diff --git a/src/aiori-DFS.c b/src/aiori-DFS.c
index 6f0c07b..f22bbbd 100755
--- a/src/aiori-DFS.c
+++ b/src/aiori-DFS.c
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@
 *        Copyright (c) 2003, The Regents of the University of California       *
 *      See the file COPYRIGHT for a complete copyright notice and license.     *
 *                                                                              *
+* Copyright (C) 2018 Intel Corporation
+*
+* GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS-OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
+* The Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display,
+* or disclose this software are subject to the terms of the Apache License as
+* provided in Contract No. 8F-30005.
+* Any reproduction of computer software, computer software documentation, or
+* portions thereof marked with this legend must also reproduce the markings.
 ********************************************************************************
 *
 * Implement of abstract I/O interface for DFS.
@@ -70,10 +78,11 @@ parse_filename(const char *path, char **_obj_name, char **_cont_name)
 	cont_name = dirname(f2);
 
 	if (cont_name[0] == '.' || cont_name[0] != '/') {
-		char *cwd;
+		char cwd[1024];
+
+		if (getcwd(cwd, 1024) == NULL)
+			D_GOTO(out, rc = -ENOMEM);
 
-		//getcwd(cwd, 1024);
-                cwd = strdup("/");
 		if (strcmp(cont_name, ".") == 0) {
 			cont_name = strdup(cwd);
 			if (cont_name == NULL)
@@ -130,6 +139,8 @@ static int DFS_Stat (const char *, struct stat *, IOR_param_t *);
 static int DFS_Mkdir (const char *, mode_t, IOR_param_t *);
 static int DFS_Rmdir (const char *, IOR_param_t *);
 static int DFS_Access (const char *, int, IOR_param_t *);
+static int DFS_Init(IOR_param_t *param);
+static int DFS_Finalize(IOR_param_t *param);
 
 /************************** D E C L A R A T I O N S ***************************/
 
@@ -148,85 +159,122 @@ ior_aiori_t dfs_aiori = {
         .rmdir = DFS_Rmdir,
         .access = DFS_Access,
         .stat = DFS_Stat,
+        .init = DFS_Init,
+        .finalize = DFS_Finalize,
 };
 
 /***************************** F U N C T I O N S ******************************/
 
-int
-dfs_init(void) {
-        char			*pool_str, *svcl_str, *group_str;
+static int
+DFS_Init(IOR_param_t *param) {
 	uuid_t			pool_uuid, co_uuid;
 	daos_pool_info_t	pool_info;
 	daos_cont_info_t	co_info;
 	d_rank_list_t		*svcl = NULL;
+        bool			cont_created = false;
 	int			rc;
-        
+
+	if (uuid_parse(param->daosPool, pool_uuid) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid pool uuid\n");
+                return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (uuid_parse(param->daosCont, co_uuid) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid pool uuid\n");
+                return -1;
+	}
+
+	svcl = daos_rank_list_parse(param->daosPoolSvc, ":");
+	if (svcl == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid pool service rank list\n");
+                return -1;
+	}
+
+        printf("Pool uuid = %s, SVCL = %s\n", param->daosPool,
+               param->daosPoolSvc);
+
+        printf("DFS Container namespace uuid = %s\n", param->daosCont);
+
 	rc = daos_init();
 	if (rc) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "daos_init() failed with %d\n", rc);
 		return rc;
 	}
 
-        pool_str = getenv("DAOS_POOL");
-	if (!pool_str) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "missing pool uuid\n");
-                return -1;
-	}
-	if (uuid_parse(pool_str, pool_uuid) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid pool uuid\n");
-                return -1;
-	}
-
-        svcl_str = getenv("DAOS_SVCL");
-	if (!svcl_str) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "missing pool service rank list\n");
-                return -1;
-	}
-	svcl = daos_rank_list_parse(svcl_str, ":");
-	if (svcl == NULL) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid pool service rank list\n");
-                return -1;
-	}
-
-        group_str = getenv("DAOS_GROUP");
-
 	/** Connect to DAOS pool */
-	rc = daos_pool_connect(pool_uuid, group_str, svcl, DAOS_PC_RW,
-			       &poh, &pool_info, NULL);
+	rc = daos_pool_connect(pool_uuid,
+                               strlen(param->daosGroup) ? param->daosGroup : NULL,
+                               svcl, DAOS_PC_RW, &poh, &pool_info, NULL);
 	if (rc < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to connect to pool %s %s (%d)\n",
-                        pool_str, svcl_str, rc);
-                return -1;
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to connect to pool (%d)\n", rc);
+                goto err_daos;
 	}
 
