diff --git a/go/base/context.go b/go/base/context.go
index 1448232..52568ba 100644
--- a/go/base/context.go
+++ b/go/base/context.go
@@ -7,14 +7,45 @@ package base
 
 import ()
 
+type RowsEstimateMethod string
+
+const (
+	TableStatusRowsEstimate RowsEstimateMethod = "TableStatusRowsEstimate"
+	ExplainRowsEstimate                        = "ExplainRowsEstimate"
+	CountRowsEstimate                          = "CountRowsEstimate"
+)
+
 type MigrationContext struct {
-	DatabaseName      string
-	OriginalTableName string
-	GhostTableName    string
+	DatabaseName           string
+	OriginalTableName      string
+	GhostTableName         string
+	AlterStatement         string
+	TableEngine            string
+	CountTableRows         bool
+	RowsEstimate           int64
+	UsedRowsEstimateMethod RowsEstimateMethod
+	ChunkSize              int
+	OriginalBinlogFormat   string
+	OriginalBinlogRowImage string
 }
 
-var Context = newMigrationContext()
+var context *MigrationContext
+
+func init() {
+	context = newMigrationContext()
+}
 
 func newMigrationContext() *MigrationContext {
-	return &MigrationContext{}
+	return &MigrationContext{
+		ChunkSize: 1000,
+	}
+}
+
+func GetMigrationContext() *MigrationContext {
+	return context
+}
+
+// RequiresBinlogFormatChange
+func (this *MigrationContext) RequiresBinlogFormatChange() bool {
+	return this.OriginalBinlogFormat != "ROW"
 }
diff --git a/go/cmd/gh-osc/main.go b/go/cmd/gh-osc/main.go
index ce1823a..2cba72a 100644
--- a/go/cmd/gh-osc/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/gh-osc/main.go
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/base"
 	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/binlog"
+	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/logic"
 	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/mysql"
 	"github.com/outbrain/golib/log"
 )
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 // main is the application's entry point. It will either spawn a CLI or HTTP itnerfaces.
 func main() {
 	var connectionConfig mysql.ConnectionConfig
+	migrationContext := base.GetMigrationContext()
 
 	// mysqlBasedir := flag.String("mysql-basedir", "", "the --basedir config for MySQL (auto-detected if not given)")
 	// mysqlDatadir := flag.String("mysql-datadir", "", "the --datadir config for MySQL (auto-detected if not given)")
@@ -29,6 +32,11 @@ func main() {
 	flag.StringVar(&connectionConfig.User, "user", "root", "MySQL user")
 	flag.StringVar(&connectionConfig.Password, "password", "", "MySQL password")
 
+	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.DatabaseName, "database", "", "database name (mandatory)")
+	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.OriginalTableName, "table", "", "table name (mandatory)")
+	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.AlterStatement, "alter", "", "alter statement (mandatory)")
+	flag.BoolVar(&migrationContext.CountTableRows, "exact-rowcount", false, "actually count table rows as opposed to estimate them (results in more accurate progress estimation)")
+
 	quiet := flag.Bool("quiet", false, "quiet")
 	verbose := flag.Bool("verbose", false, "verbose")
 	debug := flag.Bool("debug", false, "debug mode (very verbose)")
@@ -56,6 +64,17 @@ func main() {
 		// Override!!
 		log.SetLevel(log.ERROR)
 	}
+
+	if migrationContext.DatabaseName == "" {
+		log.Fatalf("--database must be provided and database name must not be empty")
+	}
+	if migrationContext.OriginalTableName == "" {
+		log.Fatalf("--table must be provided and table name must not be empty")
+	}
+	if migrationContext.AlterStatement == "" {
+		log.Fatalf("--alter must be provided and statement must not be empty")
+	}
+
 	log.Info("starting gh-osc")
 
 	if *internalExperiment {
@@ -69,5 +88,12 @@ func main() {
 			log.Fatale(err)
 		}
 		binlogReader.ReadEntries(*binlogFile, 0, 0)
+		return
 	}
+	migrator := logic.NewMigrator(&connectionConfig)
+	err := migrator.Migrate()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatale(err)
+	}
+	log.Info("Done")
 }
diff --git a/go/logic/inspect.go b/go/logic/inspect.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8839849
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/logic/inspect.go
@@ -0,0 +1,325 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2016 GitHub Inc.
