diff --git a/agent/wscript_build b/agent/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..583f4ac8963
--- /dev/null
+++ b/agent/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import Options
+
+bld.install_files("${AGENTLIBDIR}",
+	bld.path.ant_glob("storagepatch/**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
+	cwd=bld.path,relative_trick=True)
+if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
+	bld.install_files_filtered("${AGENTSYSCONFDIR}","conf/*")
diff --git a/client/wscript_build b/client/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3c153257032
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import Options
+
+start_path = bld.path.find_dir("WEB-INF")
+bld.install_files('${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client/WEB-INF',
+	start_path.ant_glob("**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
+	cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
+
+if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
+	bld.install_files_filtered("${MSCONF}","tomcatconf/*")
+	bld.install_files("${MSCONF}",'tomcatconf/db.properties',chmod=0640)
+	bld.setownership("${MSCONF}/db.properties","root",bld.env.MSUSER)
diff --git a/console-proxy/wscript_build b/console-proxy/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d5221157768
--- /dev/null
+++ b/console-proxy/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import Options
+
+# binary unsubstitutable files:
+bld.install_files("${CPLIBDIR}",bld.path.ant_glob("images/**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),cwd=bld.path,relative_trick=True)
+
+# text substitutable files (substitute with tokens from the environment bld.env):
+bld.substitute('css/** js/** ui/** scripts/**',install_to="${CPLIBDIR}")
+
+# config files (do not replace them if preserve config option is true)
+if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG: bld.install_files_filtered("${CPSYSCONFDIR}","conf.dom0/*")
diff --git a/daemonize/wscript_build b/daemonize/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ce5741a741a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemonize/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+if bld.env.DISTRO not in ['Windows','Mac']:
+	# build / install declarations of the daemonization utility - except for Windows
+	bld(
+		name='daemonize',
+		features='cc cprogram',
+		source='daemonize.c',
+		target='cloud-daemonize')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/deps/wscript_build b/deps/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..11697814dd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+bld.install_files('${JAVADIR}','*.jar')
diff --git a/patches/wscript_build b/patches/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4351d4e605d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import os, Utils, glob, re
+
+bld.substitute("*/**",name="patchsubst")
+
+for virttech in Utils.to_list(bld.path.ant_glob("*",dir=True)):
+	if virttech in ["shared","wscript_build"]: continue
+	patchfiles = bld.path.ant_glob('%s/** shared/**'%virttech,src=True,bld=True,dir=False,flat=True)
+	tgen = bld(
+		features  = 'tar',#Utils.tar_up,
+		source = patchfiles,
+		target = '%s-patch.tgz'%virttech,
+		name   = '%s-patch_tgz'%virttech,
+		root = "patches/%s"%virttech,
+		rename = lambda x: re.sub(".subst$","",x),
+		after = 'patchsubst',
+	)
+	bld.process_after(tgen)
+	if virttech != "xenserver":
+		# xenserver uses the patch.tgz file later to make an ISO, so we do not need to install it
+		bld.install_as("${AGENTLIBDIR}/scripts/vm/hypervisor/%s/patch.tgz"%virttech, "%s-patch.tgz"%virttech)
+
+tgen = bld(
+	rule = 'cp ${SRC} ${TGT}',
+	source = 'xenserver-patch.tgz',
+	target = 'patch.tgz',
+	after = 'xenserver-patch_tgz',
+	name = 'patch_tgz'
+)
+bld.process_after(tgen)
diff --git a/python/wscript_build b/python/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4b78e04b404
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+if bld.env.DISTRO not in ['Windows','Mac']:
+	obj = bld(features = 'py',name='pythonmodules')
+	obj.find_sources_in_dirs('lib', exts=['.py'])
diff --git a/scripts/wscript_build b/scripts/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6730263e22f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+bld.substitute('**',"${AGENTLIBDIR}/scripts",chmod=0755)
diff --git a/server/wscript_build b/server/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f6660680f77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import Options
+
+if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
+	bld.install_files_filtered("${SERVERSYSCONFDIR}","conf/*")
diff --git a/tools/waf/mkisofs.py b/tools/waf/mkisofs.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eb611577208
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/waf/mkisofs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import Utils
+from TaskGen import feature, before
+import Task
+import os
+
+# fixme: this seems to hang waf with 100% CPU
+
+def detect(conf):
+	conf.find_program("mkisofs",mandatory=True,var='MKISOFS')
+
+def iso_up(task):
+	tgt = task.outputs[0].bldpath(task.env)
+	if os.path.exists(tgt): os.unlink(tgt)
+	inps = []
+	for inp in task.inputs:
+		if inp.id&3==Node.BUILD:
+			src = inp.bldpath(task.env)
+			srcname = src
+			srcname = "/".join(srcname.split("/")[1:]) # chop off default/
+		else:
+			src = inp.srcpath(task.env)
+			srcname = src
+			srcname = "/".join(srcname.split("/")[1:]) # chop off ../
+		inps.append(src)
+	ret = Utils.exec_command(
+		[
+			task.generator.env.MKISOFS,
+			"-quiet",
+			"-r",
+			"-o",tgt,
+		] + inps, shell=False)
+	if ret != 0: return ret
+	if task.chmod: os.chmod(tgt,task.chmod)
+
+def apply_iso(self):
+	Utils.def_attrs(self,fun=iso_up)
+	self.default_install_path=0
+	lst=self.to_list(self.source)
+	self.meths.remove('apply_core')
+	self.dict=getattr(self,'dict',{})
+	out = self.path.find_or_declare(self.target)
+	ins = []
+	for x in Utils.to_list(self.source):
+		node = self.path.find_resource(x)
+		if not node:raise Utils.WafError('cannot find input file %s for processing'%x)
+		ins.append(node)
+	if self.dict and not self.env['DICT_HASH']:
+		self.env=self.env.copy()
+		keys=list(self.dict.keys())
+		keys.sort()
+		lst=[self.dict[x]for x in keys]
+		self.env['DICT_HASH']=str(Utils.h_list(lst))
+	tsk=self.create_task('iso',ins,out)
+	tsk.fun=self.fun
+	tsk.dict=self.dict
+	tsk.dep_vars=['DICT_HASH']
+	tsk.install_path=self.install_path
+	tsk.chmod=self.chmod
+	if not tsk.env:
+		tsk.debug()
