diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_persistent_message.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_persistent_message.erl
index 609b0139d..3f38b4030 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_persistent_message.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_persistent_message.erl
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@
 
 %% Message persistence
 -export([
-    persist/1,
-    serialize/1,
-    deserialize/1
+    persist/1
 ]).
 
 %% FIXME
@@ -83,18 +81,9 @@ needs_persistence(Msg) ->
     not (emqx_message:get_flag(dup, Msg) orelse emqx_message:is_sys(Msg)).
 
 store_message(Msg) ->
-    ID = emqx_message:id(Msg),
-    Timestamp = emqx_guid:timestamp(ID),
-    Topic = emqx_topic:words(emqx_message:topic(Msg)),
-    emqx_ds_storage_layer:store(?DS_SHARD, ID, Timestamp, Topic, serialize(Msg)).
+    emqx_ds:message_store([Msg]).
 
 has_subscribers(#message{topic = Topic}) ->
     emqx_persistent_session_ds_router:has_any_route(Topic).
 
 %%
-
-serialize(Msg) ->
-    term_to_binary(emqx_message:to_map(Msg)).
-
-deserialize(Bin) ->
-    emqx_message:from_map(binary_to_term(Bin)).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds.erl b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds.erl
index ad6a07330..762478932 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds.erl
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 -export([create_db/2]).
 
 %% Message storage API:
--export([message_store/3, message_store/2]).
+-export([message_store/1, message_store/2, message_store/3]).
 
 %% Message replay API:
 -export([get_streams/3, open_iterator/2, next/2]).
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 %% implementations for emqx_ds, so this type has to take this into
 %% account.
 -record(stream,
-        { shard :: emqx_ds:shard()
+        { shard :: emqx_ds_replication_layer:shard()
         , enc :: emqx_ds_replication_layer:stream()
         }).
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 %% This record encapsulates the iterator entity from the replication
 %% level.
 -record(iterator,
-        { shard :: emqx_ds:shard()
+        { shard :: emqx_ds_replication_layer:shard()
         , enc :: enqx_ds_replication_layer:iterator()
         }).
 
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@
 
 -type create_db_opts() :: #{}.
 
--type message_id() :: binary().
+-type message_id() :: emqx_ds_replication_layer:message_id().
+
+-define(DEFAULT_DB, <<"default">>).
 
 %%================================================================================
 %% API funcions
@@ -90,6 +92,11 @@
 create_db(DB, Opts) ->
     emqx_ds_replication_layer:create_db(DB, Opts).
 
+-spec message_store([emqx_types:message()]) ->
+          {ok, [message_id()]} | {error, _}.
+message_store(Msgs) ->
+    message_store(?DEFAULT_DB, Msgs, #{}).
+
 -spec message_store(db(), [emqx_types:message()], message_store_opts()) ->
     {ok, [message_id()]} | {error, _}.
 message_store(DB, Msgs, Opts) ->
@@ -143,7 +150,7 @@ open_iterator(#stream{shard = Shard, enc = Stream}, StartTime) ->
             Err
     end.
 
--spec next(iterator(), non_neg_integer()) -> {ok, iterator(), [emqx_types:message()]} | end_of_stream.
+-spec next(iterator(), pos_integer()) -> {ok, iterator(), [emqx_types:message()]} | end_of_stream.
 next(#iterator{shard = Shard, enc = Iter0}, BatchSize) ->
     case emqx_ds_replication_layer:next(Shard, Iter0, BatchSize) of
         {ok, Iter, Batch} ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_replication_layer.erl b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_replication_layer.erl
index 9fe08e0a2..af6087188 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_replication_layer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_replication_layer.erl
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@
 %% internal exports:
 -export([ do_create_shard_v1/2,
           do_get_streams_v1/3,
-          do_open_iterator/3,
+          do_open_iterator_v1/3,
           do_next_v1/3
         ]).
 
--export_type([shard/0, stream/0, iterator/0]).
+-export_type([shard/0, stream/0, iterator/0, message_id/0]).
 
 %%================================================================================
 %% Type declarations
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 
 -opaque iterator() :: emqx_ds_storage_layer:iterator().
 
+-type message_id() :: emqx_ds_storage_layer:message_id().
+
 %%================================================================================
 %% API functions
 %%================================================================================
@@ -83,10 +85,18 @@ open_iterator(Shard, Stream, StartTime) ->
     Node = node_of_shard(Shard),
     emqx_ds_proto_v1:open_iterator(Node, Shard, Stream, StartTime).
 
