diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/RaftUtils.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/RaftUtils.java
index 1239fc56c4..1fc5517025 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/RaftUtils.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/RaftUtils.java
@@ -69,10 +69,15 @@ public static RaftClient createClient(RaftGroup raftGroup) {
     RaftClientConfigKeys.Rpc.setRequestTimeout(properties,
         TimeDuration.valueOf(15, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
 
+    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
     // Since ratis-shell support GENERIC_COMMAND_OPTIONS, here we should
     // merge these options to raft properties to make it work.
     final Properties sys = System.getProperties();
-    sys.stringPropertyNames().forEach(key -> properties.set(key, sys.getProperty(key)));
+    sys.stringPropertyNames().forEach(key -> {
+      sb.append("k [" + key + "] = " + sys.getProperty(key) + ",,,,,,,  ");
+      properties.set(key, sys.getProperty(key));
+    });
+    System.out.println("*****______ sssssssssssss.  sys properties: " + sb.toString());
 
     ExponentialBackoffRetry retryPolicy = ExponentialBackoffRetry.newBuilder()
         .setBaseSleepTime(TimeDuration.valueOf(1000, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS))
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractCommand.java
index 20a52a80f8..a3adbc154a 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractCommand.java
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractCommand implements Command {
 
   private final PrintStream printStream;
 
-  protected AbstractCommand(Context context) {
-    printStream = context.getPrintStream();
+  protected AbstractCommand(PrintStream printStream) {
+    this.printStream = printStream;
   }
 
   public static InetSocketAddress parseInetSocketAddress(String address) {
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractRatisCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractRatisCommand.java
index 1888c0e0ea..d999c722e0 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractRatisCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/AbstractRatisCommand.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 import org.apache.ratis.protocol.*;
 import org.apache.ratis.protocol.exceptions.RaftException;
 import org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.RaftUtils;
-import org.apache.commons.cli.CommandLine;
 import org.apache.commons.cli.Options;
 import org.apache.ratis.client.RaftClient;
 import org.apache.ratis.proto.RaftProtos.RaftConfigurationProto;
@@ -33,6 +32,7 @@
 import org.apache.ratis.util.function.CheckedFunction;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintStream;
 import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
 import java.util.*;
 import java.util.function.BiConsumer;
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
+//import static org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.sh.command.CommandUtils.parseInetSocketAddress;
+
 /**
  * The base class for the ratis shell which need to connect to server.
  */
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractRatisCommand extends AbstractCommand {
    * @param <E> the exception type thrown by the given function.
    * @return the value returned by the given function.
    */
-  public static <T, K, E extends Throwable> K run(Collection<T> list, CheckedFunction<T, K, E> function) {
+  public static <T, K, E extends Throwable> K runFunction(Collection<T> list, CheckedFunction<T, K, E> function) {
     for (T t : list) {
       try {
         K ret = function.apply(t);
@@ -75,21 +77,22 @@ public static <T, K, E extends Throwable> K run(Collection<T> list, CheckedFunct
   private RaftGroup raftGroup;
   private GroupInfoReply groupInfoReply;
 
-  protected AbstractRatisCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+  protected AbstractRatisCommand(PrintStream printStream) {
+    super(printStream);
   }
 
-  @Override
-  public int run(CommandLine cl) throws IOException {
+
+  public int run(String peersStr, String groupId) throws IOException {
     List<InetSocketAddress> addresses = new ArrayList<>();
-    String peersStr = cl.getOptionValue(PEER_OPTION_NAME);
+
     String[] peersArray = peersStr.split(",");
     for (String peer : peersArray) {
       addresses.add(parseInetSocketAddress(peer));
     }
 
-    final RaftGroupId raftGroupIdFromConfig = cl.hasOption(GROUPID_OPTION_NAME)?
-        RaftGroupId.valueOf(UUID.fromString(cl.getOptionValue(GROUPID_OPTION_NAME)))
+
+    final RaftGroupId raftGroupIdFromConfig = (groupId != null && !groupId.trim().equals(""))?
+        RaftGroupId.valueOf(UUID.fromString(groupId.trim()))
         : DEFAULT_RAFT_GROUP_ID;
 