+		raise Utils.WafError('task without an environment')
+
+Task.task_type_from_func('iso',func=iso_up)
+feature('iso')(apply_iso)
+before('apply_core')(apply_iso)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tools/waf/tar.py b/tools/waf/tar.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c0293337b90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/waf/tar.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import Utils
+import tarfile
+from TaskGen import feature, before
+import Task
+import os
+
+# this is a clever little thing
+# given a list of nodes, build or source
+# construct a tar file containing them
+# rooted in the parameter root =, specified in the task generator
+# and renaming the names of the files according to a rename(x) function passed to the task generator as well
+# if a build node's result of rename() has the same name as a source node, the build node will take precedence
+# for as long as the build node appears later than the source node (this is an implementation detail of waf we are relying on)
+def tar_up(task):
+	tgt = task.outputs[0].bldpath(task.env)
+	if os.path.exists(tgt): os.unlink(tgt)
+	if tgt.lower().endswith(".bz2"): z = tarfile.open(tgt,"w:bz2")
+	elif tgt.lower().endswith(".gz"): z = tarfile.open(tgt,"w:gz")
+	elif tgt.lower().endswith(".tgz"): z = tarfile.open(tgt,"w:gz")
+	else: z = tarfile.open(tgt,"w")
+	fileset = {}
+	for inp in task.inputs:
+		src = inp.srcpath(task.env)
+		if src.startswith(".."):
+			srcname = Utils.relpath(src,os.path.join("..",".")) # file in source dir
+		else:
+			srcname = Utils.relpath(src,os.path.join(task.env.variant(),".")) # file in artifacts dir
+		if task.generator.rename: srcname = task.generator.rename(srcname)
+		for dummy in task.generator.root.split("/"):
+			splittedname = srcname.split("/")
+			srcname = "/".join(splittedname[1:])
+		fileset[srcname] = src
+	for srcname,src in fileset.items():
+		ti = tarfile.TarInfo(srcname)
+		ti.mode = 0755
+		ti.size = os.path.getsize(src)
+		f = file(src)
+		z.addfile(ti,fileobj=f)
+		f.close()
+	z.close()
+	if task.chmod: os.chmod(tgt,task.chmod)
+	return 0
+
+def apply_tar(self):
+	Utils.def_attrs(self,fun=tar_up)
+	self.default_install_path=0
+	lst=self.to_list(self.source)
+	self.meths.remove('apply_core')
+	self.dict=getattr(self,'dict',{})
+	out = self.path.find_or_declare(self.target)
+	ins = []
+	for x in Utils.to_list(self.source):
+		node = self.path.find_resource(x)
+		if not node:raise Utils.WafError('cannot find input file %s for processing'%x)
+		ins.append(node)
+	if self.dict and not self.env['DICT_HASH']:
+		self.env=self.env.copy()
+		keys=list(self.dict.keys())
+		keys.sort()
+		lst=[self.dict[x]for x in keys]
+		self.env['DICT_HASH']=str(Utils.h_list(lst))
+	tsk=self.create_task('tar',ins,out)
+	tsk.fun=self.fun
+	tsk.dict=self.dict
+	tsk.dep_vars=['DICT_HASH']
+	tsk.install_path=self.install_path
+	tsk.chmod=self.chmod
+	if not tsk.env:
+		tsk.debug()
+		raise Utils.WafError('task without an environment')
+
+Task.task_type_from_func('tar',func=tar_up)
+feature('tar')(apply_tar)
+before('apply_core')(apply_tar)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/wscript_build b/ui/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ab3805ecef5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import Utils, os
+
+# binary unsubstitutable files:
+bld.install_files("${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client",bld.path.ant_glob("*.ico **/*png **/*jpg **/*gif",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),cwd=bld.path,relative_trick=True)
+
+# text substitutable files (substitute with tokens from the environment bld.env):
+bld.substitute('*html **/*html **/*js **/*css **/*properties **/*jsp *jsp',install_to="${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client")
+
+# -> minification of UI files
+def minifyjs(task):
+	tgt = task.outputs[0].bldpath(task.env)
+	inputfiles = []
+	outputfile = ['--js_output_file',tgt]
+	for inp in task.inputs:
+		src = inp.srcpath(task.env)
+		inputfiles.append(src)
+	newinputfiles = []
+	for inputfile in inputfiles:
+		if inputfile not in newinputfiles:
+			newinputfiles.append('--js')
+			newinputfiles.append(inputfile)
+	compilerjar = os.path.join(bld.srcnode.abspath(),'tools','gcc','compiler.jar')
+	return Utils.exec_command(["java",'-jar',compilerjar] + newinputfiles + outputfile,log=True)
+
+javascripts = [
+	['scripts/jquery-1.4.2.min.js','scripts/date.js'],
+	Utils.to_list(bld.path.ant_glob('scripts/jquery*js')),
+	['scripts/cloud.core.js','scripts/cloud.core.callbacks.js'],
+	Utils.to_list(bld.path.ant_glob('scripts/cloud*js')),
+]
+sourcefiles = []
+for lst in javascripts:
+	for x in lst:
+		if x not in sourcefiles: sourcefiles.append(x)
+tgen = bld(
+	rule   = minifyjs,
+	source = sourcefiles,
+	target = 'scripts/cloud.min.js',
+	name   = 'minifyjs',
+)
+bld.install_files("${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client/scripts", "scripts/cloud.min.js")
diff --git a/vnet/wscript_build b/vnet/wscript_build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..270368b32c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vnet/wscript_build
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import Utils
+
+if bld.env.DISTRO not in ['Windows','Mac']:
+	# build / install declarations of vnet
+	files = """vnetd/connection.c vnetd/select.c vnetd/timer.c vnetd/spinlock.c vnetd/skbuff.c
+		vnetd/vnetd.c vnet-module/skb_util.c vnet-module/sxpr_util.c vnet-module/timer_util.c
+		vnet-module/etherip.c vnet-module/vnet.c vnet-module/vnet_eval.c vnet-module/vnet_forward.c
+		vnet-module/vif.c vnet-module/tunnel.c vnet-module/sa.c vnet-module/varp.c
+		libxutil/allocate.c libxutil/enum.c libxutil/file_stream.c libxutil/hash_table.c
+		libxutil/iostream.c libxutil/lexis.c libxutil/socket_stream.c libxutil/string_stream.c
+		libxutil/sxpr.c libxutil/sxpr_parser.c libxutil/sys_net.c libxutil/sys_string.c libxutil/util.c"""
+	files = [ "src/%s"%s for s in Utils.to_list(files) ]
+	bld(
+		name='vnetd',
+		features='cc cprogram',
+		source= files,
+		includes="src/libxutil src/vnet-module src/vnetd",
+		lib='dl pthread'.split(),
+		target='%s-vnetd'%bld.env.PACKAGE,
+		install_path="${SBINDIR}"
+		)
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 1c212ab0438..9286ded759a 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -342,6 +342,24 @@ def _install_files_filtered(self,destdir,listoffiles,**kwargs):
 	return ret
 Build.BuildContext.install_files_filtered = _install_files_filtered
 
