diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6ae4983..6700e89 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,10 +24,22 @@ None
 
 ## default ##
 
-- configures the messaging service selected by attributes
+Selects the messaging service selected by the attribute `['openstack']['messaging']['service']`.
+
+## rabbitmq ##
+
+Currently the only supported messaging service. Defaults to using the latest release from RabbitMQ.org. Override any attributes from the [rabbitmq cookbook](https://github.com/opscode-cookbooks/rabbitmq) to change behavior.
 
 # Attributes #
 
+* `default['openstack']['role']['messaging']` - which role should other nodes search on to find the messaging service, defaults to 'os-ops-messaging'
+* `default['openstack']['messaging']['service']` - which service to use, defaults to 'rabbitmq'
+* `default['openstack']['messaging']['host']` - messaging host
+* `default['openstack']['messaging']['port']` - messaging port
+* `default['openstack']['messaging']['user']` - messaging user, default is 'rabbit'
+* `default['openstack']['messaging']['password']` - password, default is 'password'
+* `default['openstack']['messaging']['vhost']` - messaging vhost, defaults to '/nova'
+
 # Templates #
 
 None
@@ -37,6 +49,7 @@ License and Author
 
 |                      |                                                    |
 |:---------------------|:---------------------------------------------------|
+| **Author**           |  John Dewey (<john@dewey.ws>)                      |
 | **Author**           |  Justin Shepherd (<justin.shepherd@rackspace.com>) |
 | **Author**           |  Jason Cannavale (<jason.cannavale@rackspace.com>) |
 | **Author**           |  Ron Pedde (<ron.pedde@rackspace.com>)             |
@@ -46,10 +59,10 @@ License and Author
 | **Author**           |  Evan Callicoat (<evan.callicoat@rackspace.com>)   |
 | **Author**           |  Matt Ray (<matt@opscode.com>)                     |
 |                      |                                                    |
+| **Copyright**        |  Copyright 2012, John Dewey                        |
 | **Copyright**        |  Copyright (c) 2012-2013, Rackspace US, Inc.       |
 | **Copyright**        |  Copyright (c) 2012-2013, Opscode, Inc.            |
 
-
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 You may obtain a copy of the License at
diff --git a/attributes/default.rb b/attributes/default.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f755495
--- /dev/null
+++ b/attributes/default.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+default['openstack']['role']['messaging'] = 'os-ops-messaging'
+
+default['openstack']['messaging']['service'] = 'rabbitmq'
+
+# default['rabbitmq']['port'] = 5672
+# default['rabbitmq']['address'] = '0.0.0.0'
+
+default['openstack']['messaging']['host'] = node['rabbitmq']['address']
+default['openstack']['messaging']['port'] = node['rabbitmq']['port']
+default['openstack']['messaging']['user'] = 'rabbit'
+default['openstack']['messaging']['password'] = 'password'
+default['openstack']['messaging']['vhost'] = '/nova'
+
diff --git a/metadata.rb b/metadata.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fd76d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/metadata.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+name              "openstack-ops-messaging"
+maintainer        "Opscode, Inc."
+maintainer_email  "matt@opscode.com"
+license           "Apache 2.0"
+description       "Provides the shared messaging configuration for Chef for OpenStack."
+version           "0.1.0"
+
+recipe "default", "Selects messaging service."
+recipe "rabbitmq", "Configures RabbitMQ."
+
+%w{ ubuntu }.each do |os|
+  supports os
+end
+
+depends "rabbitmq", ">= 2.0.0"
diff --git a/recipes/default.rb b/recipes/default.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10fc737
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes/default.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-ops-messaging
+# Recipe:: default
+#
+# Copyright 2013, Opscode, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+
+include_recipe "openstack-ops-messaging::#{node['openstack']['messaging']['service']}"
diff --git a/recipes/rabbitmq.rb b/recipes/rabbitmq.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45161b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes/rabbitmq.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-ops-messaging
+# Recipe:: rabbitmq
+#
+# Copyright 2013, Opscode, Inc.
+# Copyright 2012, John Dewey
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+
+include_recipe "rabbitmq"
+include_recipe "rabbitmq::mgmt_console"
+
+user = node['openstack']['messaging']['user']
+vhost = node['openstack']['messaging']['vhost']
+
+# remove the guest user
+rabbitmq_user 'guest' do
+  action :delete
+  not_if { user.eql?('guest') }
+end
+
+rabbitmq_user user do
+  password node['openstack']['messaging']['password']
+  action :add
+end
+
+rabbitmq_vhost vhost do
+  action :add
+end
+
+rabbitmq_user user do
+  vhost vhost
+  permissions ".* .* .*"
+  action :set_permissions
+end
+
+# Necessary for graphing.
+rabbitmq_user user do
+  tag "administrator"
+  action :set_tags
+end