diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend.php
index 3af728860..e3672dcd5 100644
--- a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend.php
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend.php
@@ -1,186 +1,11 @@
 <?php
-// {{{ICINGA_LICENSE_HEADER}}}
-// {{{ICINGA_LICENSE_HEADER}}}
+
+// TODO: obsolete, remove once MonitoringBackend is in use everywhere
 
 namespace Icinga\Module\Monitoring;
 
-use Icinga\Exception\ProgrammingError;
-use Icinga\Data\Selectable;
-use Icinga\Data\Queryable;
-use Icinga\Data\ConnectionInterface;
+use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend\MonitoringBackend;
 
-use Icinga\Application\Config;
-use Icinga\Data\ResourceFactory;
-use Icinga\Exception\ConfigurationError;
-
-/**
- * Data view and query loader tied to a backend type
- */
-class Backend implements Selectable, Queryable, ConnectionInterface
+class Backend extends MonitoringBackend
 {
-    /**
-     * Resource
-     *
-     * @var mixed
-     */
-    protected $resource;
-
-    /**
-     * Type
-     *
-     * @var string
-     */
-    protected $type;
-
-    protected $name;
-
-    /**
-     * Create a new backend
-     *
-     * @param   mixed   $resource
-     * @param   string  $type
-     */
-    public function __construct($resource, $type)
-    {
-        $this->resource = $resource;
-        $this->type = $type;
-    }
-
-    // Temporary workaround, we have no way to know our name
-    protected function setName($name)
-    {
-        $this->name = $name;
-    }
-
-    public function getName()
-    {
-        return $this->name;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Create a backend
-     *
-     * @param   string $backendName Name of the backend or null for creating the default backend which is the first INI
-     *                              configuration entry not being disabled
-     *
-     * @return  Backend
-     * @throws  ConfigurationError  When no backend has been configured or all backends are disabled or the
-     *                              configuration for the requested backend does either not exist or it's disabled
-     */
-    public static function createBackend($backendName = null)
-    {
-        $config = Config::module('monitoring', 'backends');
-        if ($config->count() === 0) {
-            throw new ConfigurationError(mt('monitoring', 'No backend has been configured'));
-        }
-        if ($backendName !== null) {
-            $backendConfig = $config->get($backendName);
-            if ($backendConfig === null) {
-                throw new ConfigurationError('No configuration for backend %s', $backendName);
-            }
-            if ((bool) $backendConfig->get('disabled', false) === true) {
-                throw new ConfigurationError(
-                    mt('monitoring', 'Configuration for backend %s available but backend is disabled'),
-                    $backendName
-                );
-            }
-        } else {
-            foreach ($config as $name => $backendConfig) {
-                if ((bool) $backendConfig->get('disabled', false) === false) {
-                    $backendName = $name;
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-            if ($backendName === null) {
-                throw new ConfigurationError(mt('monitoring', 'All backends are disabled'));
-            }
-        }
-        $resource = ResourceFactory::create($backendConfig->resource);
-        if ($backendConfig->type === 'ido' && $resource->getDbType() !== 'oracle') {
-            // TODO(el): The resource should set the table prefix
-            $resource->setTablePrefix('icinga_');
-        }
-        $backend = new Backend($resource, $backendConfig->type);
-        $backend->setName($backendName);
-        return $backend;
-    }
-
-public function getResource()
-{
-    return $this->resource;
-}
-
-    /**
-     * Backend entry point
-     *
-     * @return self
-     */
-    public function select()
-    {
-        return $this;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Create a data view to fetch data from
-     *
-     * @param   string  $viewName
-     * @param   array   $columns
-     *
-     * @return  DataView
-     */
-    public function from($viewName, array $columns = null)
-    {
-        $viewClass = $this->resolveDataViewName($viewName);
-        return new $viewClass($this, $columns);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * View name to class name resolution
-     *
-     * @param   string $viewName
-     *
-     * @return  string
-     * @throws  ProgrammingError When the view does not exist
-     */
-    protected function resolveDataViewName($viewName)
-    {
-        $viewClass = '\\Icinga\\Module\\Monitoring\\DataView\\' . ucfirst($viewName);
-        if (!class_exists($viewClass)) {
-            throw new ProgrammingError(
-                'DataView %s does not exist',
-                ucfirst($viewName)
-            );
-        }
-        return $viewClass;
-    }
-
-    public function getQueryClass($name)
-    {
-        return $this->resolveQueryName($name);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Query name to class name resolution
-     *
-     * @param   string $queryName
-     *
-     * @return  string
-     * @throws  ProgrammingError When the query does not exist for this backend
-     */
-    protected function resolveQueryName($queryName)
-    {
-        $queryClass = '\\Icinga\\Module\\Monitoring\\Backend\\'
-            . ucfirst($this->type)
-            . '\\Query\\'
-            . ucfirst($queryName)
-            . 'Query';
-        if (!class_exists($queryClass)) {
-            throw new ProgrammingError(
-                'Query "%s" does not exist for backend %s',
-                ucfirst($queryName),
-                ucfirst($this->type)
-            );
-        }
-        return $queryClass;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend/Ido/IdoBackend.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend/Ido/IdoBackend.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..17bfb9f6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend/Ido/IdoBackend.php
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend\Ido;
+
+use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend\MonitoringBackend;
+
+class IdoBackend extends MonitoringBackend
+{
+}
diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend/MonitoringBackend.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend/MonitoringBackend.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11a8fb699
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Backend/MonitoringBackend.php
@@ -0,0 +1,331 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend;
+
+use Icinga\Application\Config;
+use Icinga\Data\ResourceFactory;
+use Icinga\Data\ConnectionInterface;
+use Icinga\Data\Queryable;
+use Icinga\Data\Selectable;
+use Icinga\Exception\ConfigurationError;
+use Icinga\Exception\ProgrammingError;
+
+
+class MonitoringBackend implements Selectable, Queryable, ConnectionInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * Backend configuration
+     *