+def _substitute(self,listoffiles,install_to=None,cwd=None,dict=None,name=None,**kwargs):
+	if cwd is None: cwd = self.path
+	tgenkwargs = {}
+	if name is not None: tgenkwargs["name"] = name
+	if isinstance(listoffiles,str) and '**' in listoffiles:
+		listoffiles = cwd.ant_glob(listoffiles,flat=True)
+	elif isinstance(listoffiles,str) and '*' in listoffiles:
+		listoffiles = [ n for x in listoffiles.split() for n in _glob(cwd.abspath() + os.sep + x.replace("/",os.sep))  ]
+	for src in Utils.to_list(listoffiles):
+		tgt = src + ".subst"
+		inst = src # Utils.relpath(src,relative_to) <- disabled
+		tgen = self(features='subst', source=src, target=tgt, **tgenkwargs)
+		if dict is not None: tgen.dict = dict
+		else: tgen.dict = self.env.get_merged_dict()
+		self.path.find_or_declare(tgt)
+		if install_to is not None: self.install_as("%s/%s"%(install_to,inst), tgt, **kwargs)
+Build.BuildContext.substitute = _substitute
+
 def _setownership(ctx,path,owner,group,mode=None):
 	def f(bld,path,owner,group,mode):
 		dochown = not Options.options.NOCHOWN \
@@ -382,6 +400,8 @@ Build.BuildContext.setownership = _setownership
 def set_options(opt):
 	"""Register command line options"""
 	opt.tool_options('gnu_dirs')
+	opt.tool_options('tar',tooldir='tools/waf')
+	opt.tool_options('mkisofs',tooldir='tools/waf')
 	if platform.system() not in ['Windows',"Darwin"]: opt.tool_options('compiler_cc')
 	opt.tool_options('python')
 	