--spec next(shard(), iterator(), non_neg_integer()) ->
+-spec next(shard(), iterator(), pos_integer()) ->
           {ok, iterator(), [emqx_types:message()]} | end_of_stream.
 next(Shard, Iter, BatchSize) ->
     Node = node_of_shard(Shard),
+    %% TODO: iterator can contain information that is useful for
+    %% reconstructing messages sent over the network. For example,
+    %% when we send messages with the learned topic index, we could
+    %% send the static part of topic once, and append it to the
+    %% messages on the receiving node, hence saving some network.
+    %%
+    %% This kind of trickery should be probably done here in the
+    %% replication layer. Or, perhaps, in the logic lary.
     emqx_ds_proto_v1:next(Node, Shard, Iter, BatchSize).
 
 %%================================================================================
@@ -107,7 +117,7 @@ do_get_streams_v1(Shard, TopicFilter, StartTime) ->
     error({todo, Shard, TopicFilter, StartTime}).
 
 -spec do_open_iterator_v1(shard(), stream(), emqx_ds:time()) -> iterator().
-do_open_iterator_v1(Shard, Stream, Time) ->
+do_open_iterator_v1(Shard, Stream, StartTime) ->
     error({todo, Shard, Stream, StartTime}).
 
 -spec do_next_v1(shard(), iterator(), non_neg_integer()) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_storage_layer.erl b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_storage_layer.erl
index 7a96cab51..f4dbbe6f4 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_storage_layer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_storage_layer.erl
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 -export([create_generation/3]).
 
 -export([get_streams/3]).
--export([store/5]).
+-export([message_store/3]).
 -export([delete/4]).
 
 -export([make_iterator/2, next/1, next/2]).
@@ -33,11 +33,13 @@
 
 -compile({inline, [meta_lookup/2]}).
 
+-include_lib("emqx/include/emqx.hrl").
+
 %%================================================================================
 %% Type declarations
 %%================================================================================
 
--opaque stream() :: {term()}.
+-type stream() :: term(). %% Opaque term returned by the generation callback module
 
 -type options() :: #{
     dir => file:filename()
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@
 %% 3. `inplace_update_support`?
 -define(ITERATOR_CF_OPTS, []).
 
--define(REF(Keyspace, ShardId), {via, gproc, {n, l, {?MODULE, Keyspace, ShardId}}}).
+-define(REF(ShardId), {via, gproc, {n, l, {?MODULE, ShardId}}}).
 
 %%================================================================================
 %% Callbacks
@@ -149,30 +151,34 @@
 
 -spec start_link(emqx_ds:shard(), emqx_ds_storage_layer:options()) ->
     {ok, pid()}.
-start_link(Shard = {Keyspace, ShardId}, Options) ->
-    gen_server:start_link(?REF(Keyspace, ShardId), ?MODULE, {Shard, Options}, []).
+start_link(Shard, Options) ->
+    gen_server:start_link(?REF(Shard), ?MODULE, {Shard, Options}, []).
 
--spec get_streams(emqx_ds:keyspace(), emqx_ds:shard_id(), emqx_ds:topic_filter(), emqx_ds:time()) -> [stream()].
-get_streams(KeySpace, TopicFilter, StartTime) ->
-    %% FIXME: messages can be potentially stored in multiple
-    %% generations. This function should return the results from all
-    %% of them!
-    %% Otherwise we could LOSE messages when generations are switched.
-    {GenId, #{module := Mod, }} = meta_lookup_gen(Shard, StartTime),
+-spec get_streams(emqx_ds:shard_id(), emqx_ds:topic_filter(), emqx_ds:time()) -> [_Stream].
+get_streams(_ShardId, _TopicFilter, _StartTime) ->
+    [].
 
 
 -spec create_generation(
     emqx_ds:shard(), emqx_ds:time(), emqx_ds_conf:backend_config()
 ) ->
     {ok, gen_id()} | {error, nonmonotonic}.
-create_generation({Keyspace, ShardId}, Since, Config = {_Module, _Options}) ->
-    gen_server:call(?REF(Keyspace, ShardId), {create_generation, Since, Config}).
+create_generation(ShardId, Since, Config = {_Module, _Options}) ->
+    gen_server:call(?REF(ShardId), {create_generation, Since, Config}).
 