+	 See https://github.com/github/gh-osc/blob/master/LICENSE
+*/
+
+package logic
+
+import (
+	gosql "database/sql"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/base"
+	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/mysql"
+	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/sql"
+
+	"github.com/outbrain/golib/log"
+	"github.com/outbrain/golib/sqlutils"
+)
+
+// Inspector reads data from the read-MySQL-server (typically a replica, but can be the master)
+// It is used for gaining initial status and structure, and later also follow up on progress and changelog
+type Inspector struct {
+	connectionConfig *mysql.ConnectionConfig
+	db               *gosql.DB
+	migrationContext *base.MigrationContext
+}
+
+func NewInspector(connectionConfig *mysql.ConnectionConfig) *Inspector {
+	return &Inspector{
+		connectionConfig: connectionConfig,
+		migrationContext: base.GetMigrationContext(),
+	}
+}
+
+func (this *Inspector) InitDBConnections() (err error) {
+	inspectorUri := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s@tcp(%s:%d)/%s", this.connectionConfig.User, this.connectionConfig.Password, this.connectionConfig.Hostname, this.connectionConfig.Port, this.migrationContext.DatabaseName)
+	if this.db, _, err = sqlutils.GetDB(inspectorUri); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := this.validateConnection(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := this.validateGrants(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := this.validateBinlogs(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := this.validateTable(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if this.migrationContext.CountTableRows {
+		if err := this.countTableRows(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	} else {
+		if err := this.estimateTableRowsViaExplain(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (this *Inspector) InspectTables() (err error) {
+	uniqueKeys, err := this.getCandidateUniqueKeys(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(uniqueKeys) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("No PRIMARY nor UNIQUE key found in table! Bailing out")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// validateConnection issues a simple can-connect to MySQL
+func (this *Inspector) validateConnection() error {
+	query := `select @@port`
+	var port int
+	if err := this.db.QueryRow(query).Scan(&port); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if port != this.connectionConfig.Port {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Unexpected database port reported: %+v", port)
+	}
+	log.Infof("connection validated on port %+v", port)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// validateGrants verifies the user by which we're executing has necessary grants
+// to do its thang.
+func (this *Inspector) validateGrants() error {
+	query := `show /* gh-osc */ grants for current_user()`
+	foundAll := false
+	foundSuper := false
+	foundReplicationSlave := false
+	foundDBAll := false
+
+	err := sqlutils.QueryRowsMap(this.db, query, func(rowMap sqlutils.RowMap) error {
+		for _, grantData := range rowMap {
+			grant := grantData.String
+			if strings.Contains(grant, `GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.*`) {
+				foundAll = true
+			}
+			if strings.Contains(grant, `SUPER`) && strings.Contains(grant, ` ON *.*`) {
+				foundSuper = true
+			}
+			if strings.Contains(grant, `REPLICATION SLAVE`) && strings.Contains(grant, ` ON *.*`) {
+				foundReplicationSlave = true
+			}
+			if strings.Contains(grant, fmt.Sprintf("GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON `%s`.*", this.migrationContext.DatabaseName)) {
+				foundDBAll = true
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return log.Errore(err)
+	}
+
+	if foundAll {
+		log.Infof("User has ALL privileges")
+		return nil
+	}
+	if foundSuper && foundReplicationSlave && foundDBAll {
+		log.Infof("User has SUPER, REPLICATION SLAVE privileges, and has ALL privileges on `%s`", this.migrationContext.DatabaseName)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return log.Errorf("User has insufficient privileges for migration.")
