diff --git a/utils/install_server.sh b/utils/install_server.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..eedd8034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/install_server.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+
+# Copyright 2011 Dvir Volk <dvirsk at gmail dot com>. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are
+# permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+#
+#   1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
+#      conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#
+#   2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list
+#      of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials
+#      provided with the distribution.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
+# WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL Dvir Volk OR
+# CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+# CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+# SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON
+# ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
+# NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
+# ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+#
+# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
+#
+# Interactive service installer for redis server
+# this generates a redis config file and an /etc/init.d script, and installs them
+# this scripts should be run as root
+#
+
+
+die () {
+	echo "ERROR: $1. Aborting!" 
+	exit 1
+}
+
+
+#Initial defaults
+_REDIS_PORT=6379
+
+echo "Welcome to the redis service installer"
+echo "This script will help you easily set up a running redis server
+
+"
+
+#check for root user TODO: replace this with a call to "id"
+if [ `whoami` != "root" ] ; then
+	echo "You must run this script as root. Sorry!"
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+#Read the redis port
+read  -p "Please select the redis port for this instance: [$_REDIS_PORT] " REDIS_PORT 
+if [ ! `echo $REDIS_PORT | egrep "^[0-9]+\$"`  ] ; then
+	echo "Selecting default: $_REDIS_PORT"
+	REDIS_PORT=$_REDIS_PORT 
+fi
+
+#read the redis config file
+_REDIS_CONFIG_FILE="/etc/redis/$REDIS_PORT.conf"
+read -p "Please select the redis config file name [$_REDIS_CONFIG_FILE] " REDIS_CONFIG_FILE
+if [ !"$REDIS_CONFIG_FILE" ] ; then
+	REDIS_CONFIG_FILE=$_REDIS_CONFIG_FILE
+	echo "Selected default - $REDIS_CONFIG_FILE"
+fi
+#try and create it
+mkdir -p `dirname "$REDIS_CONFIG_FILE"` || die "Could not create redis config directory"
+
+#read the redis log file path
+_REDIS_LOG_FILE="/var/log/redis_$REDIS_PORT.log"
+read -p "Please select the redis log file name [$_REDIS_LOG_FILE] " REDIS_LOG_FILE
+if [ !"$REDIS_LOG_FILE" ] ; then
+	REDIS_LOG_FILE=$_REDIS_LOG_FILE
+	echo "Selected default - $REDIS_LOG_FILE"
+fi
+
+
+#get the redis data directory
+_REDIS_DATA_DIR="/var/lib/redis/$REDIS_PORT"
+read -p "Please select the data directory for this instance [$_REDIS_DATA_DIR] " REDIS_DATA_DIR
+if [ !"$REDIS_DATA_DIR" ] ; then
+	REDIS_DATA_DIR=$_REDIS_DATA_DIR
+	echo "Selected default - $REDIS_DATA_DIR"
+fi
+mkdir -p $REDIS_DATA_DIR || die "Could not create redis data directory"
+
+#get the redis executable path
+_REDIS_EXECUTABLE=`which redis-server`
+read -p "Please select the redis executable path [$_REDIS_EXECUTABLE] " REDIS_EXECUTABLE
+if [ ! -f "$REDIS_EXECUTABLE" ] ; then
+	REDIS_EXECUTABLE=$_REDIS_EXECUTABLE
+	
+	if [ ! -f "$REDIS_EXECUTABLE" ] ; then
+		echo "Mmmmm...  it seems like you don't have a redis executable. Did you run make install yet?"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	
+fi
+
+
+#render the tmplates
+TMP_FILE="/tmp/$REDIS_PORT.conf"
+TPL_FILE="./redis.conf.tpl"
+INIT_TPL_FILE="./redis_init_script.tpl"
+INIT_SCRIPT_DEST="/etc/init.d/redis_$REDIS_PORT"
+PIDFILE="/var/run/redis_$REDIS_PORT.pid"
+
+
+
+#check the default for redis cli
+CLI_EXEC=`which redis-cli`
+if [ ! "$CLI_EXEC" ] ; then 
+	CLI_EXEC=`dirname $REDIS_EXECUTABLE`"/redis-cli"
+fi
+
+#Generate config file from template
+echo "## Generated by install_server.sh ##" > $TMP_FILE
+cat $TPL_FILE | while read line; do eval "echo \"$line\"" >> $TMP_FILE; done
+cp -f $TMP_FILE $REDIS_CONFIG_FILE || exit 1
+
+#Generate sample script from template file
+rm -f $TMP_FILE
+
+#we hard code the configs here to avoid issues with templates containing env vars
+#kinda lame but works!
+REDIS_INIT_HEADER=\
+"#/bin/sh\n
+#Configurations injected by install_server below....\n\n
+EXEC=$REDIS_EXECUTABLE\n
+CLIEXEC=$CLI_EXEC\n
+PIDFILE=$PIDFILE\n
+CONF=\"$REDIS_CONFIG_FILE\"\n\n
+REDISPORT=\"$REDIS_PORT\"\n\n
+###############\n\n"
+
+#combine the header and the template (which is actually a static footer)
+echo $REDIS_INIT_HEADER > $TMP_FILE && cat $INIT_TPL_FILE >> $TMP_FILE || die "Could not write init script to $TMP_FILE"
+
+#copy to /etc/init.d
+cp -f $TMP_FILE $INIT_SCRIPT_DEST && chmod +x $INIT_SCRIPT_DEST || die "Could not copy redis init script to  $INIT_SCRIPT_DEST"
+echo "Copied $TMP_FILE => $INIT_SCRIPT_DEST"
+
+#Install the service
+echo "Installing service..."
+update-rc.d redis_$REDIS_PORT defaults && echo "Success!"
+/etc/init.d/redis_$REDIS_PORT start || die "Failed starting service..."
+
+#tada
+echo "Installation successful!"
+exit 0
+
+
+
+