diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 19956fe..769a180 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 The open-source data access and storage platform
 
+<img src = "docs/img/anor-wb.png" width = "25%"/>
+
 ## Components
 
 * [In-Memory Data Storage](/anor-storage)
diff --git a/anor-api/src/client/api_client.rs b/anor-api/src/client/api_client.rs
index f09db63..69041ad 100644
--- a/anor-api/src/client/api_client.rs
+++ b/anor-api/src/client/api_client.rs
@@ -71,19 +71,19 @@ impl SocketClient for StorageApiClient {
     }
 */
 
-    fn insert(&self, storage_item: StorageItem) {
+    fn insert(&self, _storage_item: StorageItem) {
         todo!()
     }
 
-    fn update(&mut self, key: &str, storage_item: StorageItem) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+    fn update(&mut self, _key: &str, _storage_item: StorageItem) -> std::io::Result<()> {
         todo!()
     }
 
-    fn get(&mut self, key: &str) -> std::io::Result<StorageItem> {
+    fn get(&mut self, _key: &str) -> std::io::Result<StorageItem> {
         todo!()
     }
 
-    fn remove(&self, key: &str) -> bool {
+    fn remove(&self, _key: &str) -> bool {
         todo!()
     }
 
diff --git a/anor-api/src/service/api_service.rs b/anor-api/src/service/api_service.rs
index 555851d..105a78c 100644
--- a/anor-api/src/service/api_service.rs
+++ b/anor-api/src/service/api_service.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl ApiService for StorageApi {
 
     fn start(
         &self,
-        shutdown: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+        server_shutdown: Arc<AtomicBool>,
         signal_ready_sender: Sender<()>,
     ) -> Result<(), String> {
         assert!(self.config.api.is_some());
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ impl ApiService for StorageApi {
 
         let pool = ThreadPool::new(2);
 
