diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index d24d33c..884e354 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -2,3 +2,10 @@
 	path = xranc-sb-api
 	url = https://github.com/OpenNetworkingFoundation/xranc-sb-api.git
 	branch = master
+[submodule "common/hiredis"]
+	path = common/hiredis
+	url = https://github.com/redis/hiredis
+[submodule "common/grpc"]
+	path = common/grpc
+	url = https://github.com/grpc/grpc
+	branch = v1.20.x
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 42d2580..8199ed0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ SHELL := /bin/bash
 ROOT_DIR := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
 OS_VENDOR := $(shell lsb_release -i -s)
 OS_RELEASE := $(shell lsb_release -r -s)
-GRPC_BRANCH := master
-NUM_CORES := 4
-GRPC_DIR := /tmp/grpc
+GRPC_BRANCH := v1.20.0
+GRPC_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/common/grpc
+HIREDIS_TAG := v0.14.0
+HIREDIS_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/common/hiredis
 PROTOBUF_DIR := $(GRPC_DIR)/third_party/protobuf
 XRANC_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/xranc
 XRANC_SBI_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/xranc-sb-api-src
@@ -12,31 +13,37 @@ XRANC_NBI_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/xranc-nb-api-src
 XRANC_ENBSIM_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/enbsim
 XRANC_DB_DIR := $(ROOT_DIR)/database
 
-all: install_prerequisites get_submodules build_xranc-sb build_xranc-nb build_xranc build_enbsim
+all: modules utilities build
 
-install_prerequisites:
+build: build_xranc-sb build_xranc-nb build_xranc build_enbsim
+
+modules:
+	cd $(ROOT_DIR) && git submodule init && git submodule update;
+	cd $(GRPC_DIR) && git fetch --all && git checkout $(GRPC_BRANCH)
+	cd $(HIREDIS_DIR) && git fetch --all && git checkout $(HIREDIS_TAG);
+
+utilities:
 	@if [[ $(OS_VENDOR) =~ (Ubuntu) ]]; then \
 		if [[ $(OS_RELEASE) =~ (16.04) ]]; then \
 			echo "WARN: Not fully tested on $(OS_VENDOR) $(OS_RELEASE)."; \
 			sudo apt update; \
-			sudo apt-get install -y libevent2-dev libjsoncpp-dev libsctp-dev; \
+			sudo apt install -y libevent2-dev libjsoncpp-dev libsctp-dev; \
 		elif [[ $(OS_RELEASE) =~ (18.04) ]]; then \
 			sudo apt update; \
-			sudo apt-get install libevent-dev libjsoncpp-dev libsctp-dev; \
+			sudo apt install -y libevent-dev libjsoncpp-dev libsctp-dev; \
 		fi \
 	else \
 		echo "Unsupported OS - Ubuntu 18.04 is recommended"; \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
-	sudo apt-get install -y build-essential autoconf git pkg-config automake libtool curl make g++ unzip;
-	git clone -b $(GRPC_BRANCH) https://github.com/grpc/grpc $(GRPC_DIR); \
-	cd $(GRPC_DIR) && git submodule update --init && echo "--- installing protobuf ---" && cd $(PROTOBUF_DIR) && \
-	./autogen.sh && ./configure --enable-shared && make -j$(NUM_CORES) && sudo make install && make clean && sudo ldconfig && \
-	echo "--- installing grpc ---" && cd $(GRPC_DIR) && make -j$(NUM_CORES) && sudo make install && make clean && sudo ldconfig;
+	sudo apt install -y build-essential autoconf git pkg-config automake libtool curl make g++ unzip;
+	# build gRPC
+	cd $(GRPC_DIR) && git submodule update --init && make && sudo make install;
+	# build protobuf
+	cd $(PROTOBUF_DIR) && make && sudo make install;
+	# build hiredis
+	cd $(HIREDIS_DIR) && make && sudo make install;
 
-get_submodules:
-	cd $(ROOT_DIR) && git submodule init && git submodule update;
-	
 build_xranc-sb:
 	cd $(XRANC_SBI_DIR) && make;
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 585133f..ae77744 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ cd xranc
 make
 ```
 
+**NOTE**: Makefile in the root directory has four options:
+- make or make all: install everything in this repo
+- make utilities: only install utilities and dependencies
+- make build: build xranc interfaces, xranc, and enbsim
+- make clean: clean all object and binary files
+
 ## Manual steps to install xRANc
 ### Install dependencies
 ```
@@ -19,6 +25,14 @@ sudo apt install libsctp-dev
 #### Install gRPC
 Please follow this [link](https://github.com/grpc/grpc/blob/v1.25.0/BUILDING.md)
 
+#### Install hiredis
+```
+git clone https://github.com/redis/hiredis
+cd /path/to/hiredis
+make
+sudo make install
+```
+
 #### Clone with SSH or HTTPS
 ```
 git clone git@github.com:OpenNetworkingFoundation/xranc.git
diff --git a/common/grpc b/common/grpc
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..200e0fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/grpc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 200e0fd4c0f18440c17626fb26ee5a7417ba9fe0
diff --git a/common/hiredis b/common/hiredis
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..5d0568d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/hiredis
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 5d0568d9ae49363ad21b512c52025e45bbf8d02e
diff --git a/xranc/xran-cfg.json b/xranc/xran-cfg.json
index 91d76cb..88ea98c 100644
--- a/xranc/xran-cfg.json
+++ b/xranc/xran-cfg.json
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@
     "l2_meas_report_interval_ms": 5000,
     "rx_signal_meas_report_interval_ms": 7000,
     "xranc_cellconfigrequest_interval_seconds": 5,
-    "xranc_bind_ip": "10.0.0.10",
+    "xranc_bind_ip": "127.0.0.1",
     "xranc_port": 5555,
     "admission_success": true,
     "bearer_success": true,
     "no_meas_link_removal_ms": 1000000,
     "idle_ue_removal_ms": 1,
     "nb_response_timeout_ms": 10000,
-    "redis_ip_addr": "10.0.0.11",
+    "redis_ip_addr": "127.0.0.1",
     "redis_port": 50002,
     "xranc_nbi_port": 50001
 }