diff --git a/dram/gmon.out b/dram/gmon.out
deleted file mode 100644
index f7dfccb0..00000000
Binary files a/dram/gmon.out and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/dram/src/common/Utils.cpp b/dram/src/common/Utils.cpp
index b8b15d65..68682549 100644
--- a/dram/src/common/Utils.cpp
+++ b/dram/src/common/Utils.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <tlm.h>
 
 using namespace std;
+using namespace tinyxml2;
 
 void reportFatal(std::string sender, std::string message)
 {
@@ -17,3 +18,75 @@ std::string phaseNameToString(tlm::tlm_phase phase)
 	std::string str = oss.str();
 	return str;
 }
+
+unsigned int queryIntParameter(XMLElement* node, string name) {
+	int result;
+	XMLElement* element;
+	for (element = node->FirstChildElement("parameter"); element != NULL;
+			element = element->NextSiblingElement("parameter"))
+	{
+		if (element->Attribute("id") == name)
+		{
+			assert(!strcmp(element->Attribute("type"), "uint"));
+			XMLError error = element->QueryIntAttribute("value", &result);
+			assert(!error);
+			return result;
+		}
+	}
+
+	std::cout << "error: " + name + " element not found" << endl;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+double queryDoubleParameter(XMLElement* node, string name) {
+	double result;
+	XMLElement* element;
+	for (element = node->FirstChildElement("parameter"); element != NULL;
+			element = element->NextSiblingElement("parameter"))
+	{
+		if (element->Attribute("id") == name)
+		{
+			assert(!strcmp(element->Attribute("type"), "double"));
+			XMLError error = element->QueryDoubleAttribute("value", &result);
+			assert(!error);
+			return result;
+		}
+	}
+
+	std::cout << "error: " + name +  " element not found" << endl;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+bool queryBoolParameter(XMLElement* node, string name) {
+	bool result;
+	XMLElement* element;
+	for (element = node->FirstChildElement("parameter"); element != NULL;
+			element = element->NextSiblingElement("parameter"))
+	{
+		if (element->Attribute("id") == name)
+		{
+			assert(!strcmp(element->Attribute("type"), "double"));
+			XMLError error = element->QueryBoolAttribute("value", &result);
+			assert(!error);
+			return result;
+		}
+	}
+
+	std::cout << "error: " + name +  " element not found" << endl;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+string queryStringParameter(XMLElement* node, string name) {
+	XMLElement* element;
+	for (element = node->FirstChildElement("parameter"); element != NULL;
+			element = element->NextSiblingElement("parameter"))
+	{
+		if (element->Attribute("id") == name)
+		{
+			return element->Attribute("value");
+		}
+	}
+
+	std::cout << "error: element not found" << endl;
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/dram/src/common/Utils.h b/dram/src/common/Utils.h
index 71c5d4ae..2c73fab6 100644
--- a/dram/src/common/Utils.h
+++ b/dram/src/common/Utils.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 #include <ostream>
 #include <tlm.h>
 
+#include "third_party/tinyxml2.h"
+
 template<typename Key, typename Val>
 Val getElementFromMap(std::map<Key, Val>& m, Key key)
 {
@@ -39,4 +41,9 @@ bool isIn(const T& value, const std::vector<T>& collection)
 void reportFatal(std::string sender, std::string message);
 std::string phaseNameToString(tlm::tlm_phase phase);
 
+unsigned int queryIntParameter(tinyxml2::XMLElement* node, std::string name);
+std::string queryStringParameter(tinyxml2::XMLElement* node, std::string name);
+bool queryBoolParameter(tinyxml2::XMLElement* node, std::string name);
+double queryDoubleParameter(tinyxml2::XMLElement* node, std::string name);
+
 #endif /* UTILS_COMMON_H_ */
diff --git a/dram/src/core/Configuration.h b/dram/src/core/Configuration.h
index 3e4224ff..16029e5e 100644
--- a/dram/src/core/Configuration.h
+++ b/dram/src/core/Configuration.h
@@ -15,9 +15,20 @@ namespace core{
 
 struct Configuration
 {
+	static std::string memspecUri;
+	static std::string memconfigUri;
+
+
 	Configuration(): NumberOfBanks(8), NumberOfBankGroups(4), Burstlength(2), Timings(NumberOfBanks),  BankwiseRefresh(true),BankwisePowerDown(true),
 			nActivate(2)
-	{}
+	{
+		readMemSpec();
+	}
+
+
+	string MemoryId;
+	string MemmoryType;
+
 	unsigned int NumberOfBanks;
 	unsigned int NumberOfBankGroups;
 	unsigned int Burstlength;
@@ -26,9 +37,13 @@ struct Configuration
 	bool BankwiseRefresh;
 	bool BankwisePowerDown;
 	unsigned int nActivate;
+
+
+	void readMemSpec();
+	void readMemConfig();
 };
 
-} /* namespace controller */
+} /* namespace core */
 
 
 #endif /* CONFIGURATION_H_ */