+
+pub enum BlockStatus {
+    Valid,
+    AlreadyKnown,
+    TooOld,
+    TimeInvalid,
+    UnknownPoWHash,
+    NoAttestations,
+    InvalidAttestation,
+    NotProposerSigned,
+}
+
+pub fn process_unverified_blocks(
+    _serialized_block: &[u8],
+    _db: Arc<ClientDB>,
+    _log: Logger)
+{
+    //
+}
+
+
diff --git a/lighthouse/sync/messages.rs b/lighthouse/sync/messages.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 9173f1c40..000000000
--- a/lighthouse/sync/messages.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-pub enum SyncEventType {
-    Invalid,
-    PeerConnect,
-    PeerDrop,
-    ReceiveBlocks,
-    ReceiveAttestationRecords,
-}
-
-pub struct SyncEvent {
-    event: SyncEventType,
-    data: Option<Vec<u8>>
-}
diff --git a/lighthouse/sync/mod.rs b/lighthouse/sync/mod.rs
index 3d7d2d8d2..f56260e4f 100644
--- a/lighthouse/sync/mod.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/sync/mod.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ extern crate slog;
 extern crate tokio;
 extern crate network_libp2p;
 
-pub mod messages;
+pub mod block;
 pub mod network;
 pub mod sync_future;
 pub mod wire_protocol;
diff --git a/lighthouse/sync/network.rs b/lighthouse/sync/network.rs
index c2d1f1149..1383b5040 100644
--- a/lighthouse/sync/network.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/sync/network.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use std::sync::{ RwLock, Arc };
-use super::db::DB;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use super::db::ClientDB;
 use slog::Logger;
 
 use super::network_libp2p::message::{
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@ use super::network_libp2p::message::{
     NetworkEventType,
 };
 
-use super::wire_protocol::{ WireMessageType, message_type };
+use super::block::process_unverified_blocks;
+
+use super::wire_protocol::{
+    WireMessage,
+    WireMessageHeader,
+};
 
 use super::futures::sync::mpsc::{
     UnboundedSender,
@@ -20,7 +25,7 @@ use super::futures::sync::mpsc::{
 /// (e.g., libp2p) has an event to push up to the sync process.
 pub fn handle_network_event(
     event: NetworkEvent,
-    db: Arc<RwLock<DB>>,
+    db: Arc<ClientDB>,
     network_tx: UnboundedSender<OutgoingMessage>,
     log: Logger)
     -> Result<(), ()>
@@ -51,16 +56,27 @@ pub fn handle_network_event(
 /// (e.g., libp2p) has sent a message to us.
 fn handle_network_message(
     message: Vec<u8>,
-    _db: Arc<RwLock<DB>>,
+    db: Arc<ClientDB>,
     _network_tx: UnboundedSender<OutgoingMessage>,
-    _log: Logger)
+    log: Logger)
     -> Result<(), ()>
 {
-    match message_type(&message) {
-        Some(WireMessageType::Blocks) => {
-            // Do something with inbound blocks.
-            Ok(())
+    match WireMessage::decode(&message) {
+        Ok(msg) => {
+            match msg.header {
+                WireMessageHeader::Blocks => {
+                    process_unverified_blocks(
+                        msg.body,
+                        db,
+                        log
+                    );
+                    Ok(())
+                }
+                _ => Ok(())
+            }
+        }
+        Err(_) => {
+            return Ok(())  // No need to pass the error back
         }
-        _ => Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/lighthouse/sync/sync_future.rs b/lighthouse/sync/sync_future.rs
index c3b2355fb..0e46e9e50 100644
--- a/lighthouse/sync/sync_future.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/sync/sync_future.rs
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ use super::network_libp2p::message::{
     OutgoingMessage,
 };
 use super::network::handle_network_event;
-use std::sync::{ RwLock, Arc };
-use super::db::DB;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use super::db::ClientDB;
 use slog::Logger;
 
