diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3e6161cc6..4c5ddc860 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -11,4 +11,7 @@
 *.test
 
 # Output of the go coverage tool, specifically when used with LiteIDE
-*.out
\ No newline at end of file
+*.out
+
+# Generated protobuf files
+*.pb.go
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/protos/.keep b/protos/.keep
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/protos/google/duration.proto b/protos/google/duration.proto
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..975fce41a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protos/google/duration.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+// Protocol Buffers - Google's data interchange format
+// Copyright 2008 Google Inc.  All rights reserved.
+// https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/
+//
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+// met:
+//
+//     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+// notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+//     * 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.
+//     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+// contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+// this software without specific prior written permission.
+//
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+// "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 THE COPYRIGHT
+// OWNER 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.
+
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package google.protobuf;
+
+option csharp_namespace = "Google.Protobuf.WellKnownTypes";
+option cc_enable_arenas = true;
+option go_package = "github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/duration";
+option java_package = "com.google.protobuf";
+option java_outer_classname = "DurationProto";
+option java_multiple_files = true;
+option objc_class_prefix = "GPB";
+
+// A Duration represents a signed, fixed-length span of time represented
+// as a count of seconds and fractions of seconds at nanosecond
+// resolution. It is independent of any calendar and concepts like "day"
+// or "month". It is related to Timestamp in that the difference between
+// two Timestamp values is a Duration and it can be added or subtracted
+// from a Timestamp. Range is approximately +-10,000 years.
+//
+// # Examples
+//
+// Example 1: Compute Duration from two Timestamps in pseudo code.
+//
+//     Timestamp start = ...;
+//     Timestamp end = ...;
+//     Duration duration = ...;
+//
+//     duration.seconds = end.seconds - start.seconds;
+//     duration.nanos = end.nanos - start.nanos;
+//
+//     if (duration.seconds < 0 && duration.nanos > 0) {
+//       duration.seconds += 1;
+//       duration.nanos -= 1000000000;
+//     } else if (durations.seconds > 0 && duration.nanos < 0) {
+//       duration.seconds -= 1;
+//       duration.nanos += 1000000000;
+//     }
+//
+// Example 2: Compute Timestamp from Timestamp + Duration in pseudo code.
+//
+//     Timestamp start = ...;
+//     Duration duration = ...;
+//     Timestamp end = ...;
+//
+//     end.seconds = start.seconds + duration.seconds;
+//     end.nanos = start.nanos + duration.nanos;
+//
+//     if (end.nanos < 0) {
+//       end.seconds -= 1;
+//       end.nanos += 1000000000;
+//     } else if (end.nanos >= 1000000000) {
+//       end.seconds += 1;
+//       end.nanos -= 1000000000;
+//     }
+//
+// Example 3: Compute Duration from datetime.timedelta in Python.
+//
+//     td = datetime.timedelta(days=3, minutes=10)
+//     duration = Duration()
+//     duration.FromTimedelta(td)
+//
+// # JSON Mapping
+//
+// In JSON format, the Duration type is encoded as a string rather than an
+// object, where the string ends in the suffix "s" (indicating seconds) and
+// is preceded by the number of seconds, with nanoseconds expressed as
+// fractional seconds. For example, 3 seconds with 0 nanoseconds should be
+// encoded in JSON format as "3s", while 3 seconds and 1 nanosecond should
+// be expressed in JSON format as "3.000000001s", and 3 seconds and 1
+// microsecond should be expressed in JSON format as "3.000001s".
+//
+//
+message Duration {
+
+  // Signed seconds of the span of time. Must be from -315,576,000,000
+  // to +315,576,000,000 inclusive. Note: these bounds are computed from:
+  // 60 sec/min * 60 min/hr * 24 hr/day * 365.25 days/year * 10000 years
+  int64 seconds = 1;
+
+  // Signed fractions of a second at nanosecond resolution of the span
+  // of time. Durations less than one second are represented with a 0
+  // `seconds` field and a positive or negative `nanos` field. For durations
+  // of one second or more, a non-zero value for the `nanos` field must be
+  // of the same sign as the `seconds` field. Must be from -999,999,999
+  // to +999,999,999 inclusive.
+  int32 nanos = 2;
+}
diff --git a/protos/overlay/overlay.proto b/protos/overlay/overlay.proto
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e8ea8432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protos/overlay/overlay.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2018 Storj Labs, Inc.
+// See LICENSE for copying information.
+
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+import "duration.proto";
+
+// NodeTransport is an enum of possible transports for the overlay network
+enum NodeTransport {
+    TCP = 0;
+}
+
+// Overlay defines the interface for communication with the overlay network
+service Overlay {
+    // Lookup finds a nodes address from the network
+    rpc Lookup(LookupRequest) returns (LookupResponse);
+    // FindStorageNodes finds a list of nodes in the network that meet the specified request parameters
+    rpc FindStorageNodes(FindStorageNodesRequest) returns (FindStorageNodesResponse);
+}
+
+// LookupRequest is is request message for the lookup rpc call
+message LookupRequest {
+    string nodeID = 1;
+}
+
+// LookupResponse is is response message for the lookup rpc call
+message LookupResponse {
+    NodeAddress nodeAddress = 1;
+}
+
+// FindStorageNodesResponse is is response message for the FindStorageNodes rpc call
+message FindStorageNodesResponse {
+    repeated Node node = 1;
+}
+
+// FindStorageNodesRequest is is request message for the FindStorageNodes rpc call
+message FindStorageNodesRequest {
+    int64 objectSize = 1;
+    google.protobuf.Duration contractLength = 2;
+    OverlayOptions opts = 3;
+}
+
+// NodeAddress contains the information needed to communicate with a node on the network
+message NodeAddress {
+    NodeTransport transport = 1;
+    string address = 2;
+}
+
+// OverlayOptions is a set of criteria that a node must meet to be considered for a storage opportunity
+message OverlayOptions {
+    google.protobuf.Duration maxLatency = 1;
+    NodeRep minReputation = 2; // Not sure what NodeRep is yet.
+    int64 minSpeedKbps = 3;
+}
+
+// NodeRep is the reputation characteristics of a node
+message NodeRep {}
+
+// Node represents a node in the overlay network
+message Node {
+    string id = 1;
+    NodeAddress address = 2;
+}