diff --git a/manager/provider.go b/manager/provider.go
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/manager/provider.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Prometheus Team
+// 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.
+
+package manager
+
+import (
+	"github.com/prometheus/common/model"
+)
+
+// AlertProvider gives access to a set of alerts.
+type AlertProvider interface {
+	// Iter returns a channel on which all active alerts from the
+	// beginning of time are sent. They are not guaranteed to be in
+	// chronological order.
+	IterActive() <-chan *Alert
+	// Get returns the alert for a given fingerprint.
+	Get(model.Fingerprint) (*Alert, error)
+	// Put adds the given alert to the set.
+	Put(*Alert) error
+	// Del deletes the alert for the given fingerprint.
+	Del(model.Fingerprint) error
+}
+
+// SilenceProvider gives access to silences.
+type SilenceProvider interface {
+	Silencer
+
+	// All returns all existing silences.
+	All() []*Silence
+	// Set a new silence.
+	Set(*Silence) error
+	// Del removes a silence.
+	Del(model.Fingerprint) error
+	// Get a silence associated with a fingerprint.
+	Get(model.Fingerprint) (*Silence, error)
+}
+
+type ConfigProvider interface {
+	// Reload initiates a configuration reload.
+	Reload() error
+	// Get returns the current configuration.
+	Get() *Config
+}