 type NetworkSender = UnboundedSender<OutgoingMessage>;
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type SyncReceiver = UnboundedReceiver<Vec<u8>>;
 /// from the network and the RPC and update
 /// the state.
 pub fn run_sync_future(
-    db: Arc<RwLock<DB>>,
+    db: Arc<ClientDB>,
     network_tx: NetworkSender,
     network_rx: NetworkReceiver,
     _sync_tx: SyncSender,
diff --git a/lighthouse/sync/wire_protocol.rs b/lighthouse/sync/wire_protocol.rs
index 5d4f77204..999d14a73 100644
--- a/lighthouse/sync/wire_protocol.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/sync/wire_protocol.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-pub enum WireMessageType {
+pub enum WireMessageDecodeError {
+    TooShort,
+    UnknownType,
+}
+
+pub enum WireMessageHeader {
     Status,
     NewBlockHashes,
     GetBlockHashes,
@@ -8,6 +13,48 @@ pub enum WireMessageType {
     NewBlock,
 }
 
+pub struct WireMessage<'a> {
+    pub header: WireMessageHeader,
+    pub body: &'a [u8],
+}
+
+impl<'a> WireMessage<'a> {
+    pub fn decode(bytes: &'a Vec<u8>)
+        -> Result<Self, WireMessageDecodeError>
+    {
+        if let Some((header_byte, body)) = bytes.split_first() {
+            let header = match header_byte {
+                0x06 => Some(WireMessageHeader::Blocks),
+                _ => None
+            };
+            match header {
+                Some(header) => Ok(Self{header, body}),
+                None => Err(WireMessageDecodeError::UnknownType)
+            }
+        } else {
+            Err(WireMessageDecodeError::TooShort)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/*
+pub fn decode_wire_message(bytes: &[u8])
+    -> Result<WireMessage, WireMessageDecodeError>
+{
+    if let Some((header_byte, body)) = bytes.split_first() {
+        let header = match header_byte {
+            0x06 => Some(WireMessageType::Blocks),
+            _ => None
+        };
+        match header {
+            Some(header) => Ok((header, body)),
+            None => Err(WireMessageDecodeError::UnknownType)
+        }
+    } else {
+        Err(WireMessageDecodeError::TooShort)
+    }
+}
+
 
 /// Determines the message type of some given
 /// message.
@@ -22,3 +69,21 @@ pub fn message_type(message: &Vec<u8>)
         _ => None
     }
 }
+
+pub fn identify_wire_protocol_message(message: &Vec<u8>)
+    -> Result<(WireMessageType, &[u8]), WireMessageDecodeError>
+{
+    fn strip_header(v: &Vec<u8>) -> &[u8] {
+        match v.get(1..v.len()) {
+            None => &vec![],
+            Some(s) => s
+        }
+    }
+
+    match message.get(0) {
+        Some(0x06) => Ok((WireMessageType::Blocks, strip_header(message))),
+        None => Err(WireMessageDecodeError::TooShort),
+        _ => Err(WireMessageDecodeError::UnknownType),
+    }
+}
+*/
diff --git a/network-libp2p/Cargo.toml b/network-libp2p/Cargo.toml
index 50f5d26b8..de8077ac6 100644
--- a/network-libp2p/Cargo.toml
+++ b/network-libp2p/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ bigint = "4.2"
 bytes = ""
 eth-secp256k1 = { git = "https://github.com/paritytech/rust-secp256k1" }
 futures = "0.1.23"
-libp2p-peerstore = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
-libp2p-core = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
-libp2p-mplex = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
-libp2p-tcp-transport = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
-libp2p-floodsub = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
-libp2p-identify = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
-libp2p-kad = { git = "https://github.com/tomaka/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-peerstore = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-core = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-mplex = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-tcp-transport = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-floodsub = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-identify = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
+libp2p-kad = { git = "https://github.com/sigp/libp2p-rs", branch ="zksummit" }
 pem = "0.5.0"
 rand = "0.3"
 slog = "^2.2.3"