@@ -487,6 +507,18 @@ def showconfig(conf):
 			continue
 		Utils.pprint("BLUE","  %s:	%s"%(key,val))
 
+def _getconfig(self):
+	lines = []
+	for key,val in sorted(self.env.get_merged_dict().items()):
+		if "CLASSPATH" in key:
+			lines.append("  %s:"%key)
+			for v in val.split(pathsep):
+				lines.append("     %s"%v)
+			continue
+		lines.append("  %s:	%s"%(key,val))
+	return "\n".join(lines)
+Build.BuildContext.getconfig = _getconfig
+
 def list_targets(ctx):
         """return the list of buildable and installable targets"""
 
diff --git a/wscript_build b/wscript_build
index 34b46d24ece..8599da6cf4e 100644
--- a/wscript_build
+++ b/wscript_build
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import shutil,os
 import Utils,Node,Options,Logs,Scripting,Environment,Build,Configure
 from os import unlink as _unlink, makedirs as _makedirs, getcwd as _getcwd, chdir as _chdir
-from os.path import abspath as _abspath, basename as _basename, dirname as _dirname, exists as _exists, isdir as _isdir, split as _split, join as _join, sep, pathsep, pardir
+from os.path import abspath as _abspath, basename as _basename, dirname as _dirname, exists as _exists, isdir as _isdir, split as _split, join as _join, sep, pathsep, pardir, curdir
 from glob import glob as _glob
 try: set([1,2,3])
 except Exception: from Sets import set
@@ -42,17 +42,7 @@ sccsinfo = _join(sourcedir,"sccs-info")
 if _exists(sccsinfo): bld.install_files("${DOCDIR}","sccs-info")
 
 tgen = bld(features='subst', name='configure-info', source="configure-info.in", target="configure-info")
-def gen_configure_info():
-	lines = []
-	for key,val in sorted(bld.env.get_merged_dict().items()):
-		if "CLASSPATH" in key:
-			lines.append("  %s:"%key)
-			for v in val.split(pathsep):
-				lines.append("     %s"%v)
-			continue
-		lines.append("  %s:	%s"%(key,val))
-	return "\n".join(lines)
-tgen.dict = {"CONFIGUREVARS":gen_configure_info()}
+tgen.dict = {"CONFIGUREVARS":bld.getconfig()}
 bld.install_files("${DOCDIR}","configure-info")
 
