diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/compress/Compression.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/compress/Compression.java
index e8e23d0e731..6c07310107d 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/compress/Compression.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/compress/Compression.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import java.io.OutputStream;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
+import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configurable;
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
 import org.apache.hadoop.io.IOUtils;
@@ -100,6 +101,8 @@ public final class Compression {
   @edu.umd.cs.findbugs.annotations.SuppressWarnings(
       value="SE_TRANSIENT_FIELD_NOT_RESTORED",
       justification="We are not serializing so doesn't apply (not sure why transient though)")
+  @InterfaceAudience.Public
+  @InterfaceStability.Evolving
   public static enum Algorithm {
     LZO("lzo") {
       // Use base type to avoid compile-time dependencies.
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/encoding/DataBlockEncoding.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/encoding/DataBlockEncoding.java
index 4db0b7fd2a1..7ad338da2a1 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/encoding/DataBlockEncoding.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/io/encoding/DataBlockEncoding.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
+import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
 
 /**
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
  * want to add a new algorithm/version, assign it a new id. Announce the new id
  * in the HBase mailing list to prevent collisions.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Private
+@InterfaceAudience.Public
+@InterfaceStability.Evolving
 public enum DataBlockEncoding {
 
   /** Disable data block encoding. */
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/types/OrderedBlobVar.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/types/OrderedBlobVar.java
index 45f1ae4f6ed..dbb52d4980a 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/types/OrderedBlobVar.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/types/OrderedBlobVar.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.PositionedByteRange;
  * do not terminate the fields list. Built on
  * {@link OrderedBytes#encodeBlobVar(PositionedByteRange, byte[], int, int, Order)}.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Private
+@InterfaceAudience.Public
 @InterfaceStability.Evolving
 public class OrderedBlobVar extends OrderedBytesBase<byte[]> {
 
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Addressing.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Addressing.java
index caf78f3c771..a9661e1a6e5 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Addressing.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Addressing.java
@@ -21,13 +21,11 @@ package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Utility for network addresses, resolving and naming.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Evolving
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class Addressing {
   public static final String VALID_PORT_REGEX = "[\\d]+";
   public static final String HOSTNAME_PORT_SEPARATOR = ":";
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Base64.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Base64.java
index 8aa161d7242..2a9e49866c4 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Base64.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Base64.java
@@ -1254,6 +1254,8 @@ public class Base64 {
    * @see Base64
    * @since 1.3
    */
+  @InterfaceAudience.Public
+  @InterfaceStability.Stable
   public static class Base64InputStream extends FilterInputStream {
     private boolean encode;                     // Encoding or decoding
     private int position;                       // Current position in the buffer
@@ -1498,6 +1500,8 @@ public class Base64 {
      * @see Base64#DONT_BREAK_LINES
      * @since 1.3
      */
+    @InterfaceAudience.Public
+    @InterfaceStability.Stable
     public Base64OutputStream(OutputStream out, int options) {
       super(out);
       this.breakLines = (options & DONT_BREAK_LINES) != DONT_BREAK_LINES;
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ByteBufferArray.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ByteBufferArray.java
index 048691f8758..9e19ebff6d6 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ByteBufferArray.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ByteBufferArray.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.util.StringUtils;
  * buffers are sequential and could be considered as a large buffer.It supports
  * reading/writing data from this large buffer with a position and offset
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public final class ByteBufferArray {
   static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(ByteBufferArray.class);
 
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Bytes.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Bytes.java
index 3413143d55e..cbb80cec292 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Bytes.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Bytes.java
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ public class Bytes {
   /**
    * Byte array comparator class.
    */
+  @InterfaceAudience.Public
+  @InterfaceStability.Stable
   public static class ByteArrayComparator implements RawComparator<byte []> {
     /**
      * Constructor
@@ -163,6 +165,8 @@ public class Bytes {
   // boundaries. Thus semantically, we should treat empty byte array as the smallest value
   // while comparing row keys, start keys etc; but as the largest value for comparing
   // region boundaries for endKeys.
+  @InterfaceAudience.Public
+  @InterfaceStability.Stable
   public static class RowEndKeyComparator extends ByteArrayComparator {
     @Override
     public int compare(byte[] left, byte[] right) {
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ClassSize.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ClassSize.java
index b3f4d0de972..710ed6d9844 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ClassSize.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ClassSize.java
@@ -22,13 +22,11 @@ package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
-
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Class for determining the "size" of a class, an attempt to calculate the
@@ -36,8 +34,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
  *
  * The core of this class is taken from the Derby project
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Stable
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class ClassSize {
   static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(ClassSize.class);
 
