diff --git a/install_nfdump.sh b/install_nfdump.sh
index e2190a3..cf730c3 100755
--- a/install_nfdump.sh
+++ b/install_nfdump.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,32 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+dir=$1
+install_path=${dir:-/opt/spot}
+bin=${install_path}/bin
 dependencies=(tar make gcc m4 automake autoconf flex byacc)
 
+log_cmd () {
+
+    printf "\n****SPOT.NFDUMP.install_nfdump.sh****\n"
+    date +"%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"
+    printf "$1\n\n"
+
+}
+
+if [ ! -d ${install_path} ]; then
+        log_cmd "${install_path} not created, override with 'install_nfdump.sh [optional path]'"
+        exit 1   
+fi
+
 # detect distribution
 # to add other distribution simply create a test case with installation commands
 
 if [ -f /etc/redhat-release ]; then
     install_cmd="yum -y install"
-    echo "installation command: $install_cmd"
+    log_cmd "installation command: $install_cmd"
 elif [ -f /etc/debian_version ]; then
     install_cmd="apt-get install -y"
-    echo "installation command: $install_cmd"
+    log_cmd "installation command: $install_cmd"
     apt-get update
 fi
 
@@ -21,9 +37,9 @@ fi
 
 for dep in ${dependencies[@]}; do
     if type ${dep} >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-        echo "${dep} found"
+        log_cmd "${dep} found"
     else
-        echo "installing ${dep}"
+        log_cmd "installing ${dep}"
         ${install_cmd} ${dep}
     fi
 done
@@ -33,18 +49,18 @@ done
 #########################################################
 
 cd nfdump
-./configure --enable-sflow
+./configure --prefix=${install_path} --enable-sflow
 make
 make install
 
-if type nfdump >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    echo "nfdump found"
+if type ${bin}/nfdump >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    log_cmd "nfdump found"
 else
-    echo "ERROR: there was a problem with the nfdump installation"
+    log_cmd "ERROR: there was a problem with the nfdump installation"
     exit 1      
 fi
 
 cd ..
 
-echo "Done !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
-nfdump -V
+log_cmd "Done !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
+${bin}/nfdump -V