 # ==================== Java compilation ===========================
@@ -117,69 +107,22 @@ bld.process_after(tgen)
 
 # =================== C / Python compilation =========================
 
-if bld.env.DISTRO not in ['Windows','Mac']:
-	# build / install declarations of the daemonization utility - except for Windows
-	bld(
-		name='daemonize',
-		features='cc cprogram',
-		source='daemonize/daemonize.c',
-		target='daemonize/cloud-daemonize')
-
-	# build / install declarations of vnet
-	files = """vnetd/connection.c vnetd/select.c vnetd/timer.c vnetd/spinlock.c vnetd/skbuff.c
-		vnetd/vnetd.c vnet-module/skb_util.c vnet-module/sxpr_util.c vnet-module/timer_util.c
-		vnet-module/etherip.c vnet-module/vnet.c vnet-module/vnet_eval.c vnet-module/vnet_forward.c
-		vnet-module/vif.c vnet-module/tunnel.c vnet-module/sa.c vnet-module/varp.c
-		libxutil/allocate.c libxutil/enum.c libxutil/file_stream.c libxutil/hash_table.c
-		libxutil/iostream.c libxutil/lexis.c libxutil/socket_stream.c libxutil/string_stream.c
-		libxutil/sxpr.c libxutil/sxpr_parser.c libxutil/sys_net.c libxutil/sys_string.c libxutil/util.c"""
-	files = [ "vnet/src/%s"%s for s in Utils.to_list(files) ]
-	bld(
-		name='vnetd',
-		features='cc cprogram',
-		source= files,
-		includes="vnet/src/libxutil vnet/src/vnet-module vnet/src/vnetd",
-		lib='dl pthread'.split(),
-		target='vnet/%s-vnetd'%bld.env.PACKAGE,
-		install_path="${SBINDIR}"
-		)
-	
-	obj = bld(features = 'py',name='pythonmodules')
-	obj.find_sources_in_dirs('python/lib', exts=['.py'])
+bld.recurse(["vnet","daemonize","python"],'build')
 
 # ===================== End C / Python compilation ==========================
 
 
 # ================ Third-party / dependency installation ===============
 
-bld.install_files('${JAVADIR}','deps/*.jar')
-if buildpremium: bld.install_files('${PREMIUMJAVADIR}','cloudstack-proprietary/thirdparty/*.jar')
+bld.recurse(["deps"],'build')
+if buildpremium: bld.recurse(['cloudstack-proprietary/thirdparty'],'build')
 
 # =================== End 3rdparty/dep install ========================
 
 
 # =================== Build install declaratoin of console proxy project ========
 
-# -> binary unsubstitutable files
-start_path = bld.path.find_dir("console-proxy")
-bld.install_files("${CPLIBDIR}",
-	start_path.ant_glob("images/**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
-	cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
-
-# -> source files with tokens
-patterns = 'console-proxy/css/** console-proxy/js/** console-proxy/ui/** console-proxy/scripts/**'
-src_files = Utils.to_list(filelist(patterns,flat=True))
-subst_files = [ x+".subst" for x in src_files ]
-inst_files = [ Utils.relpath(x,"console-proxy") for x in src_files ]
-for src,tgt,inst in zip(src_files,subst_files,inst_files):
-	tgen = bld(features='subst', source=src, target=tgt)
-	tgen.dict = bld.env.get_merged_dict()
-	bld.path.find_or_declare(tgt)
-	bld.install_as("${CPLIBDIR}/%s"%inst, tgt)
-
-# -> configuration
-if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
-	bld.install_files_filtered("${CPSYSCONFDIR}",filelist("console-proxy/conf.dom0/*"))
+bld.recurse(["console-proxy"],'build')
 
 # ================== End console proxy ===================
 
@@ -187,74 +130,7 @@ if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
 # ================ Creation of patch.tgz's ============================
 
