diff --git a/storm/common/ssh.py b/storm/common/ssh.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f1d96b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storm/common/ssh.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+import time
+import socket
+import warnings
+
+with warnings.catch_warnings():
+    warnings.simplefilter("ignore")
+    import paramiko
+
+
+class Client(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, host, username, password, timeout=300):
+        self.host = host
+        self.username = username
+        self.password = password
+        self.timeout = int(timeout)
+
+    def _get_ssh_connection(self):
+        """Returns an ssh connection to the specified host"""
+        _timeout = True
+        ssh = paramiko.SSHClient()
+        ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(
+            paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
+        _start_time = time.time()
+
+        while not self._is_timed_out(self.timeout, _start_time):
+            try:
+                ssh.connect(self.host, username=self.username,
+                    password=self.password, look_for_keys=False,
+                    timeout=20)
+                _timeout = False
+                break
+            except socket.error:
+                continue
+            except paramiko.AuthenticationException:
+                time.sleep(15)
+                continue
+        if _timeout:
+            raise socket.error("SSH connect timed out")
+        return ssh
+
+    def _is_timed_out(self, timeout, start_time):
+        return (time.time() - timeout) > start_time
+
+    def connect_until_closed(self):
+        """Connect to the server and wait until connection is lost"""
+        try:
+            ssh = self._get_ssh_connection()
+            _transport = ssh.get_transport()
+            _start_time = time.time()
+            _timed_out = self._is_timed_out(self.timeout, _start_time)
+            while _transport.is_active() and not _timed_out:
+                time.sleep(5)
+                _timed_out = self._is_timed_out(self.timeout, _start_time)
+            ssh.close()
+        except (EOFError, paramiko.AuthenticationException, socket.error):
+            return
+
+    def exec_command(self, cmd):
+        """Execute the specified command on the server.
+
+        :returns: data read from standard output of the command
+
+        """
+        ssh = self._get_ssh_connection()
+        stdin, stdout, stderr = ssh.exec_command(cmd)
+        output = stdout.read()
+        ssh.close()
+        return output
+
+    def test_connection_auth(self):
+        """ Returns true if ssh can connect to server"""
+        try:
+            connection = self._get_ssh_connection()
+            connection.close()
+        except paramiko.AuthenticationException:
+            return False
+
+        return True