-        uuid_generate(co_uuid);
-        rc = daos_cont_create(poh, co_uuid, NULL);
+	rc = daos_cont_open(poh, co_uuid, DAOS_COO_RW, &coh, &co_info, NULL);
+	/* If NOEXIST we create it */
+	if (rc == -DER_NONEXIST) {
+                printf("Creating DFS Container ...\n");
+		rc = daos_cont_create(poh, co_uuid, NULL);
+		if (rc == 0) {
+			cont_created = true;
+			rc = daos_cont_open(poh, co_uuid, DAOS_COO_RW, &coh,
+					    &co_info, NULL);
+		}
+	}
 	if (rc) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create container (%d)\n", rc);
-		return -1;
+                goto err_pool;
 	}
 
-        rc = daos_cont_open(poh, co_uuid, DAOS_COO_RW, &coh, &co_info, NULL);
-	if (rc) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to open container (%d)\n", rc);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	rc = dfs_mount(poh, coh, &dfs);
+	rc = dfs_mount(poh, coh, O_RDWR, &dfs);
 	if (rc) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "dfs_mount failed (%d)\n", rc);
-                return -1;
+                goto err_cont;
 	}
 
+out:
+        daos_rank_list_free(svcl);
 	return rc;
+err_cont:
+	daos_cont_close(coh, NULL);
+err_pool:
+	if (cont_created)
+		daos_cont_destroy(poh, co_uuid, 1, NULL);
+	daos_pool_disconnect(poh, NULL);
+err_daos:
+	daos_fini();
+        goto out;
 }
 
-int dfs_finalize(void)
+int
+DFS_Finalize(IOR_param_t *param)
 {
-	dfs_umount(dfs);
-	daos_cont_close(coh, NULL);
+        int rc;
+
+	rc = dfs_umount(dfs, true);
+	if (rc) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "dfs_umount() failed (%d)\n", rc);
+                return -1;
+        }
+
+	rc = daos_cont_close(coh, NULL);
+	if (rc) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "daos_cont_close() failed (%d)\n", rc);
+                return -1;
+        }
+
         daos_pool_disconnect(poh, NULL);
-	daos_fini();
+	if (rc) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "daos_pool_disconnect() failed (%d)\n", rc);
+                return -1;
+        }
+
+	rc = daos_fini();
+	if (rc) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "daos_fini() failed (%d)\n", rc);
+                return -1;
+        }
+
         return 0;
 }
 
@@ -238,11 +286,14 @@ DFS_Create(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t *param)
 {
 	char *name = NULL, *dir_name = NULL;
 	dfs_obj_t *obj = NULL, *parent = NULL;
-	mode_t pmode;
+	mode_t pmode, mode;
         int fd_oflag = 0;
 	int rc;
 
+        assert(param);
+
         fd_oflag |= O_CREAT | O_RDWR;
+	mode = S_IFREG | param->mode;
 
 	rc = parse_filename(testFileName, &name, &dir_name);
 	if (rc)
@@ -255,8 +306,8 @@ DFS_Create(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t *param)
 	if (rc || !S_ISDIR(pmode))
                 goto out;
 
-	mode_t mode = S_IFREG | param->mode;
-	rc = dfs_open(dfs, parent, name, mode, fd_oflag, NULL, &obj);
+	rc = dfs_open(dfs, parent, name, mode, fd_oflag, DAOS_OC_LARGE_RW,
+                      NULL, &obj);
 	if (rc)
                 goto out;
 
@@ -274,7 +325,8 @@ out:
 /*
  * Open a file through the DFS interface.
  */
-static void *DFS_Open(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t *param)
+static void *
+DFS_Open(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t *param)
 {
 	char *name = NULL, *dir_name = NULL;
 	dfs_obj_t *obj = NULL, *parent = NULL;
@@ -295,7 +347,7 @@ static void *DFS_Open(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t *param)
 	if (rc || !S_ISDIR(pmode))
                 goto out;
 