-        while !shutdown.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+        while !server_shutdown.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
             match listener.accept() {
                 Ok((stream, addr)) => {
-                    let shutdown_clone = shutdown.clone();
+                    let shutdown_clone = server_shutdown.clone();
                     pool.execute(move || {
                         handle_connection(stream, addr, shutdown_clone);
                     });
diff --git a/anor-config.debug b/anor-config.debug
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77a6bca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anor-config.debug
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# anor configuration file
+
+# storage settings
+storage:
+  data_path: "/tmp/anor"
+
+# api service settings
+api:
+  name: anor1
+  description: "Anor API Service"
+  id: anor1@anor
+  access_token: face0aa08c29eb27aa3e0ebb7fe9d9a678a9caecc1f7b886e35bc16b1c266f42
+  listen_addresses: 127.0.0.1
+  listen_port: 9191
+  connections_max: 20
+  threads_max: 4
+  ram_max: 512M
+  disk_max: 2G
+  enabled: true
+
+# http service settings
+http:
+  description: "Anor HTTP Service"
+  listen_addresses: 127.0.0.1
+  listen_port: 8181
+  enabled: true
+
+# pool of remote server nodes
+remote:
+  nodes: 127.0.0.1:9191
+
+# client settings
+client:
+  name: test
+  id: test1@file_api
+  access_token: bbc5f7280aa440648d2ca6023610956da401739283ec77593492aa385f256dec
+
+# redundancy settings
+redundancy:
+  # strategy: normal   - replicate item on 'redundancy_replica_min' nodes
+  # strategy: maximum  - replicate item on 'redundancy_replica_max' nodes if there are enough resources 
+  # strategy: paranoid - replicate item on all nodes if there are enough resources
+  strategy: normal
+  replica_min: 2
+  replica_max: 5
+
+## end of configuration
diff --git a/anor-config.test b/anor-config.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c2ec08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anor-config.test
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# anor configuration file
+
+# storage settings
+storage:
+  data_path: "${CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR}/target/tmp/anor"
+
+# api service settings
+api:
+  name: anor1
+  description: "Anor API Service"
+  id: anor1@anor
+  access_token: face0aa08c29eb27aa3e0ebb7fe9d9a678a9caecc1f7b886e35bc16b1c266f42
+  listen_addresses: 127.0.0.1
+  listen_port: 9191
+  connections_max: 20
+  threads_max: 4
+  ram_max: 512M
+  disk_max: 2G
+  enabled: true
+
+# http service settings
+http:
+  description: "Anor HTTP Service"
+  listen_addresses: 127.0.0.1
+  listen_port: 8181
+  enabled: true
+
+# pool of remote server nodes
+remote:
+  nodes: 127.0.0.1:9191
+
+# client settings
+client:
+  name: test
+  id: test1@file_api
+  access_token: bbc5f7280aa440648d2ca6023610956da401739283ec77593492aa385f256dec
+
+# redundancy settings
+redundancy:
+  # strategy: normal   - replicate item on 'redundancy_replica_min' nodes
+  # strategy: maximum  - replicate item on 'redundancy_replica_max' nodes if there are enough resources 
+  # strategy: paranoid - replicate item on all nodes if there are enough resources
+  strategy: normal
+  replica_min: 2
+  replica_max: 5
+
+## end of configuration
diff --git a/anor-config.yaml b/anor-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff4935f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anor-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# anor configuration file
+
+# storage settings
+storage:
+  data_path: "/var/anor"
+
+# api service settings
+api:
+  name: anor1
+  description: "Anor API Service"
+  id: anor1@anor
+  access_token: face0aa08c29eb27aa3e0ebb7fe9d9a678a9caecc1f7b886e35bc16b1c266f42
+  listen_addresses: 127.0.0.1
+  listen_port: 9191
+  connections_max: 20
+  threads_max: 4
+  ram_max: 512M
+  disk_max: 2G
+  enabled: true
+
+# http service settings
+http:
+  description: "Anor HTTP Service"
+  listen_addresses: 127.0.0.1
+  listen_port: 8181
+  enabled: true
+
+# pool of remote server nodes
+remote:
+  nodes: 127.0.0.1:9191
+
+# client settings
+client:
+  name: test
+  id: test1@file_api
+  access_token: bbc5f7280aa440648d2ca6023610956da401739283ec77593492aa385f256dec
+
+# redundancy settings
+redundancy:
+  # strategy: normal   - replicate item on 'redundancy_replica_min' nodes
+  # strategy: maximum  - replicate item on 'redundancy_replica_max' nodes if there are enough resources 
+  # strategy: paranoid - replicate item on all nodes if there are enough resources
+  strategy: normal
+  replica_min: 2
+  replica_max: 5
+
+## end of configuration
diff --git a/anor-server/Cargo.toml b/anor-server/Cargo.toml
index 48d3df1..34aa3fb 100644
--- a/anor-server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/anor-server/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ categories = ["data-structures", "caching", "database", "filesystem"]
 [dependencies]
 log = "0.4"
 log4rs = "1.2"
+tokio = { version = "1", features = ["full"] }
 
 anor-storage = { path = "../anor-storage"}
 anor-api = { path = "../anor-api"}
diff --git a/anor-server/src/lib.rs b/anor-server/src/lib.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index cd71fe3..0000000
--- a/anor-server/src/lib.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-//! **Anor Server**
-//!
-//! Project Stage
-//!
-//! **Research:** This project is at the design stage, with some sketches of work but nothing usable yet.
diff --git a/anor-server/src/main.rs b/anor-server/src/main.rs
index ae075f6..fda2264 100644
--- a/anor-server/src/main.rs
+++ b/anor-server/src/main.rs
@@ -1,65 +1,65 @@
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
-use std::thread;
+use std::thread::{self, JoinHandle};
 use std::{
     sync::{atomic::AtomicBool, mpsc::channel, Arc},
     time::Instant,
 };
 
-use anor_http::client::http_client;
-use anor_http::service::http_service;
-use anor_storage::storage::Storage;
 use anor_api::{
     client::api_client::{SocketClient, StorageApiClient},
     service::api_service::{ApiService, StorageApi},
 };
+use anor_http::client::http_client;
+use anor_http::service::http_service;
+use anor_storage::storage::Storage;
 
-use anor_utils::config;
+use anor_utils::config::{self, Config};
 
-fn main() {
-    start_api_server();
-}
-
-fn start_api_server() {
-    let launch_start = Instant::now();
+use tokio::signal::unix::{signal, SignalKind};
 