     List<RaftPeer> peers = addresses.stream()
@@ -104,7 +107,7 @@ public int run(CommandLine cl) throws IOException {
       if (raftGroupIdFromConfig != DEFAULT_RAFT_GROUP_ID) {
         remoteGroupId = raftGroupIdFromConfig;
       } else {
-        final List<RaftGroupId> groupIds = run(peers,
+        final List<RaftGroupId> groupIds = runFunction(peers,
             p -> client.getGroupManagementApi((p.getId())).list().getGroupIds());
 
         if (groupIds == null) {
@@ -118,7 +121,7 @@ public int run(CommandLine cl) throws IOException {
         }
       }
 
-      groupInfoReply = run(peers, p -> client.getGroupManagementApi((p.getId())).info(remoteGroupId));
+      groupInfoReply = runFunction(peers, p -> client.getGroupManagementApi((p.getId())).info(remoteGroupId));
       processReply(groupInfoReply,
           () -> "Failed to get group info for group id " + remoteGroupId.getUuid() + " from " + peers);
       raftGroup = groupInfoReply.getGroup();
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/BaseCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/BaseCommand.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..15981983f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/BaseCommand.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.sh.command;
+
+import org.apache.commons.cli.CommandLine;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+public abstract class BaseCommand
+    extends AbstractRatisCommand
+{
+  protected BaseCommand(Context context) {
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
+  }
+
+  public int run(CommandLine cl) throws IOException {
+    return super.run(cl.getOptionValue(PEER_OPTION_NAME), cl.getOptionValue(GROUPID_OPTION_NAME));
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/CommandUtils.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/CommandUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..224a9ff3d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/command/CommandUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+package org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.sh.command;
+
+import org.apache.commons.cli.CommandLine;
+import org.apache.ratis.client.RaftClient;
+import org.apache.ratis.protocol.*;
+import org.apache.ratis.protocol.exceptions.RaftException;
+import org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.RaftUtils;
+import org.apache.ratis.util.ProtoUtils;
+import org.apache.ratis.util.function.CheckedFunction;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintStream;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.util.*;
+import java.util.function.BiConsumer;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+import java.util.stream.Stream;
+
+public class CommandUtils {
+//  private PrintStream printStream;
+
+  public static final RaftGroupId DEFAULT_RAFT_GROUP_ID = RaftGroupId.randomId();
+
+  /**
+   * Execute a given function with input parameter from the members of a list.
+   *
+   * @param list the input parameters
+   * @param function the function to be executed
+   * @param <T> parameter type
+   * @param <K> return value type
+   * @param <E> the exception type thrown by the given function.
+   * @return the value returned by the given function.
+   */
+  public static <T, K, E extends Throwable> K runFunction(Collection<T> list, CheckedFunction<T, K, E> function) {
+    for (T t : list) {
+      try {
+        K ret = function.apply(t);
+        if (ret != null) {
+          return ret;
+        }
+      } catch (Throwable e) {
+        e.printStackTrace();
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+//  public static int run(String peersStr, String groupId) throws IOException {
+//    List<InetSocketAddress> addresses = new ArrayList<>();
+//    String[] peersArray = peersStr.split(",");
+//    for (String peer : peersArray) {
+//      addresses.add(parseInetSocketAddress(peer));
+//    }
+//
+//    final RaftGroupId raftGroupIdFromConfig = (!groupId.trim().equals(""))?
+//        RaftGroupId.valueOf(UUID.fromString(groupId.trim()))
+//        : DEFAULT_RAFT_GROUP_ID;
+//
+//    List<RaftPeer> peers = addresses.stream()
+//        .map(addr -> RaftPeer.newBuilder()
+//            .setId(RaftUtils.getPeerId(addr))
+//            .setAddress(addr)
+//            .build()
+//        ).collect(Collectors.toList());
+//    RaftGroup raftGroup = RaftGroup.valueOf(raftGroupIdFromConfig, peers);
+//    try (final RaftClient client = RaftUtils.createClient(raftGroup)) {
+//      final RaftGroupId remoteGroupId;
+//      if (raftGroupIdFromConfig != DEFAULT_RAFT_GROUP_ID) {
+//        remoteGroupId = raftGroupIdFromConfig;
+//      } else {
+//        final List<RaftGroupId> groupIds = run(peers,
+//            p -> client.getGroupManagementApi((p.getId())).list().getGroupIds());
+//
+//        if (groupIds == null) {
+//          println("Failed to get group ID from " + peers);
+//          return -1;
+//        } else if (groupIds.size() == 1) {
+//          remoteGroupId = groupIds.get(0);
+//        } else {
+//          println("There are more than one groups, you should specific one. " + groupIds);
+//          return -2;
+//        }
+//      }
+//
+//      groupInfoReply = run(peers, p -> client.getGroupManagementApi((p.getId())).info(remoteGroupId));
+//      processReply(groupInfoReply,
+//          () -> "Failed to get group info for group id " + remoteGroupId.getUuid() + " from " + peers);
+//      raftGroup = groupInfoReply.getGroup();
+//    }
+//    return 0;
+//  }
+
+}