-	rc = dfs_open(dfs, parent, name, S_IFREG, fd_oflag, NULL, &obj);
+	rc = dfs_open(dfs, parent, name, S_IFREG, fd_oflag, 0, NULL, &obj);
 	if (rc)
                 goto out;
 
@@ -369,15 +421,18 @@ DFS_Xfer(int access, void *file, IOR_size_t *buffer, IOR_offset_t length,
 /*
  * Perform fsync().
  */
-static void DFS_Fsync(void *fd, IOR_param_t * param)
+static void
+DFS_Fsync(void *fd, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
+	dfs_sync(dfs);
         return;
 }
 
 /*
  * Close a file through the DFS interface.
  */
-static void DFS_Close(void *fd, IOR_param_t * param)
+static void
+DFS_Close(void *fd, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
         dfs_release((dfs_obj_t *)fd);
 }
@@ -385,7 +440,8 @@ static void DFS_Close(void *fd, IOR_param_t * param)
 /*
  * Delete a file through the DFS interface.
  */
-static void DFS_Delete(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t * param)
+static void
+DFS_Delete(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
 	char *name = NULL, *dir_name = NULL;
 	dfs_obj_t *parent = NULL;
@@ -419,7 +475,8 @@ out:
 /*
  * Determine api version.
  */
-static void DFS_SetVersion(IOR_param_t * test)
+static void
+DFS_SetVersion(IOR_param_t * test)
 {
         strcpy(test->apiVersion, test->api);
 }
@@ -427,8 +484,8 @@ static void DFS_SetVersion(IOR_param_t * test)
 /*
  * Use DFS stat() to return aggregate file size.
  */
-static IOR_offset_t DFS_GetFileSize(IOR_param_t * test, MPI_Comm testComm,
-                                    char *testFileName)
+static IOR_offset_t
+DFS_GetFileSize(IOR_param_t * test, MPI_Comm testComm, char *testFileName)
 {
         dfs_obj_t *obj;
         daos_size_t fsize, tmpMin, tmpMax, tmpSum;
@@ -475,7 +532,7 @@ DFS_Statfs(const char *path, ior_aiori_statfs_t *sfs, IOR_param_t * param)
 }
 
 static int
-DFS_Mkdir (const char *path, mode_t mode, IOR_param_t * param)
+DFS_Mkdir(const char *path, mode_t mode, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
         dfs_obj_t *parent = NULL;
 	mode_t pmode;
@@ -504,11 +561,13 @@ out:
 		free(dir_name);
 	if (parent)
 		dfs_release(parent);
+        if (rc)
+                return -1;
 	return rc;
 }
 
 static int
-DFS_Rmdir (const char *path, IOR_param_t * param)
+DFS_Rmdir(const char *path, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
         dfs_obj_t *parent = NULL;
 	mode_t pmode;
@@ -537,11 +596,13 @@ out:
 		free(dir_name);
 	if (parent)
 		dfs_release(parent);
+        if (rc)
+                return -1;
 	return rc;
 }
 
 static int
-DFS_Access (const char *path, int mode, IOR_param_t * param)
+DFS_Access(const char *path, int mode, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
         dfs_obj_t *parent = NULL;
 	mode_t pmode;
@@ -578,11 +639,13 @@ out:
 		free(dir_name);
 	if (parent)
 		dfs_release(parent);
+        if (rc)
+                return -1;
 	return rc;
 }
 
 static int
-DFS_Stat (const char *path, struct stat *buf, IOR_param_t * param)
+DFS_Stat(const char *path, struct stat *buf, IOR_param_t * param)
 {
         dfs_obj_t *parent = NULL;
 	mode_t pmode;
@@ -611,5 +674,7 @@ out:
 		free(dir_name);
 	if (parent)
 		dfs_release(parent);
+        if (rc)
+                return -1;
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/src/aiori.h b/src/aiori.h
index 9e5695e..b2c4818 100755
--- a/src/aiori.h
+++ b/src/aiori.h
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ typedef struct ior_aiori {
         int (*rmdir) (const char *path, IOR_param_t * param);
         int (*access) (const char *path, int mode, IOR_param_t * param);
         int (*stat) (const char *path, struct stat *buf, IOR_param_t * param);
+        int (*init)(IOR_param_t *);
+        int (*finalize)(IOR_param_t *);
 } ior_aiori_t;
 
 extern ior_aiori_t hdf5_aiori;
@@ -94,9 +96,6 @@ const ior_aiori_t *aiori_select (const char *api);
 int aiori_count (void);
 const char *aiori_default (void);
 
