diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index f8ec0fe..5c6cc32 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -36,12 +36,9 @@ dependencies {
    compile libraries.smile_jackson
 
    testCompile libraries.spring_boot_starter_test
+   testCompile libraries.appache_httpclient
    testCompile libraries.jsonassert
    testCompile libraries.jsonpath
-   testCompile libraries.dropwizard_metrics_core
-   testCompile(libraries.cassandra_unit_spring)  {
-      exclude group: 'com.codahale.metrics', module: 'metrics-core'
-   }
 }
 
 uploadArchives {
diff --git a/src/test/java/ch/psi/daq/test/queryrest/backend/BackendTest.java b/src/test/java/ch/psi/daq/test/queryrest/backend/BackendTest.java
index 5f1edb1..0bb8649 100644
--- a/src/test/java/ch/psi/daq/test/queryrest/backend/BackendTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/ch/psi/daq/test/queryrest/backend/BackendTest.java
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package ch.psi.daq.test.queryrest.backend;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotSame;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
@@ -55,8 +54,6 @@ public class BackendTest extends AbstractDaqRestTest {
 
    @Test
    public void testOverload_01() throws Exception {
-      final String propertyContactPoints = "cassandra.contactpoints";
-      String contactPoints;
       int timeout;
       boolean backendsInit = false;
       Backend backendContext;
@@ -109,8 +106,6 @@ public class BackendTest extends AbstractDaqRestTest {
 
             timeout = context.getBean(DomainConfig.BEAN_NAME_DELETE_TIMEOUT, Integer.class);
             assertEquals(43, timeout);
-            contactPoints = context.getEnvironment().getProperty(propertyContactPoints, String.class);
-            assertEquals("localhost", contactPoints);
          } else if (backend.getId() == 253) {
             // from queryrest-test.properties
             timeout = context.getBean(DomainConfig.BEAN_NAME_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT, Integer.class);
@@ -154,7 +149,6 @@ public class BackendTest extends AbstractDaqRestTest {
       } catch (NoSuchBeanDefinitionException e) {
          assertTrue(true);
       }
-      assertNull(context.getEnvironment().getProperty(propertyContactPoints, String.class));
    }
 
    @Test
diff --git a/src/test/resources/queryrest-test.properties b/src/test/resources/queryrest-test.properties
index 552a4ef..c571dcf 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/queryrest-test.properties
+++ b/src/test/resources/queryrest-test.properties
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-backend.types=ch.psi.daq.filestorage.backend.FilestorageBackendType,ch.psi.daq.cassandra.backend.CassandraBackendType,ch.psi.daq.archiverappliance.backend.ArchiverApplianceBackendType
+backend.types=ch.psi.daq.filestorage.backend.FilestorageBackendType,ch.psi.daq.archiverappliance.backend.ArchiverApplianceBackendType
 backend.default=queryrest-1
 backends.active=["queryrest-1","queryrest-2","queryrest-3"]
-backends=[{"id":255,"name":"queryrest-1","dbKey":255,"type":{"name":"filestorage"},"properties":["classpath:test-overload.properties"],"packages":["ch.psi.daq.filestorage.config"]},{"id":254,"name":"queryrest-2","dbKey":254,"type":{"name":"cassandra"},"properties":["classpath:test-overload2.properties"],"packages":["ch.psi.daq.cassandra.config"]},{"id":253,"name":"queryrest-3","dbKey":253,"type":{"name":"archiverappliance"},"properties":["classpath:test-overload3.properties"],"packages":["ch.psi.daq.archiverappliance.config"]}]
+backends=[{"id":255,"name":"queryrest-1","dbKey":255,"type":{"name":"filestorage"},"properties":["classpath:test-overload.properties"],"packages":["ch.psi.daq.filestorage.config"]},{"id":254,"name":"queryrest-2","dbKey":254,"type":{"name":"filestorage"},"properties":["classpath:test-overload2.properties"],"packages":["ch.psi.daq.filestorage.config"]},{"id":253,"name":"queryrest-3","dbKey":253,"type":{"name":"archiverappliance"},"properties":["classpath:test-overload3.properties"],"packages":["ch.psi.daq.archiverappliance.config"]}]
 
 query.hazelcast.node=true
 
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-overload2.properties b/src/test/resources/test-overload2.properties
index 6543483..dd457d7 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/test-overload2.properties
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-overload2.properties
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 backend.init=lazy
 
-cassandra.keyspace.config=[{"number":0,"replication":1,"note":"meta"},{"number":1,"replication":1,"note":"config_backup"},{"number":2,"replication":1,"note":"default_scalar"},{"number":3,"replication":1,"note":"default_waveform"},{"number":4,"replication":1,"note":"default_image"}]
-
-# run a local cluster for the tests
-cassandra.local.cluster=true
-
 # overload test
 timeout.delete=43