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/PauseCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/PauseCommand.java
index 4ea2969bac..13e9363002 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/PauseCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/PauseCommand.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class PauseCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public PauseCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/ResumeCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/ResumeCommand.java
index 4b4dc225a0..bcc33e5f19 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/ResumeCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/ResumeCommand.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class ResumeCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public ResumeCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/StepDownCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/StepDownCommand.java
index 911a2bb26a..a424f61a87 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/StepDownCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/StepDownCommand.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class StepDownCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public StepDownCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/TransferCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/TransferCommand.java
index c71d7f89f6..d7d2dbd19b 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/TransferCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/election/TransferCommand.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class TransferCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public TransferCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupInfoCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupInfoCommand.java
index 0125440e90..d0c11d38c5 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupInfoCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupInfoCommand.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import org.apache.ratis.proto.RaftProtos;
 import org.apache.ratis.protocol.GroupInfoReply;
 import org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.sh.command.AbstractRatisCommand;
+import org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.sh.command.BaseCommand;
 import org.apache.ratis.shell.cli.sh.command.Context;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@
 /**
  * Command for querying ratis group information.
  */
-public class GroupInfoCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
+public class GroupInfoCommand extends BaseCommand {
   /**
    * @param context command context
    */
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupListCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupListCommand.java
index 5bbd1939ad..bfe8840e4e 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupListCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/group/GroupListCommand.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class GroupListCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public GroupListCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/local/RaftMetaConfCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/local/RaftMetaConfCommand.java
index e258d863b8..93b4ed1827 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/local/RaftMetaConfCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/local/RaftMetaConfCommand.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class RaftMetaConfCommand extends AbstractCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public RaftMetaConfCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/AddCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/AddCommand.java
index 3c65bb12de..67fa136571 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/AddCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/AddCommand.java
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public class AddCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public AddCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/RemoveCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/RemoveCommand.java
index 5918516070..63bdf6d88a 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/RemoveCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/RemoveCommand.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class RemoveCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public RemoveCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/SetPriorityCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/SetPriorityCommand.java
index 01e81f3c34..9ef77401f3 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/SetPriorityCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/peer/SetPriorityCommand.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class SetPriorityCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public SetPriorityCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/snapshot/TakeSnapshotCommand.java b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/snapshot/TakeSnapshotCommand.java
index 10bac34975..f41d2bc43b 100644
--- a/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/snapshot/TakeSnapshotCommand.java
+++ b/ratis-shell/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/shell/cli/sh/snapshot/TakeSnapshotCommand.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class TakeSnapshotCommand extends AbstractRatisCommand {
    * @param context command context
    */
   public TakeSnapshotCommand(Context context) {
-    super(context);
+    super(context.getPrintStream());
   }
 
   @Override