diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/BatchParserWrapper.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/BatchParserWrapper.cs
index bd3a336e..55f9bfc6 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/BatchParserWrapper.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/BatchParserWrapper.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
 //
 
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/Batch.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/Batch.cs
index 1e1c6c5f..0728732b 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/Batch.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/Batch.cs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using System.Globalization;
 using Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 using Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.BatchParser.ExecutionEngineCode
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngine.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngine.cs
index b69ba9de..84c70dc8 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngine.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngine.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ using System.IO;
 using System.Text;
 using Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser;
 using Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.BatchParser.ExecutionEngineCode
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngineConditions.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngineConditions.cs
index b64667ed..546620cf 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngineConditions.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/BatchParser/ExecutionEngineCode/ExecutionEngineConditions.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 //
 
 using System.Collections.Specialized;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.BatchParser.ExecutionEngineCode
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.cs
index 5e724bec..f814a0b9 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.cs
@@ -285,6 +285,14 @@ namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser
             }
         }
 
+        public static string NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Keys.GetString(Keys.NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString);
+            }
+        }
+
         [System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CompilerGeneratedAttribute()]
         public class Keys
         {
@@ -389,6 +397,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser
             public const string SqlCmd_FailedInclude = "SqlCmd_FailedInclude";
 
 
+            public const string NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString = "NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString";
+
+
             private Keys()
             { }
 
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.resx b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.resx
index c28140ae..773290c3 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.resx
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.resx
@@ -245,4 +245,8 @@
     <value>Could not find included file {0}.</value>
     <comment></comment>
   </data>
+  <data name="NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Parameter contains a null, empty, or whitespace string.</value>
+    <comment></comment>
+  </data>
 </root>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.strings b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.strings
index 73ea5b18..c656c384 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.strings
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.strings
@@ -88,3 +88,5 @@ SqlCmd_PathLong = Path too long.
 
 SqlCmd_FailedInclude = Could not find included file {0}.
 
+NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString = Parameter contains a null, empty, or whitespace string.
+
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.xlf b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.xlf
index 7f323024..e2443ad1 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.xlf
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Localization/sr.xlf
@@ -162,6 +162,11 @@
         <target state="new">Could not find included file {0}.</target>
         <note></note>
       </trans-unit>
+      <trans-unit id="NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString">
+        <source>Parameter contains a null, empty, or whitespace string.</source>
+        <target state="new">Parameter contains a null, empty, or whitespace string.</target>
+        <note></note>
+      </trans-unit>
     </body>
   </file>
 </xliff>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser.csproj b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser.csproj
index f964a3b2..88efc487 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser.csproj
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser.csproj
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
 	<PropertyGroup>
+		<!-- Targeting netstandard2.0 so that other things such as PS cmdlets can use this which need to support a wider range of machines -->
+		<TargetFramework>netstandard2.0</TargetFramework>
+		<Nullable>disable</Nullable>
 		<GenerateAssemblyInfo>false</GenerateAssemblyInfo>
 		<EnableDefaultEmbeddedResourceItems>false</EnableDefaultEmbeddedResourceItems>
 		<EmbeddedResourceUseDependentUponConvention>false</EmbeddedResourceUseDependentUponConvention>
@@ -12,12 +15,10 @@
 		<PackageReference Include="Microsoft.SqlServer.DACFx" />
 		<PackageReference Include="Microsoft.SqlServer.SqlManagementObjects" />
 		<PackageReference Include="Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SmoMetadataProvider" />
+		<PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" />
 	</ItemGroup>
 	<ItemGroup>
 		<EmbeddedResource Include="Localization\*.resx" />
 		<None Include="Localization\sr.strings" />
 	</ItemGroup>
-	<ItemGroup>
-		<ProjectReference Include="..\Microsoft.SqlTools.Hosting\Microsoft.SqlTools.Hosting.csproj" />
-	</ItemGroup>
 </Project>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/AmbientSettings.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/AmbientSettings.cs
index c31e3c5d..d11807ed 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/AmbientSettings.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/AmbientSettings.cs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Reflection;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/CachedServerInfo.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/CachedServerInfo.cs
index 241ed73c..5d785ff6 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/CachedServerInfo.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/CachedServerInfo.cs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
 using Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common;
 using Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Dmf;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbCommandWrapper.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbCommandWrapper.cs
index c4736fd8..4ab56129 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbCommandWrapper.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbCommandWrapper.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Data;
 using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbConnectionWrapper.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbConnectionWrapper.cs
index 18568915..18ef4885 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbConnectionWrapper.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/DbConnectionWrapper.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Data;
 using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableConnectionHelper.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableConnectionHelper.cs
index 2a056b25..fd21b6b0 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableConnectionHelper.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableConnectionHelper.cs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.Security;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 using Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common;
 using Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo;
 using System.Linq;
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableSqlConnection.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableSqlConnection.cs
index c092a881..e6b81a47 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableSqlConnection.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/ReliableSqlConnection.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ using System.Text;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.DataTransferDetectionErrorStrategy.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.DataTransferDetectionErrorStrategy.cs
index 1b095e8a..931f68a2 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.DataTransferDetectionErrorStrategy.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.DataTransferDetectionErrorStrategy.cs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;
 using System.Diagnostics;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.cs
index 4dbc9633..ff15a1a4 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicy.cs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.Contracts;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.Threading;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyFactory.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyFactory.cs
index 984f9e79..7fb64e22 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyFactory.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyFactory.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Globalization;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyUtils.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyUtils.cs
index 74fcefd1..8bf84dad 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyUtils.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/ReliableConnection/RetryPolicyUtils.cs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
-using Microsoft.SqlTools.Utility;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.ServiceLayer.Connection.ReliableConnection
 {
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Utility/Logger.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Utility/Logger.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..20242e3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Utility/Logger.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+//
+
+using System.Diagnostics;
+
+namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Provides a simple logging interface built on top of .Net tracing frameworks
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>This functionality is a simplified version of other similar implementations such as from Microsoft.SqlTools.Hosting, using
+    /// just pure Trace calls instead of setting up a TraceSource and/or listeners to keep this as simple as possible.</remarks>
+    public static class Logger
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Writes a message to the log file with the Verbose event level
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="logMessage">The message text to be written.</param>
+        public static void Verbose(string logMessage) => Write(TraceEventType.Verbose, logMessage);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Writes a message to the log file with the Information event level
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="logMessage">The message text to be written.</param>
+        public static void Information(string logMessage) => Write(TraceEventType.Information, logMessage);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Writes a message to the log file with the Warning event level
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="logMessage">The message text to be written.</param>
+        public static void Warning(string logMessage) => Write(TraceEventType.Warning, logMessage);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Writes a message to the log file with the Error event level
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="logMessage">The message text to be written.</param>
+        public static void Error(string logMessage) => Write(TraceEventType.Error, logMessage);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Writes a message to the log file with the Critical event level
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="logMessage">The message text to be written.</param>
+        public static void Critical(string logMessage) => Write(TraceEventType.Critical, logMessage);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Writes a message to the log file.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="eventType">The level at which the message will be written.</param>
+        ///  <param name="logEvent">The event id enumeration for the log event.</param>
+        /// <param name="logMessage">The message text to be written.</param>
+        public static void Write(
+            TraceEventType eventType,
+            string logMessage)
+        {
+            // Note that despite the more fine grained TraceEventType we expose in this class we currently are using just the default
+            // Trace methods available which only allow Error/Warning/Information. An improvement would be to fully implement a TraceSource/EventSource
+            // and use that instead, then ensure that users of this library are set up to consume events from that source.
+            switch (eventType)
+            {
+                case TraceEventType.Critical:
+                case TraceEventType.Error:
+                    if (eventType == TraceEventType.Critical)
+                    {
+                        logMessage = $@"event={eventType}: {logMessage}";
+                    }
+
+                    Trace.TraceError(logMessage);
+                    break;
+                case TraceEventType.Warning:
+                    Trace.TraceWarning(logMessage);
+                    break;
+                case TraceEventType.Information:
+                case TraceEventType.Resume:
+                case TraceEventType.Start:
+                case TraceEventType.Stop:
+                case TraceEventType.Suspend:
+                case TraceEventType.Transfer:
+                case TraceEventType.Verbose:
+                    if (eventType != TraceEventType.Information)
+                    {
+                        logMessage = $@"event={eventType}: {logMessage}";
+                    }
+
+                    Trace.TraceInformation(logMessage);
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Utility/Validate.cs b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Utility/Validate.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..620ea8b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser/Utility/Validate.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+//
+
+using System;
+using Microsoft.SqlTools.ManagedBatchParser;
+
+namespace Microsoft.SqlTools.BatchParser.Utility
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Provides common validation methods to simplify method
+    /// parameter checks.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static class Validate
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Throws ArgumentNullException if value is null.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="parameterName">The name of the parameter being validated.</param>
+        /// <param name="valueToCheck">The value of the parameter being validated.</param>
+        public static void IsNotNull(string parameterName, object valueToCheck)
+        {
+            if (valueToCheck == null)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentNullException(parameterName);
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Throws ArgumentException if the value is null or an empty string.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="parameterName">The name of the parameter being validated.</param>
+        /// <param name="valueToCheck">The value of the parameter being validated.</param>
+        public static void IsNotNullOrEmptyString(string parameterName, string valueToCheck)
+        {
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(valueToCheck))
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException(
+                    SR.NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString,
+                    parameterName);
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Throws ArgumentException if the value is null, an empty string,
+        /// or a string containing only whitespace.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="parameterName">The name of the parameter being validated.</param>
+        /// <param name="valueToCheck">The value of the parameter being validated.</param>
+        public static void IsNotNullOrWhitespaceString(string parameterName, string valueToCheck)
+        {
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(valueToCheck))
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException(
+                    SR.NullEmptyOrWhitespaceString,
+                    parameterName);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}