diff --git a/src/gsupclient/ipa_name.c b/src/gsupclient/ipa_name.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..716259e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gsupclient/ipa_name.c
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+/* Copyright 2019 by sysmocom s.f.m.c. GmbH <info@sysmocom.de>
+ *
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/utils.h>
+#include <osmocom/gsupclient/ipa_name.h>
+
+int osmo_ipa_name_set(struct osmo_ipa_name *ipa_name, const uint8_t *val, size_t len)
+{
+	if (!val || !len) {
+		*ipa_name = (struct osmo_ipa_name){};
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (len > sizeof(ipa_name->val))
+		return -ENOSPC;
+	ipa_name->len = len;
+	memcpy(ipa_name->val, val, len);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int osmo_ipa_name_set_str(struct osmo_ipa_name *ipa_name, const char *str_fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	if (!str_fmt)
+		return osmo_ipa_name_set(ipa_name, NULL, 0);
+
+	va_start(ap, str_fmt);
+	vsnprintf((char*)(ipa_name->val), sizeof(ipa_name->val), str_fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+	ipa_name->len = strlen((char*)(ipa_name->val))+1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int osmo_ipa_name_cmp(const struct osmo_ipa_name *a, const struct osmo_ipa_name *b)
+{
+	int cmp;
+	if (a == b)
+		return 0;
+	if (!a)
+		return -1;
+	if (!b)
+		return 1;
+	if (!a->len && !b->len)
+		return 0;
+	if (!a->len && b->len)
+		return -1;
+	if (!b->len && a->len)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (a->len == b->len)
+		return memcmp(a->val, b->val, a->len);
+	else if (a->len < b->len) {
+		cmp = memcmp(a->val, b->val, a->len);
+		if (!cmp)
+			cmp = -1;
+		return cmp;
+	} else {
+		/* a->len > b->len */
+		cmp = memcmp(a->val, b->val, b->len);
+		if (!cmp)
+			cmp = 1;
+		return cmp;
+	}
+}
+
+/* Return an unquoted string, not including the terminating zero. Used for writing VTY config. */
+const char *osmo_ipa_name_to_str(const struct osmo_ipa_name *ipa_name)
+{
+	size_t len = ipa_name->len;
+	if (!len)
+		return "";
+	if (ipa_name->val[len-1] == '\0')
+		len--;
+	return osmo_escape_str_c(OTC_SELECT, (char*)ipa_name->val, len);
+}