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Classes.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Classes.java
index 76551d918e9..9b9b92981a4 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Classes.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Classes.java
@@ -21,13 +21,11 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Utilities for class manipulation.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Stable
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class Classes {
 
   /**
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/DefaultEnvironmentEdge.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/DefaultEnvironmentEdge.java
index 9c920246b68..e8eab936d4e 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/DefaultEnvironmentEdge.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/DefaultEnvironmentEdge.java
@@ -19,13 +19,11 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Default implementation of an environment edge.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Evolving
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class DefaultEnvironmentEdge implements EnvironmentEdge {
 
 
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdge.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdge.java
index 7f80844bd7f..a43fa66041b 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdge.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdge.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Has some basic interaction with the environment. Alternate implementations
@@ -27,8 +26,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
  *
  * @see EnvironmentEdgeManager
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Evolving
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public interface EnvironmentEdge {
 
   /**
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdgeManager.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdgeManager.java
index 0a9c40b23f4..c7d4b2503ba 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdgeManager.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/EnvironmentEdgeManager.java
@@ -19,15 +19,13 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Manages a singleton instance of the environment edge. This class shall
  * implement static versions of the interface {@link EnvironmentEdge}, then
  * defer to the delegate on invocation.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Evolving
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class EnvironmentEdgeManager {
   private static volatile EnvironmentEdge delegate = new DefaultEnvironmentEdge();
 
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/JVM.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/JVM.java
index a60d96c51c9..a2dd5ad46fb 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/JVM.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/JVM.java
@@ -18,21 +18,18 @@
 
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
-import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory;
-import java.lang.management.OperatingSystemMXBean;
-import java.lang.management.RuntimeMXBean;
-
 import java.io.BufferedReader;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.InputStreamReader;
-
+import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory;
+import java.lang.management.OperatingSystemMXBean;
+import java.lang.management.RuntimeMXBean;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 
 /**
@@ -42,8 +39,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
  * depending on the runtime (vendor) used.
  */
 
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Evolving
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class JVM {
   private static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(JVM.class);
   private OperatingSystemMXBean osMbean;
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Methods.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Methods.java
index 8f0a6e3b753..a7b74c425fe 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Methods.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Methods.java
@@ -27,10 +27,8 @@ import java.lang.reflect.UndeclaredThrowableException;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Stable
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class Methods {
   private static Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(Methods.class);
 
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/SoftValueSortedMap.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/SoftValueSortedMap.java
index 6e77cb678e5..77c61d3fa61 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/SoftValueSortedMap.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/SoftValueSortedMap.java
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import java.util.SortedMap;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * A SortedMap implementation that uses Soft Reference values
@@ -43,8 +42,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
  * @param <K> key class
  * @param <V> value class
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Stable
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class SoftValueSortedMap<K,V> implements SortedMap<K,V> {
   private final SortedMap<K, SoftValue<K,V>> internalMap;
   private final ReferenceQueue<V> rq = new ReferenceQueue<V>();
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Strings.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Strings.java
index 3edb76c81e6..b1b38f23745 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Strings.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Strings.java
@@ -19,13 +19,11 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 
 /**
  * Utility for Strings.
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Stable
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class Strings {
   public final static String DEFAULT_SEPARATOR = "=";
   public final static String DEFAULT_KEYVALUE_SEPARATOR = ", ";
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Threads.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Threads.java
index 23f2fa3dad3..0b06a4e3743 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Threads.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/Threads.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
  */
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
-import java.io.InterruptedIOException;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
 import java.lang.Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler;
 import java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue;
@@ -30,14 +29,12 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
-import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 import org.apache.hadoop.util.ReflectionUtils;
 
 /**
  * Thread Utility
  */
-@InterfaceAudience.Public
-@InterfaceStability.Stable
+@InterfaceAudience.Private
 public class Threads {
   protected static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(Threads.class);
   private static final AtomicInteger poolNumber = new AtomicInteger(1);