diff --git a/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go b/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go
index 0e6acee56..01eacc57f 100644
--- a/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go
+++ b/pkg/httpserver/httpserver.go
@@ -22,38 +22,41 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-type HttpServer struct {
+type HttpServerConfig struct {
 	Address  string
 	TLS      bool
 	CertFile string
 	KeyFile  string
 }
 
-func Start(handler http.Handler, srv HttpServer) (chan<- string, <-chan error) {
+type HttpServer struct{}
+
+func Start(handler http.Handler, config HttpServerConfig) (chan<- string, <-chan error, *HttpServer) {
 	ctrlChannel := make(chan string)
 	errorChannel := make(chan error)
-	go start(ctrlChannel, errorChannel, handler, srv)
-	return ctrlChannel, errorChannel
+	server := HttpServer{}
+	go start(ctrlChannel, errorChannel, handler, config, &server)
+	return ctrlChannel, errorChannel, &server
 }
 
-func start(ctrlChannel <-chan string, errorChannel chan<- error, router http.Handler, srv HttpServer) {
+func start(ctrlChannel <-chan string, errorChannel chan<- error, router http.Handler, config HttpServerConfig, server *HttpServer) {
 	var err error
 
 	// Minio server config
-	server := &http.Server{
-		Addr:           srv.Address,
+	httpServer := &http.Server{
+		Addr:           config.Address,
 		Handler:        router,
 		ReadTimeout:    10 * time.Second,
 		WriteTimeout:   10 * time.Second,
 		MaxHeaderBytes: 1 << 20,
 	}
-	log.Println("Starting HTTP Server on " + srv.Address)
+	log.Println("Starting HTTP Server on:", config.Address)
 
-	if srv.TLS {
-		server.TLSConfig = getDefaultTLSConfig()
-		err = server.ListenAndServeTLS(srv.CertFile, srv.KeyFile)
+	if config.TLS {
+		httpServer.TLSConfig = getDefaultTLSConfig()
+		err = httpServer.ListenAndServeTLS(config.CertFile, config.KeyFile)
 	} else {
-		err = server.ListenAndServe()
+		err = httpServer.ListenAndServe()
 	}
 	errorChannel <- err
 	close(errorChannel)
diff --git a/pkg/server/server.go b/pkg/server/server.go
index 45a239d6b..cce1148ac 100644
--- a/pkg/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/server/server.go
@@ -46,47 +46,66 @@ const (
 )
 
 func Start(config ServerConfig) {
+	// maintain a list of input and output channels for communicating with services
 	var ctrlChans []chan<- string
 	var statusChans []<-chan error
 
+	// a pair of control channels, we use these primarily to add to the lists above
 	var ctrlChan chan<- string
 	var statusChan <-chan error
+
+	// configure web server
 	var storage mstorage.Storage
-	var srv = httpserver.HttpServer{}
-	srv.Address = config.Address
-	srv.TLS = config.Tls
+	var httpConfig = httpserver.HttpServerConfig{}
+	httpConfig.Address = config.Address
+	httpConfig.TLS = config.Tls
 
 	if config.CertFile != "" {
-		srv.CertFile = config.CertFile
+		httpConfig.CertFile = config.CertFile
 	}
 	if config.KeyFile != "" {
-		srv.KeyFile = config.KeyFile
+		httpConfig.KeyFile = config.KeyFile
 	}
 
-	if config.StorageType == InMemoryStorage {
-		ctrlChan, statusChan, storage = inmemory.Start()
-		ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
-		statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)
-	} else if config.StorageType == FileStorage {
-		currentUser, err := user.Current()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
+	// instantiate storage
+	// preconditions:
+	//    - storage type specified
+	//    - any configuration for storage is populated
+	// postconditions:
+	//    - storage driver is initialized
+	//    - ctrlChans has channel to communicate to storage
+	//    - statusChans has channel for messages coming from storage
+	switch {
+	case config.StorageType == InMemoryStorage:
+		{
+			ctrlChan, statusChan, storage = inmemory.Start()
+			ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
+			statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)
 		}
-		rootPath := path.Join(currentUser.HomeDir, "minio-storage")
-		_, err = os.Stat(rootPath)
-		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			err = os.Mkdir(rootPath, 0700)
-		} else if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal("Could not create $HOME/minio-storage", err)
+	case config.StorageType == FileStorage:
+		{
+			// TODO Replace this with a more configurable and robust version
+			currentUser, err := user.Current()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			rootPath := path.Join(currentUser.HomeDir, "minio-storage")
+			_, err = os.Stat(rootPath)
+			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+				err = os.Mkdir(rootPath, 0700)
+			} else if err != nil {
+				log.Fatal("Could not create $HOME/minio-storage", err)
+			}
+			ctrlChan, statusChan, storage = fs.Start(rootPath)
+			ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
+			statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)
 		}
-		ctrlChan, statusChan, storage = fs.Start(rootPath)
-		ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
-		statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)
-	} else {
-
+	default: // should never happen
+		log.Fatal("No storage driver found")
 	}
 
-	ctrlChan, statusChan = httpserver.Start(minioapi.HttpHandler(storage), srv)
+	// start minio api in a web server, pass storage driver into it
+	ctrlChan, statusChan, _ = httpserver.Start(minioapi.HttpHandler(storage), httpConfig)
 	ctrlChans = append(ctrlChans, ctrlChan)
 	statusChans = append(statusChans, statusChan)