-int dfs_init(void);
-int dfs_finalize(void);
-
 IOR_offset_t MPIIO_GetFileSize(IOR_param_t * test, MPI_Comm testComm,
                                char *testFileName);
 
diff --git a/src/ior.c b/src/ior.c
index e4dc03b..aa64436 100755
--- a/src/ior.c
+++ b/src/ior.c
@@ -2037,10 +2037,10 @@ static void TestIoSys(IOR_test_t *test)
         /* bind I/O calls to specific API */
         AioriBind(params->api, params);
 
-#ifdef USE_DFS_AIORI
-        if (strcmp(params->api, "DFS") == 0)
-                dfs_init();
-#endif
+        /* initialize API session */
+        if (backend->init != NULL)
+	    if (backend->init(params) != 0)
+		    ERR("Could not init backend");
 
         /* show test setup */
         if (rank == 0 && verbose >= VERBOSE_0)
@@ -2312,13 +2312,12 @@ static void TestIoSys(IOR_test_t *test)
                 free(timer[i]);
         }
 
+        /* finalize API session */
+        if (backend->finalize != NULL)
+                backend->finalize(params);
+
         /* Sync with the tasks that did not participate in this test */
         MPI_CHECK(MPI_Barrier(MPI_COMM_WORLD), "barrier error");
-
-#ifdef USE_DFS_AIORI
-    if (strcmp(params->api, "DFS") == 0)
-	    dfs_finalize();
-#endif
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/ior.h b/src/ior.h
index ce1b4ec..31b962a 100755
--- a/src/ior.h
+++ b/src/ior.h
@@ -213,6 +213,12 @@ typedef struct
     int beegfs_numTargets;           /* number storage targets to use */
     int beegfs_chunkSize;            /* srtipe pattern for new files */
 
+    /* daos variables */
+    char daosGroup[MAX_STR];         /* group name */
+    char daosPool[37];               /* pool UUID */
+    char daosPoolSvc[MAX_STR];       /* pool service ranks */
+    char daosCont[37];               /* Container UUID */
+
     int id;                          /* test's unique ID */
     int intraTestBarriers;           /* barriers between open/op and op/close */
 } IOR_param_t;
diff --git a/src/mdtest.c b/src/mdtest.c
index 3245c47..b95211d 100644
--- a/src/mdtest.c
+++ b/src/mdtest.c
@@ -1801,6 +1801,59 @@ void create_remove_directory_tree(int create,
     }
 }
 
+/*
+ * Set flags from commandline string/value pairs.
+ */
+static void
+DecodeDirective(char *line, IOR_param_t *params)
+{
+        char option[MAX_STR];
+        char value[MAX_STR];
+        int rc;
+
+        rc = sscanf(line, " %[^=# \t\r\n] = %[^# \t\r\n] ", option, value);
+        if (rc != 2 && rank == 0) {
+                fprintf(stdout, "Syntax error in configuration options: %s\n",
+                        line);
+                MPI_CHECK(MPI_Abort(MPI_COMM_WORLD, -1), "MPI_Abort() error");
+        }
+
+	if (strcasecmp(option, "daospool") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosPool, value);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "daospoolsvc") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosPoolSvc, value);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "daosgroup") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosGroup, value);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "daoscont") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosCont, value);
+        }
+        else {
+                if (rank == 0)
+                        fprintf(stdout, "Unrecognized parameter \"%s\"\n",
+                                option);
+                MPI_CHECK(MPI_Abort(MPI_COMM_WORLD, -1), "MPI_Abort() error");
+        }
+}
+
+/*
+ * Parse a single line, which may contain multiple comma-seperated directives
+ */
+static void
+ParseLine(char *line, IOR_param_t * test)
+{
+        char *start, *end;
+
+        start = line;
+        do {
+                end = strchr(start, ',');
+                if (end != NULL)
+                        *end = '\0';
+                DecodeDirective(start, test);
+                start = end + 1;
+        } while (end != NULL);
+
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     int i, j, k, c;
     int nodeCount;
@@ -1853,7 +1906,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
     /* Parse command line options */
     while (1) {
-        c = getopt(argc, argv, "a:b:BcCd:De:Ef:Fhi:I:l:Ln:N:p:rR::s:StTuvV:w:yz:");
+        c = getopt(argc, argv, "a:b:BcCd:De:Ef:Fhi:I:l:Ln:N:O:p:rR::s:StTuvV:w:yz:");
         if (c == -1) {
             break;
         }
@@ -1898,6 +1951,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
             //items = atoi(optarg);         break;
         case 'N':
             nstride = atoi(optarg);       break;
+	case 'O':
+		ParseLine(optarg, &param);
+		break;
         case 'p':
             pre_delay = atoi(optarg);     break;
         case 'r':
@@ -1936,11 +1992,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         }
     }
 