+#[tokio::main]
+async fn main() {
     log4rs::init_file("log.yaml", Default::default()).unwrap();
-
     log::info!("{} v{}", env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME"), env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"));
 
+    // load the configuration
     let config = config::load();
 
     // open the data storage
     let storage = Storage::open_with_config(config.clone());
 
-    // prapare service parameters
-    let api_service_config = config.clone();
-    let api_service_shutdown = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
-    let api_service_shutdown_clone = api_service_shutdown.clone();
-    let (api_service_ready_sender, api_service_ready_receiver) = channel();
-
-    // start the storage api service in a separate thread
-    let api_service_handler = thread::spawn(move || {
-        let service = StorageApi::with_config(storage, api_service_config);
-        if let Err(err) = service.start(api_service_shutdown_clone, api_service_ready_sender) {
-            log::error!("{}", err);
-            panic!("{}", err);
-        }
+    // hook for graceful shutdown
+    let server_shutdown = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+    let config_cloned = config.clone();
+    let server_shutdown_cloned = server_shutdown.clone();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        let mut sigint = signal(SignalKind::interrupt()).unwrap();
+        let mut sigterm = signal(SignalKind::terminate()).unwrap();
+        tokio::select! {
+            _ = sigint.recv() => {
+                if log::log_enabled!(log::Level::Debug) {
+                    log::debug!("Recieved SIGINT");
+                }
+            }
+            _ = sigterm.recv() => {
+                if log::log_enabled!(log::Level::Debug) {
+                    log::debug!("Recieved SIGTERM");
+                }
+            },
+        };
+        graceful_shutdown(server_shutdown_cloned, config_cloned);
     });
 
-    // wait for the readiness of api service
-    if let Err(err) = api_service_ready_receiver.recv() {
-        log::error!("{}", err);
-        panic!("{}", err);
-    }
-
-    let launch_elapsed = Instant::elapsed(&launch_start);
-    log::info!("Anor Storage API service started in {:?}", launch_elapsed);
+    // starting API service
+    let api_service = start_api_service(config.clone(), storage, server_shutdown.clone());
 
+    // api client tests
     let mut api_client1 = StorageApiClient::with_config(config.clone());
     api_client1.connect().expect("client connection error");
 
     let keys = api_client1.keys();
     log::debug!("{:?}", keys);
+    _ = api_client1.disconnect();
 
     /*
     let msg1 = String::from("Hi there1!");
@@ -78,22 +78,60 @@ fn start_api_server() {
     client2.set_item(msg2).expect("set item error");
     */
 
-    // shutdown the api server
-    api_service_shutdown.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+    api_service.join().unwrap();
+    log::info!("Anor Storage API service is shutdown successfully.");
+
+    log::info!("Anor Server is shutdown successfully.");
+}
+
+fn graceful_shutdown(server_shutdown: Arc<AtomicBool>, config: Arc<Config>) {
+    log::info!("Initializing the graceful shutdown process...");
+    server_shutdown.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
 
+    // a temporary solution to unblock socket listener
     // make an empty connection to unblock listener and shutdown the api server
-    let mut api_client_terminate = StorageApiClient::with_config(config.clone());
+    let mut api_client_terminate = StorageApiClient::with_config(config);
     api_client_terminate
         .connect()
         .expect("client connection error");
+    _ = api_client_terminate.disconnect();
+}
 
-    api_service_handler.join().unwrap();
+fn start_api_service(
+    config: Arc<Config>,
+    storage: Storage,
+    server_shutdown: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+) -> JoinHandle<()> {
+    log::info!("Starting Anor Storage API service...");
 
-    log::info!("Anor Storage API service is shutdown successfully.");
+    let launch_start = Instant::now();
+
+    // prapare service parameters
+    let api_service_config = config.clone();
+    let (api_service_ready_sender, api_service_ready_receiver) = channel();
+
+    // start the storage api service in a separate thread
+    let api_service_handler = thread::spawn(move || {
+        let service = StorageApi::with_config(storage, api_service_config);
+        if let Err(err) = service.start(server_shutdown, api_service_ready_sender) {
+            log::error!("{}", err);
+            panic!("{}", err);
+        }
+    });
+
+    // wait for the readiness of api service
+    if let Err(err) = api_service_ready_receiver.recv() {
+        log::error!("{}", err);
+        panic!("{}", err);
+    }
+
+    let launch_elapsed = Instant::elapsed(&launch_start);
+    log::info!("Anor Storage API service started in {:?}", launch_elapsed);
+
+    api_service_handler
 }
 
 fn _start_http_server() {
-
     let config = config::load();
 