+}
+
+// validateConnection issues a simple can-connect to MySQL
+func (this *Inspector) validateBinlogs() error {
+	query := `select @@global.log_bin, @@global.log_slave_updates, @@global.binlog_format`
+	var hasBinaryLogs, logSlaveUpdates bool
+	if err := this.db.QueryRow(query).Scan(&hasBinaryLogs, &logSlaveUpdates, &this.migrationContext.OriginalBinlogFormat); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !hasBinaryLogs {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s:%d must have binary logs enabled", this.connectionConfig.Hostname, this.connectionConfig.Port)
+	}
+	if !logSlaveUpdates {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s:%d must have log_slave_updates enabled", this.connectionConfig.Hostname, this.connectionConfig.Port)
+	}
+	if this.migrationContext.RequiresBinlogFormatChange() {
+		query := fmt.Sprintf(`show /* gh-osc */ slave hosts`)
+		countReplicas := 0
+		err := sqlutils.QueryRowsMap(this.db, query, func(rowMap sqlutils.RowMap) error {
+			countReplicas++
+			return nil
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return log.Errore(err)
+		}
+		if countReplicas > 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s:%d has %s binlog_format, but I'm too scared to change it to ROW because it has replicas. Bailing out", this.connectionConfig.Hostname, this.connectionConfig.Port, this.migrationContext.OriginalBinlogFormat)
+		}
+		log.Infof("%s:%d has %s binlog_format. I will change it to ROW for the duration of this migration.", this.connectionConfig.Hostname, this.connectionConfig.Port, this.migrationContext.OriginalBinlogFormat)
+	}
+	query = `select @@global.binlog_row_image`
+	if err := this.db.QueryRow(query).Scan(&this.migrationContext.OriginalBinlogRowImage); err != nil {
+		// Only as of 5.6. We wish to support 5.5 as well
+		this.migrationContext.OriginalBinlogRowImage = ""
+	}
+
+	log.Infof("binary logs validated on %s:%d", this.connectionConfig.Hostname, this.connectionConfig.Port)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// validateTable makes sure the table we need to operate on actually exists
+func (this *Inspector) validateTable() error {
+	query := fmt.Sprintf(`show /* gh-osc */ table status from %s like '%s'`, sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.DatabaseName), this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName)
+
+	tableFound := false
+	err := sqlutils.QueryRowsMap(this.db, query, func(rowMap sqlutils.RowMap) error {
+		this.migrationContext.TableEngine = rowMap.GetString("Engine")
+		this.migrationContext.RowsEstimate = rowMap.GetInt64("Rows")
+		this.migrationContext.UsedRowsEstimateMethod = base.TableStatusRowsEstimate
+		if rowMap.GetString("Comment") == "VIEW" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s.%s is a VIEW, not a real table. Bailing out", sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.DatabaseName), sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName))
+		}
+		tableFound = true
+
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return log.Errore(err)
+	}
+	if !tableFound {
+		return log.Errorf("Cannot find table %s.%s!", sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.DatabaseName), sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName))
