diff --git a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/destinations/SocketDestination.java b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/destinations/SocketDestination.java
index 0f062e07..82230598 100644
--- a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/destinations/SocketDestination.java	
+++ b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/destinations/SocketDestination.java	
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public SocketDestination(String key, DataOutputStream out) {
 	
 	public final synchronized boolean send(Packet packet) {
 		try {
-			out.writeUTF(packet.getData());
+			out.write(packet.getData().getBytes());
 		} catch (JSONException | IOException e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
 			return false;
diff --git a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputHandler.java b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputHandler.java
index 707451b8..3afe2b11 100644
--- a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputHandler.java	
+++ b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputHandler.java	
@@ -36,11 +36,6 @@ public Response processSTRT(Packet packet) {
 	}
 	
 	public Response processEDAT(Packet packet) {
-<<<<<<< HEAD
-		
-		//manager.send();
-		return ResponseFactory.response0();
-=======
 		if(!manager.containsDestination(packet.getSubData()))
 			return ResponseFactory.response471(packet.getSubData());
 		
@@ -48,6 +43,5 @@ public Response processEDAT(Packet packet) {
 			return ResponseFactory.response472(packet.getSubData());
 		
 		return ResponseFactory.response200("");
->>>>>>> branch 'main' of https://github.rpi.edu/DataINCITE/IDEA-DeFi-CRAFT
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputManager.java b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputManager.java
index 4e60e972..d9818b63 100644
--- a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputManager.java	
+++ b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/handler/OutputManager.java	
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ protected final Response send(String tag, String sub_tag, String data, String su
 	
 	public final synchronized void add(OutputDestination destination) {
 		destinations.put(destination.getKey(), destination);
-		destination.send(Packet.packet(handler, "", "", "Connected: " + destination.getKey()));
+		//destination.send(Packet.packet(handler, "", "", "Connected: " + destination.getKey()));
 	}
 	
 	public final synchronized void remove(String key) {
diff --git a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/socket/SocketManager.java b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/socket/SocketManager.java
index 93de5a1c..b192dd87 100644
--- a/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/socket/SocketManager.java	
+++ b/DeFi-Data-Engine/DeFi Data Engine/src/main/java/org/out/socket/SocketManager.java	
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.ServerSocket;
 import java.net.Socket;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.UUID;
 
 public class SocketManager {
 
@@ -47,7 +49,9 @@ public synchronized static String accept(int port) {
 			
 			// validate new connection:
 			DataInputStream in = new DataInputStream(connection.getInputStream());
-			String key = in.readUTF();
+			DataOutputStream out = new DataOutputStream(connection.getOutputStream());
+			String key = UUID.randomUUID().toString();
+			out.write(key.getBytes());
 			
 			if(connections.containsKey(key))
 				connections.get(key).close();
@@ -78,6 +82,7 @@ public synchronized static boolean accept(int port, String required_key) {
 			Socket connection = servers.get(port).accept();
 			// validate new connection:
 			DataInputStream in = new DataInputStream(connection.getInputStream());
+			
 			String key = in.readUTF();
 			
 			if(!required_key.equals(key)) {
diff --git a/DeFi-Data-Engine/Rest Application/src/main/java/org/rest/application/Endpoint.java b/DeFi-Data-Engine/Rest Application/src/main/java/org/rest/application/Endpoint.java
index cf7f4ceb..3fb4496c 100644
--- a/DeFi-Data-Engine/Rest Application/src/main/java/org/rest/application/Endpoint.java	
+++ b/DeFi-Data-Engine/Rest Application/src/main/java/org/rest/application/Endpoint.java	
@@ -34,16 +34,9 @@ public class Endpoint {
 		System.exit(1);
 	}
 }
-	
-<<<<<<< HEAD
-	// sample testing url: http://localhost:8080/defi/v1/rest/json?key=test&protocol=source_exists&data=amber_data
-	@GetMapping(path="/defi/v1/rest/json")
-	public String getRest(@RequestParam String key, @RequestParam String protocol, @RequestParam String data) throws InterruptedException {
-=======
 	// sample testing url: http://localhost:8080/defi/v1/rest/live?key=TEST-KEY&protocol=request&data=key,external
 	@GetMapping(path="/defi/v1/rest/live")
 	public String getRestLive(@RequestParam String key, @RequestParam String protocol, @RequestParam String data) throws InterruptedException {
->>>>>>> branch 'main' of https://github.rpi.edu/DataINCITE/IDEA-DeFi-CRAFT
 		String response = request(key, protocol, data);
 		if(response == null)
 			return new JSONObject()