     // open the data storage
diff --git a/anor-storage/src/storage.rs b/anor-storage/src/storage.rs
index e350d95..359d253 100644
--- a/anor-storage/src/storage.rs
+++ b/anor-storage/src/storage.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use std::{
 pub mod storage_codec;
 pub mod storage_const;
 pub mod storage_item;
-pub mod storage_location;
+pub mod storage_persistence;
 pub mod storage_packet;
 
 use storage_codec::*;
diff --git a/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_item.rs b/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_item.rs
index 81f841e..f4da515 100644
--- a/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_item.rs
+++ b/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_item.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use super::{storage_codec::*, storage_location::*, storage_packet::*};
+use super::{storage_codec::*, storage_persistence::*, storage_packet::*};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ pub struct StorageItem {
 
     /// `expires_on` - timestamp, defines expiry datetime
     pub expires_on: Option<u64>,
-    pub storage_locations: Vec<StorageLocation>,
+    pub persistence: StoragePersistence,
 
     /// defines the number of required replications in the cluster
     pub redundancy: u8,
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ impl StorageItem {
             version: 0,
             description: None,
             item_type: ItemType::Custom,
-            storage_locations: vec![StorageLocation::Memory],
+            persistence: StoragePersistence::Memory,
             data,
             tags: None,
             metafields: None,
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ impl StorageItem {
             version: 0,
             description: None,
             item_type: storage_type,
-            storage_locations: vec![StorageLocation::Memory],
+            persistence: StoragePersistence::Memory,
             data,
             tags: None,
             metafields: None,
diff --git a/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_location.rs b/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_location.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index fe58622..0000000
--- a/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_location.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-/// Storage type
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, bincode::Encode, bincode::Decode)]
-pub enum StorageLocation {
-    /// Store in memory
-    Memory,
-    
-    /// Store in disk
-    Disk,
-}
diff --git a/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_persistence.rs b/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_persistence.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d34e24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anor-storage/src/storage/storage_persistence.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/// Persistence type
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, bincode::Encode, bincode::Decode)]
+pub enum StoragePersistence {
+    /// Persist only in memory
+    Memory = 0,
+    
+    /// Persist only in disk
+    Disk = 1,
+
+    /// Persist both in memory and disk
+    Hybrid = 2
+}
diff --git a/docs/roadmap.md b/docs/roadmap.md
index d344cac..f9f12e2 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap.md
@@ -20,7 +20,12 @@
     - support for JWT
     - support for Fine-Grained Access Control
 
-6. Scaling
+6. Message Queue
+    - publish
+    - subscribe
+    - support for delivery and destination options (persisted, non-persisted, at-least-once, at-most-once, exactly-once)
+
+7. Scaling
     - consistent hashing
     - cluster health check / heartbeats
     - support for easy scaling
@@ -34,20 +39,20 @@
         - server node will analyze the received config_id and may respond with updated configuration settings
       - clients and nodes use weighted graphs to optimize node/peer selection and other network operations
 
-7. Caching
+8. Caching
     - client-side and server-side caching support
     - cache evictions policies: LRU/LFU
 
-8. File Storage Spaces
+9. File Storage Spaces
     - support for folders
     - support for path
 
-9. FFI Bindings
+10. FFI Bindings
     - Go
     - Ruby
     - Python
 
-10. Remote Collections
+11. Remote Collections
     - HashSet
     - HashMap
     - Vec
diff --git a/log.yaml b/log.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2afd21d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+appenders:
+    stdout:
+        kind: console
+        encoder:
+            pattern: "{d(%+)(utc)} [{f}:{L}] {h({l})} {m}{n}"
+root:
+    level: debug
+    appenders:
+        - stdout
+
+loggers:
+    anor_common::utils::config:
+        level: debug
+
+    anor::storage:
+        level: debug
+
+    anor_api:
+        level: debug
+