+	}
+	log.Infof("Table found. Engine=%s", this.migrationContext.TableEngine)
+	log.Debugf("Estimated number of rows via STATUS: %d", this.migrationContext.RowsEstimate)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (this *Inspector) estimateTableRowsViaExplain() error {
+	query := fmt.Sprintf(`explain select /* gh-osc */ * from %s.%s where 1=1`, sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.DatabaseName), sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName))
+
+	outputFound := false
+	err := sqlutils.QueryRowsMap(this.db, query, func(rowMap sqlutils.RowMap) error {
+		this.migrationContext.RowsEstimate = rowMap.GetInt64("rows")
+		this.migrationContext.UsedRowsEstimateMethod = base.ExplainRowsEstimate
+		outputFound = true
+
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return log.Errore(err)
+	}
+	if !outputFound {
+		return log.Errorf("Cannot run EXPLAIN on %s.%s!", sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.DatabaseName), sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName))
+	}
+	log.Infof("Estimated number of rows via EXPLAIN: %d", this.migrationContext.RowsEstimate)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (this *Inspector) countTableRows() error {
+	log.Infof("As instructed, I'm issuing a SELECT COUNT(*) on the table. This may take a while")
+	query := fmt.Sprintf(`select /* gh-osc */ count(*) as rows from %s.%s`, sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.DatabaseName), sql.EscapeName(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName))
+	if err := this.db.QueryRow(query).Scan(&this.migrationContext.RowsEstimate); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	this.migrationContext.UsedRowsEstimateMethod = base.CountRowsEstimate
+	log.Infof("Exact number of rows via COUNT: %d", this.migrationContext.RowsEstimate)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// getCandidateUniqueKeys investigates a table and returns the list of unique keys
+// candidate for chunking
+func (this *Inspector) getCandidateUniqueKeys(tableName string) (uniqueKeys [](*sql.UniqueKey), err error) {
+	query := `
+    SELECT
+      COLUMNS.TABLE_SCHEMA,
+      COLUMNS.TABLE_NAME,
+      COLUMNS.COLUMN_NAME,
+      UNIQUES.INDEX_NAME,
+      UNIQUES.COLUMN_NAMES,
+      UNIQUES.COUNT_COLUMN_IN_INDEX,
+      COLUMNS.DATA_TYPE,
+      COLUMNS.CHARACTER_SET_NAME,
+      has_nullable
+    FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS INNER JOIN (
+      SELECT
+        TABLE_SCHEMA,
+        TABLE_NAME,
+        INDEX_NAME,
+        COUNT(*) AS COUNT_COLUMN_IN_INDEX,
+        GROUP_CONCAT(COLUMN_NAME ORDER BY SEQ_IN_INDEX ASC) AS COLUMN_NAMES,
+        SUBSTRING_INDEX(GROUP_CONCAT(COLUMN_NAME ORDER BY SEQ_IN_INDEX ASC), ',', 1) AS FIRST_COLUMN_NAME,
+        SUM(NULLABLE='YES') > 0 AS has_nullable
+      FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.STATISTICS
+      WHERE NON_UNIQUE=0
+      GROUP BY TABLE_SCHEMA, TABLE_NAME, INDEX_NAME
+    ) AS UNIQUES
+    ON (
+      COLUMNS.TABLE_SCHEMA = UNIQUES.TABLE_SCHEMA AND
+      COLUMNS.TABLE_NAME = UNIQUES.TABLE_NAME AND
+      COLUMNS.COLUMN_NAME = UNIQUES.FIRST_COLUMN_NAME
+    )
+    WHERE
+      COLUMNS.TABLE_SCHEMA = ?
+      AND COLUMNS.TABLE_NAME = ?