 # done here because the patches require substituted files
-patterns = "patches/**"
-src_files = Utils.to_list(filelist(patterns,flat=True))
-subst_files = [ x+".subst" for x in src_files ]
-inst_files = src_files
-for src,tgt,inst in zip(src_files,subst_files,inst_files):
-	tgen = bld(features='subst', name='patchsubst', source=src, target=tgt)
-	tgen.dict = bld.env.get_merged_dict()
-	bld.path.find_or_declare(tgt)
-
-# this is a clever little thing
-# given a list of nodes, build or source
-# construct a tar file containing them
-# rooted in the parameter root =, specified in the task generator
-# and renaming the names of the files according to a rename(x) function passed to the task generator as well
-# if a build node's result of rename() has the same name as a source node, the build node will take precedence
-# for as long as the build node appears later than the source node (this is an implementation detail of waf we are relying on)
-def tar_up(task):
-	tgt = task.outputs[0].bldpath(task.env)
-	if _exists(tgt): _unlink(tgt)
-	z = tarfile.open(tgt,"w:gz")
-	fileset = {}
-	for inp in task.inputs:
-		src = inp.srcpath(task.env)
-		if src.startswith(".."):
-			srcname = Utils.relpath(src,_join("..",".")) # file in source dir
-		else:
-			srcname = Utils.relpath(src,_join(task.env.variant(),".")) # file in artifacts dir
-		if task.generator.rename: srcname = task.generator.rename(srcname)
-		for dummy in task.generator.root.split("/"):
-			splittedname = srcname.split("/")
-			srcname = "/".join(splittedname[1:])
-		fileset[srcname] = src
-	for srcname,src in fileset.items():
-		ti = tarfile.TarInfo(srcname)
-		ti.mode = 0755
-		ti.size = os.path.getsize(src)
-		f = file(src)
-		z.addfile(ti,fileobj=f)
-		f.close()
-	z.close()
-	return 0
-
-for virttech in [ _basename(x) for x in _glob(_join("patches","*")) ]:
-	if virttech == "shared":
-		continue
-	patchfiles = filelist('patches/%s/** patches/shared/**'%virttech,src=True,bld=True,dir=False,flat=True)
-	tgen = bld(
-		rule   = tar_up,
-		source = patchfiles,
-		target = '%s-patch.tgz'%virttech,
-		name   = '%s-patch_tgz'%virttech,
-		root = "patches/%s"%virttech,
-		rename = lambda x: re.sub(".subst$","",x),
-		after = 'patchsubst',
-	)
-	bld.process_after(tgen)
-	if virttech != "xenserver":
-		# xenserver uses the patch.tgz file later to make an ISO, so we do not need to install it
-		bld.install_as("${AGENTLIBDIR}/scripts/vm/hypervisor/%s/patch.tgz"%virttech, "%s-patch.tgz"%virttech)
-
-tgen = bld(
-	rule = 'cp ${SRC} ${TGT}',
-	source = 'xenserver-patch.tgz',
-	target = 'patch.tgz',
-	after = 'xenserver-patch_tgz',
-	name = 'patch_tgz'
-)
-bld.process_after(tgen)
+bld.recurse(["patches"],'build')
 
 # ================== End creation of patch.tgz's ====================
 
@@ -386,7 +262,7 @@ if buildpremium:
 
 def iso_up(task):
 	tgt = task.outputs[0].bldpath(task.env)
-	if _exists(tgt): _unlink(tgt)
+	if os.path.exists(tgt): os.unlink(tgt)
 	inps = []
 	for inp in task.inputs:
 		if inp.id&3==Node.BUILD:
@@ -397,30 +273,32 @@ def iso_up(task):
 			src = inp.srcpath(task.env)
 			srcname = src
 			srcname = "/".join(srcname.split("/")[1:]) # chop off ../
-		# post-process the paths
 		inps.append(src)
-	return Utils.exec_command(
+	ret = Utils.exec_command(
 		[
 			task.generator.env.MKISOFS,
 			"-quiet",
 			"-r",
 			"-o",tgt,
-		] + inps)
+		] + inps, shell=False)
+	if ret != 0: return ret
 