--spec store(emqx_ds:shard(), emqx_guid:guid(), emqx_ds:time(), emqx_ds:topic(), binary()) ->
-    ok | {error, _}.
-store(Shard, GUID, Time, Topic, Msg) ->
-    {_GenId, #{module := Mod, data := Data}} = meta_lookup_gen(Shard, Time),
-    Mod:store(Data, GUID, Time, Topic, Msg).
+-spec message_store(emqx_ds:shard(), [emqx_types:message()], emqx_ds:message_store_opts()) ->
+                           {ok, _MessageId} | {error, _}.
+message_store(Shard, Msgs, _Opts) ->
+    {ok, lists:map(
+           fun(Msg) ->
+                   GUID = emqx_message:id(Msg),
+                   Timestamp = Msg#message.timestamp,
+                   {_GenId, #{module := Mod, data := ModState}} = meta_lookup_gen(Shard, Timestamp),
+                   Topic = emqx_topic:words(emqx_message:topic(Msg)),
+                   Payload = serialize(Msg),
+                   Mod:store(ModState, GUID, Timestamp, Topic, Payload)
+           end,
+           Msgs)}.
 
 -spec delete(emqx_ds:shard(), emqx_guid:guid(), emqx_ds:time(), emqx_ds:topic()) ->
     ok | {error, _}.
@@ -212,7 +218,8 @@ do_next(It, N, Acc) when N =< 0 ->
     {ok, It, lists:reverse(Acc)};
 do_next(It = #it{module = Mod, data = ItData}, N, Acc) ->
     case Mod:next(ItData) of
-        {value, Val, ItDataNext} ->
+        {value, Bin, ItDataNext} ->
+            Val = deserialize(Bin),
             do_next(It#it{data = ItDataNext}, N - 1, [Val | Acc]);
         {error, _} = _Error ->
             %% todo: log?
@@ -663,6 +670,14 @@ is_gen_valid(Shard, GenId, Since) when GenId > 0 ->
 is_gen_valid(_Shard, 0, 0) ->
     ok.
 
+serialize(Msg) ->
+    %% TODO: remove topic, GUID, etc. from the stored message.
+    term_to_binary(emqx_message:to_map(Msg)).
+
+deserialize(Bin) ->
+    emqx_message:from_map(binary_to_term(Bin)).
+
+
 %% -spec store_cfs(rocksdb:db_handle(), [{string(), rocksdb:cf_handle()}]) -> ok.
 %% store_cfs(DBHandle, CFRefs) ->
 %%     lists:foreach(
diff --git a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_sup.erl b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_sup.erl
index ca939e892..d371a2346 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_sup.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/emqx_ds_sup.erl
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ start_link() ->
 %%================================================================================
 
 init([]) ->
-    Children = [shard_sup()],
+    Children = [storage_layer_sup()],
     SupFlags = #{
         strategy => one_for_all,
         intensity => 0,
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ init([]) ->
 %% Internal functions
 %%================================================================================
 
-shard_sup() ->
+storage_layer_sup() ->
     #{
         id => local_store_shard_sup,
         start => {emqx_ds_storage_layer_sup, start_link, []},
diff --git a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/proto/emqx_ds_proto_v1.erl b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/proto/emqx_ds_proto_v1.erl
index f5d802003..79285fe16 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/proto/emqx_ds_proto_v1.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/src/proto/emqx_ds_proto_v1.erl
@@ -34,15 +34,15 @@ create_shard(Node, Shard, Opts) ->
 
 -spec get_streams(node(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:shard(), emqx_ds:topic_filter(), emqx_ds:time()) ->
           [emqx_ds_replication_layer:stream()].
-get_streams(Shard, TopicFilter, Time) ->
+get_streams(Node, Shard, TopicFilter, Time) ->
     erpc:call(Node, emqx_ds_replication_layer, do_get_streams_v1, [Shard, TopicFilter, Time]).
 
 -spec open_iterator(node(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:shard(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:stream(), emqx_ds:time()) ->
           {ok, emqx_ds_replication_layer:iterator()} | {error, _}.
 open_iterator(Node, Shard, Stream, StartTime) ->
-    erpc:call(Node, emqx_ds_replication_layer, do_open_iterator_v1, [Shard, Stream, Time]).
+    erpc:call(Node, emqx_ds_replication_layer, do_open_iterator_v1, [Shard, Stream, StartTime]).
 
--spec next(node(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:shard(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:iterator(), non_neg_integer()) ->
+-spec next(node(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:shard(), emqx_ds_replication_layer:iterator(), pos_integer()) ->
           {ok, emqx_ds_replication_layer:iterator(), [emqx_types:messages()]} | end_of_stream.
 next(Node, Shard, Iter, BatchSize) ->
     erpc:call(Node, emqx_ds_replication_layer, do_next_v1, [Shard, Iter, BatchSize]).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/test/emqx_ds_storage_layer_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/test/emqx_ds_storage_layer_SUITE.erl
index 10596e216..981f1062a 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_durable_storage/test/emqx_ds_storage_layer_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_durable_storage/test/emqx_ds_storage_layer_SUITE.erl
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 -compile(export_all).
 -compile(nowarn_export_all).
 