+    ORDER BY
+      COLUMNS.TABLE_SCHEMA, COLUMNS.TABLE_NAME,
+      CASE UNIQUES.INDEX_NAME
+        WHEN 'PRIMARY' THEN 0
+        ELSE 1
+      END,
+      CASE has_nullable
+        WHEN 0 THEN 0
+        ELSE 1
+      END,
+      CASE IFNULL(CHARACTER_SET_NAME, '')
+          WHEN '' THEN 0
+          ELSE 1
+      END,
+      CASE DATA_TYPE
+        WHEN 'tinyint' THEN 0
+        WHEN 'smallint' THEN 1
+        WHEN 'int' THEN 2
+        WHEN 'bigint' THEN 3
+        ELSE 100
+      END,
+      COUNT_COLUMN_IN_INDEX
+  `
+	err = sqlutils.QueryRowsMap(this.db, query, func(rowMap sqlutils.RowMap) error {
+		uniqueKey := &sql.UniqueKey{
+			Name:        rowMap.GetString("INDEX_NAME"),
+			Columns:     *sql.ParseColumnList(rowMap.GetString("COLUMN_NAMES")),
+			HasNullable: rowMap.GetBool("has_nullable"),
+		}
+		uniqueKeys = append(uniqueKeys, uniqueKey)
+		return nil
+	}, this.migrationContext.DatabaseName, tableName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return uniqueKeys, err
+	}
+	log.Debugf("Potential unique keys: %+v", uniqueKeys)
+	return uniqueKeys, nil
+}
+
+// getCandidateUniqueKeys investigates a table and returns the list of unique keys
+// candidate for chunking
+func (this *Inspector) getSharedUniqueKeys() (uniqueKeys [](*sql.UniqueKey), err error) {
+	originalUniqueKeys, err := this.getCandidateUniqueKeys(this.migrationContext.OriginalTableName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return uniqueKeys, err
+	}
+	ghostUniqueKeys, err := this.getCandidateUniqueKeys(this.migrationContext.GhostTableName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return uniqueKeys, err
+	}
+	// We actually do NOT rely on key name, just on the set of columns. This is because maybe
+	// the ALTER is on the name itself...
+	for _, originalUniqueKey := range originalUniqueKeys {
+		for _, ghostUniqueKey := range ghostUniqueKeys {
+			if originalUniqueKey.Columns.Equals(&ghostUniqueKey.Columns) {
+				uniqueKeys = append(uniqueKeys, originalUniqueKey)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return uniqueKeys, nil
+}
diff --git a/go/logic/migrator.go b/go/logic/migrator.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40adab9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/logic/migrator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2016 GitHub Inc.
+	 See https://github.com/github/gh-osc/blob/master/LICENSE
+*/
+
+package logic
+
+import (
+	"github.com/github/gh-osc/go/mysql"
+)
+
+// Migrator is the main schema migration flow manager.
+type Migrator struct {
+	connectionConfig *mysql.ConnectionConfig
+	inspector        *Inspector
+}
+
+func NewMigrator(connectionConfig *mysql.ConnectionConfig) *Migrator {
+	return &Migrator{
+		connectionConfig: connectionConfig,
+		inspector:        NewInspector(connectionConfig),
+	}
+}
+
+func (this *Migrator) Migrate() error {
+	if err := this.inspector.InitDBConnections(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := this.inspector.InspectTables(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/go/mysql/inspect.go b/go/mysql/inspect.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 4ff848c..0000000
--- a/go/mysql/inspect.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-/*
-   Copyright 2016 GitHub Inc.
-	 See https://github.com/github/gh-osc/blob/master/LICENSE
-*/
-
-package mysql
diff --git a/go/sql/types.go b/go/sql/types.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2646e2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/sql/types.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2016 GitHub Inc.
+	 See https://github.com/github/gh-osc/blob/master/LICENSE
+*/
+
+package sql
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// ColumnList makes for a named list of columns
+type ColumnList []string
+
+// ParseColumnList parses a comma delimited list of column names
+func ParseColumnList(columns string) *ColumnList {
+	result := ColumnList(strings.Split(columns, ","))
+	return &result
+}
+
+func (this *ColumnList) String() string {
+	return strings.Join(*this, ",")
+}
+
+func (this *ColumnList) Equals(other *ColumnList) bool {
+	return reflect.DeepEqual(*this, *other)
+}
+
+// UniqueKey is the combination of a key's name and columns
+type UniqueKey struct {
+	Name        string
+	Columns     ColumnList
+	HasNullable bool
+}
+
+// IsPrimary cehcks if this unique key is primary
+func (this *UniqueKey) IsPrimary() bool {
+	return this.Name == "PRIMARY"
+}
+
+func (this *UniqueKey) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s; has nullable: %+v", this.Name, this.Columns, this.HasNullable)
+}