-tgen = bld(
-	rule   = iso_up,
-	source = "patch.tgz target/oss/systemvm.zip",
-	target = 'target/oss/systemvm.iso',
-	name   = 'systemvm_iso',
-	after  = 'systemvm_zip patch_tgz',
-)
-bld.process_after(tgen)
-bld.install_as("${AGENTLIBDIR}/vms/systemvm.iso", "target/oss/systemvm.iso")
+if bld.env.DISTRO not in ["Windows","Mac"]:
+	# systemvm.zip cannot be built on Windows or Mac because system deps do not exist there
+	tgen = bld(
+		rule = iso_up,
+		source = "patches/patch.tgz target/oss/systemvm.zip",
+		target = 'target/oss/systemvm.iso',
+		name   = 'systemvm_iso',
+		after  = 'systemvm_zip patch_tgz',
+	)
+	bld.process_after(tgen)
+	bld.install_as("${AGENTLIBDIR}/vms/systemvm.iso", "target/oss/systemvm.iso")
 
 if buildpremium:
 	tgen = bld(
-		rule   = iso_up,
-		source = "patch.tgz target/premium/systemvm.zip",
+		rule = iso_up,
+		source = "patches/patch.tgz target/premium/systemvm.zip",
 		target = 'target/premium/systemvm.iso',
 		name   = 'systemvm-premium_iso',
 		after  = 'systemvm-premium_zip patch_tgz',
@@ -481,15 +359,8 @@ else:
 
 # =================== Subst / installation of agent scripts project ========
 
-src_files = Utils.to_list(filelist("scripts/** cloudstack-proprietary/scripts/**",flat=True))
-subst_files = [ x+".subst" for x in src_files ]
-inst_files = src_files
-for src,tgt,inst in zip(src_files,subst_files,inst_files):
-	tgen = bld(features='subst', name='scriptssubst', source=src, target=tgt)
-	tgen.dict = bld.env.get_merged_dict()
-	bld.path.find_or_declare(tgt)
-	if inst.startswith("cloudstack-proprietary"): inst = inst[len("cloudstack-proprietary")+1:]
-	bld.install_as("${AGENTLIBDIR}/%s"%inst, tgt, chmod=0755)
+bld.recurse(["scripts"],'build')
+if buildpremium: bld.recurse(["cloudstack-proprietary/scripts"],'build')
 
 # ================== End agent scripts ===================
 
@@ -506,94 +377,17 @@ bld.install_files_filtered("${SBINDIR}","*/sbindir/* cloudstack-proprietary/*/sb
 # ================== Installation of scripts / bindirs / configuration files ===========================
 
 # build / install declarations of test project
-if buildpremium:
-	proj = 'test'
-	start_path = bld.path.find_dir("cloudstack-proprietary/test/scripts")
-	bld.install_files('${LIBDIR}/${PACKAGE}/test',
-		start_path.ant_glob("**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
-		cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
-	start_path = bld.path.find_dir("cloudstack-proprietary/test/metadata")
-	bld.install_files('${SHAREDSTATEDIR}/${PACKAGE}/test',
-		start_path.ant_glob("**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
-		cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
-	if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
-		bld.install_files('${SYSCONFDIR}/%s/%s'%(bld.env.PACKAGE,proj),'cloudstack-proprietary/test/conf/*')
+if buildpremium: bld.recurse(["cloudstack-proprietary/test"],'build')
 
 # build / install declarations of server project <- this is actually now in client project
-start_path = bld.path.find_dir("client/WEB-INF")
-bld.install_files('${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client/WEB-INF',
-	start_path.ant_glob("**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
-	cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
-if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
-	bld.install_files_filtered("${SERVERSYSCONFDIR}","server/conf/*")
+bld.recurse(["client","server"],'build')
+if buildpremium: bld.recurse(["cloudstack-proprietary/premium"],'build')
 
 # build / install declarations of agent project
-proj = 'agent'
-start_path = bld.path.find_dir(proj)
-bld.install_files("${AGENTLIBDIR}",
-	start_path.ant_glob("storagepatch/**",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
-	cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
-if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
-	bld.install_files_filtered("${AGENTSYSCONFDIR}","%s/conf/*"%proj)
+bld.recurse(["agent"],'build')
 