-#ifdef USE_DFS_AIORI
-    if (strcmp(backend_name, "DFS") == 0)
-	    dfs_init();
-#endif
-
     if (!create_only && !stat_only && !read_only && !remove_only) {
         create_only = stat_only = read_only = remove_only = 1;
         if (( rank == 0 ) && ( verbose >= 1 )) {
@@ -2082,6 +2133,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         FAIL("Could not find suitable backend to use");
     }
 
+    /* initialize API session */
+    if (backend->init != NULL)
+	    if (backend->init(&param) != 0)
+		    FAIL("Could not init backend");
+
     /*   if directory does not exist, create it */
     if ((rank < path_count) && backend->access(testdirpath, F_OK, &param) != 0) {
         if (backend->mkdir(testdirpath, DIRMODE, &param) != 0) {
@@ -2090,16 +2146,20 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     }
 
     /* display disk usage */
-    if (verbose >= 3 && rank == 0) {
-        printf( "V-3: main (before display_freespace): testdirpath is \"%s\"\n", testdirpath );
-        fflush( stdout );
-    }
+    if (strcmp(backend->name, "DFS")) {
+	    if (verbose >= 3 && rank == 0) {
+		    printf( "V-3: main (before display_freespace): testdirpath is \"%s\"\n",
+			    testdirpath );
+		    fflush( stdout );
+	    }
 
-    if (rank == 0) display_freespace(testdirpath);
+	    if (rank == 0) display_freespace(testdirpath);
 
-    if (verbose >= 3 && rank == 0) {
-        printf( "V-3: main (after display_freespace): testdirpath is \"%s\"\n", testdirpath );
-        fflush( stdout );
+	    if (verbose >= 3 && rank == 0) {
+		    printf( "V-3: main (after display_freespace): testdirpath is \"%s\"\n",
+			    testdirpath );
+		    fflush( stdout );
+	    }
     }
 
     if (rank == 0) {
@@ -2416,10 +2476,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         free(rand_array);
     }
 
-#ifdef USE_DFS_AIORI
-    if (strcmp(backend_name, "DFS") == 0)
-	    dfs_finalize();
-#endif
+    /* finalize API session */
+    if (backend->finalize != NULL)
+	    backend->finalize(&param);
 
     MPI_Finalize();
     exit(0);
diff --git a/src/parse_options.c b/src/parse_options.c
index cfa388a..1126559 100755
--- a/src/parse_options.c
+++ b/src/parse_options.c
@@ -327,7 +327,14 @@ void DecodeDirective(char *line, IOR_param_t *params)
 		RecalculateExpectedFileSize(params);
         } else if (strcasecmp(option, "summaryalways") == 0) {
                 params->summary_every_test = atoi(value);
-        } else {
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "daospool") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosPool, value);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "daospoolsvc") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosPoolSvc, value);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "daosgroup") == 0) {
+                strcpy(params->daosGroup, value);
+        }
+        else {
                 if (rank == 0)
                         fprintf(stdout, "Unrecognized parameter \"%s\"\n",
                                 option);