diff --git a/log_helpers.sh b/log_helpers.sh
index 4840ef0..16e27f5 100755
--- a/log_helpers.sh
+++ b/log_helpers.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,25 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # set -x 
 
+readonly DEBUG=0
+readonly INFO=1
+readonly WARN=2
+readonly CRIT=3
+readonly FATAL=4
+readonly MAX_DEBUG_LEVEL=5
+
+log_level=0
+
+set_dbg_level () {
+    if [ $1 < $MAX_DEBUG_LEVEL ]; then
+        log_level=$1
+    fi
+}
+
+dbg_level () {
+    return $log_level
+}
+
 log() {
     local log_file=/var/log/update_controller.log
     if [ -f "$log_file" ]; then
@@ -11,7 +30,40 @@ log() {
         sed -e 1d -i $log_file
     fi
     message="$(date +'%D_%T'): $*"
-    printf "$message\n"
+    printf "$message\n" >&2
     printf "$message\n" >> $log_file
 }
+
+log_debug() {
+    if [ $log_level = $DEBUG ]; then
+        log "DEBUG $*"
+    fi
+}
+
+log_info() {
+    if [ $log_level -le $INFO ]; then
+        log "INFO  $*"
+    fi
+}
+
+log_warn() {
+    if [ $log_level -le $WARN ]; then
+        log "WARN  $*"
+    fi
+}
+
+log_crit() {
+    if [ $log_level -le $CRIT ]; then
+        log "CRIT  $*"
+    fi
+}
+
+log_fatal() {
+    if [ $log_level -le $FATAL ]; then
+        log "FATAL  $*"
+        log "exiting ..."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
 # log "test message1" "test message2"