 # build / install declarations of client UI project
-
-# -> binary unsubstitutable files
-start_path = bld.path.find_dir("ui")
-bld.install_files("${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client",
-	start_path.ant_glob("*.ico **/*png **/*jpg **/*gif",src=True,bld=False,dir=False,flat=True),
-	cwd=start_path,relative_trick=True)
-
-# -> source files with tokens
-patterns = 'ui/*html ui/**/*html ui/**/*js ui/**/*css ui/**/*properties ui/**/*jsp'
-src_files = Utils.to_list(filelist(patterns,flat=True))
-subst_files = [ x+".subst" for x in src_files ]
-inst_files = [ Utils.relpath(x,"ui") for x in src_files ]
-for src,tgt,inst in zip(src_files,subst_files,inst_files):
-	tgen = bld(features='subst', source=src, target=tgt)
-	tgen.dict = bld.env.get_merged_dict()
-	bld.path.find_or_declare(tgt)
-	bld.install_as("${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client/%s"%inst, tgt)
-
-# -> minification of UI files
-def minifyjs(task):
-	tgt = task.outputs[0].bldpath(task.env)
-	inputfiles = []
-	outputfile = ['--js_output_file',tgt]
-	for inp in task.inputs:
-		src = inp.srcpath(task.env)
-		inputfiles.append(src)
-	newinputfiles = []
-	for inputfile in inputfiles:
-		if inputfile not in newinputfiles:
-			newinputfiles.append('--js')
-			newinputfiles.append(inputfile)
-	compilerjar = _join(sourcedir,'tools','gcc','compiler.jar')
-	return Utils.exec_command(["java",'-jar',compilerjar] + newinputfiles + outputfile,log=True)
-
-javascripts = [
-	['ui/scripts/jquery-1.4.2.min.js','ui/scripts/date.js'],
-	Utils.to_list(filelist('ui/scripts/jquery*js')),
-	['ui/scripts/cloud.core.js','ui/scripts/cloud.core.callbacks.js'],
-	Utils.to_list(filelist('ui/scripts/cloud*js')),
-]
-sourcefiles = []
-for lst in javascripts:
-	for x in lst:
-		if x not in sourcefiles: sourcefiles.append(x)
-tgen = bld(
-	rule   = minifyjs,
-	source = sourcefiles,
-	target = 'ui/scripts/cloud.min.js',
-	name   = 'minifyjs',
-)
-bld.install_files("${MSENVIRON}/webapps/client/scripts", "ui/scripts/cloud.min.js")
-
-# substitute and install generic tomcat config
-if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
-	bld.install_files_filtered("${MSCONF}","*/tomcatconf/* cloudstack-proprietary/*/tomcatconf/*")
-	bld.install_files("${MSCONF}",'client/tomcatconf/db.properties',chmod=0640)
-	bld.setownership("${MSCONF}/db.properties","root",bld.env.MSUSER)
+bld.recurse(["ui"],'build')
 
 # apply distro-specific config on top of the 'all' generic cloud-management config
 globspec = _join("*","distro",bld.env.DISTRO.lower(),"*") # matches premium/distro/centos/SYSCONFDIR
@@ -610,12 +404,7 @@ for dsdir in distrospecificdirs:
 	bld.install_files_filtered(dsdirwithvar, files,  cwd=start_path, relative_trick=True,chmod=mode)
 
 # build / install declarations of usage
-if buildpremium:
-	if not Options.options.PRESERVECONFIG:
-		#print filelist("usage/conf/* cloudstack-proprietary/usage/conf/*")
-		#assert False
-		bld.install_files_filtered("${USAGESYSCONFDIR}","usage/conf/* cloudstack-proprietary/usage/conf/*")
-		bld.symlink_as("${USAGESYSCONFDIR}/db.properties",Utils.subst_vars("${MSCONF}/db.properties",bld.env))
+if buildpremium: bld.recurse(["cloudstack-proprietary/usage"],'build')
 
 # install db data files
 bld.install_files_filtered("${SETUPDATADIR}",filelist("*/db/* cloudstack-proprietary/*/db/*",excl=Node.exclude_regs + "\ncloud-gate\ncloud-bridge"))
diff --git a/wscript_configure b/wscript_configure
index 7294b61f59d..829ddc72c15 100644
--- a/wscript_configure
+++ b/wscript_configure
@@ -89,11 +89,12 @@ hard_deps = [
 
 
 conf.check_tool('misc')
-conf.check_tool('java')
 conf.check_tool("gnu_dirs")
+conf.check_tool('tar')
+conf.check_tool('mkisofs')
+conf.check_tool('java')
 conf.check_tool("python")
 conf.check_python_version((2,4,0))
-conf.find_program("mkisofs",mandatory=True,var='MKISOFS')
 
 conf.check_message_1('Detecting distribution')
 if platform.system() == 'Windows': conf.env.DISTRO = "Windows"