+-include_lib("emqx/include/emqx.hrl").
 -include_lib("common_test/include/ct.hrl").
 -include_lib("stdlib/include/assert.hrl").
 
@@ -39,19 +40,24 @@ t_open(_Config) ->
 t_store(_Config) ->
     MessageID = emqx_guid:gen(),
     PublishedAt = 1000,
-    Topic = [<<"foo">>, <<"bar">>],
+    Topic = <<"foo/bar">>,
     Payload = <<"message">>,
-    ?assertMatch(ok, emqx_ds_storage_layer:store(?SHARD, MessageID, PublishedAt, Topic, Payload)).
+    Msg = #message{
+             id = MessageID,
+             topic = Topic,
+             payload = Payload,
+             timestamp = PublishedAt
+            },
+    ?assertMatch({ok, [_]}, emqx_ds_storage_layer:message_store(?SHARD, [Msg], #{})).
 
 %% Smoke test for iteration through a concrete topic
 t_iterate(_Config) ->
     %% Prepare data:
-    Topics = [[<<"foo">>, <<"bar">>], [<<"foo">>, <<"bar">>, <<"baz">>], [<<"a">>]],
+    Topics = [<<"foo/bar">>, <<"foo/bar/baz">>, <<"a">>],
     Timestamps = lists:seq(1, 10),
     [
-        emqx_ds_storage_layer:store(
+        store(
             ?SHARD,
-            emqx_guid:gen(),
             PublishedAt,
             Topic,
             integer_to_binary(PublishedAt)
@@ -61,7 +67,7 @@ t_iterate(_Config) ->
     %% Iterate through individual topics:
     [
         begin
-            {ok, It} = emqx_ds_storage_layer:make_iterator(?SHARD, {Topic, 0}),
+            {ok, It} = emqx_ds_storage_layer:make_iterator(?SHARD, {parse_topic(Topic), 0}),
             Values = iterate(It),
             ?assertEqual(lists:map(fun integer_to_binary/1, Timestamps), Values)
         end
@@ -149,7 +155,7 @@ t_create_gen(_Config) ->
     Topics = ["foo/bar", "foo/bar/baz"],
     Timestamps = lists:seq(1, 100),
     [
-        ?assertEqual(ok, store(?SHARD, PublishedAt, Topic, <<>>))
+        ?assertMatch({ok, [_]}, store(?SHARD, PublishedAt, Topic, <<>>))
      || Topic <- Topics, PublishedAt <- Timestamps
     ].
 
@@ -215,16 +221,24 @@ t_iterate_multigen_preserve_restore(_Config) ->
         emqx_ds_storage_layer:restore_iterator(?SHARD, ReplayID)
     ).
 
+store(Shard, PublishedAt, TopicL, Payload) when is_list(TopicL) ->
+    store(Shard, PublishedAt, list_to_binary(TopicL), Payload);
 store(Shard, PublishedAt, Topic, Payload) ->
     ID = emqx_guid:gen(),
-    emqx_ds_storage_layer:store(Shard, ID, PublishedAt, parse_topic(Topic), Payload).
+    Msg = #message{
+             id = ID,
+             topic = Topic,
+             timestamp = PublishedAt,
+             payload = Payload
+            },
+    emqx_ds_storage_layer:message_store(Shard, [Msg], #{}).
 
 iterate(DB, TopicFilter, StartTime) ->
     iterate(iterator(DB, TopicFilter, StartTime)).
 
 iterate(It) ->
     case emqx_ds_storage_layer:next(It) of
-        {ok, ItNext, [Payload]} ->
+        {ok, ItNext, [#message{payload = Payload}]} ->
             [Payload | iterate(ItNext)];
         end_of_stream ->
             []
@@ -234,8 +248,8 @@ iterate(end_of_stream, _N) ->
     {end_of_stream, []};
 iterate(It, N) ->
     case emqx_ds_storage_layer:next(It, N) of
-        {ok, ItFinal, Payloads} ->
-            {ItFinal, Payloads};
+        {ok, ItFinal, Messages} ->
+            {ItFinal, [Payload || #message{payload = Payload} <- Messages]};
         end_of_stream ->
             {end_of_stream, []}
     end.