+     * @var Config
+     */
+    protected $config;
+
+    /**
+     * Resource
+     *
+     * @var mixed
+     */
+    protected $resource;
+
+    /**
+     * Type
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $type;
+
+    /**
+     * The configured name of this backend
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $name;
+
+    /**
+     * Already created instances
+     *
+     * @var array
+     */
+    protected static $instances = array();
+
+    /**
+     * Create a new backend
+     *
+     * @param   string  $name
+     * @param   mixed   $config
+     */
+    protected function __construct($name, $config)
+    {
+        $this->name   = $name;
+        $this->config = $config;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a backend instance
+     *
+     * You may ask for a specific backend name or get the default one otherwise
+     *
+     * @param  string $name Backend name
+     *
+     * @return MonitoringBackend
+     */
+    public static function instance($name = null)
+    {
+        if (! array_key_exists($name, self::$instances)) {
+
+            list($foundName, $config) = static::loadConfig($name);
+            $type = $config->get('type');
+            $class = implode(
+                '\\',
+                array(
+                __NAMESPACE__,
+                ucfirst($type),
+                ucfirst($type) . 'Backend'
+                )
+            );
+
+            if (!class_exists($class)) {
+                throw new ConfigurationError(
+                    mt('monitoring', 'There is no "%s" monitoring backend'),
+                    $class
+                );
+            }
+
+            self::$instances[$name] = new $class($foundName, $config);
+            if ($name === null) {
+                self::$instances[$foundName] = self::$instances[$name];
+            }
+        }
+
+        return self::$instances[$name];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Clear all cached instances. Mostly for testing purposes.
+     */
+    public static function clearInstances()
+    {
+        self::$instances = array();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Whether this backend is of a specific type
+     *
+     * @param  string $type Backend type
+     *
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function is($type)
+    {
+        return $this->getType() === $type;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the configured name of this backend
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function getName()
+    {
+        return $this->name;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the backend type name
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function getType()
+    {
+        if ($this->type === null) {
+            $parts = preg_split('~\\\~', get_class($this));
+            $class = array_pop($parts);
+            if (substr($class, -7) === 'Backend') {
+                $this->type = lcfirst(substr($class, 0, -7));
+            } else {
+                throw new ProgrammingError(
+                    '%s is not a valid monitoring backend class name', 
+                    $class
+                );
+            }
+        }
+        return $this->type;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Return the configuration for the first enabled or the given backend
+     */
+    protected static function loadConfig($name = null)
+    {
+        $backends = Config::module('monitoring', 'backends');
+
+        if ($name === null) {
+
+            $count = 0;
+
+            foreach ($backends as $name => $config) {
+                $count++;
+                if ((bool) $config->get('disabled', false) === false) {
+                    return array($name, $config);
+                }
+            }
+
+            if ($count === 0) {
+                $message = mt('monitoring', 'No backend has been configured');
+            } else {
+                $message = mt('monitoring', 'All backends are disabled');
+            }
+
+            throw new ConfigurationError($message);
+
+        } else {
+
+            $config = $backends->get($name);
+
+            if ($config === null) {
+                throw new ConfigurationError(
+                    mt('monitoring', 'No configuration for backend %s'),
+                    $name
+                );
+            }
+
+            if ((bool) $config->get('disabled', false) === true) {
+                throw new ConfigurationError(
+                    mt('monitoring', 'Configuration for backend %s is disabled'),
+                    $name
+                );
+            }
+
+            return array($name, $config);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create a backend
+     *
+     * @deprecated
+     *
+     * @param   string $backendName Name of the backend or null for creating the default backend which is the first INI
+     *                              configuration entry not being disabled
+     *
+     * @return  Backend
+     * @throws  ConfigurationError  When no backend has been configured or all backends are disabled or the
+     *                              configuration for the requested backend does either not exist or it's disabled
+     */
+    public static function createBackend($name = null)
+    {
+        return self::instance($name);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get this backend's internal resource
+     *
+     * @return mixed
+     */
+    public function getResource()
+    {
+        if ($this->resource === null) {
+            $this->resource = ResourceFactory::create($this->config->get('resource'));
+            if ($this->is('ido') && $this->resource->getDbType() !== 'oracle') {
+                // TODO(el): The resource should set the table prefix
+                $this->resource->setTablePrefix('icinga_');
+            }
+        }
+        return $this->resource;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Backend entry point
+     *
+     * @return self
+     */
+    public function select()
+    {
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create a data view to fetch data from
+     *
+     * @param   string  $name
+     * @param   array   $columns
+     *
+     * @return  DataView
+     */
+    public function from($name, array $columns = null)
+    {
+        $class = $this->buildViewClassName($name);
+        return new $class($this, $columns);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * View name to class name resolution
+     *
+     * @param   string $viewName
+     *
+     * @return  string
+     * @throws  ProgrammingError When the view does not exist
+     */
+    protected function buildViewClassName($view)
+    {
+        $class = '\\Icinga\\Module\\Monitoring\\DataView\\' . ucfirst($view);
+        if (!class_exists($class)) {
+            throw new ProgrammingError(
+                'DataView %s does not exist',
+                ucfirst($view)
+            );
+        }
+        return $class;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a specific query class instance
+     *
+     * @param  string $name     Query name
+     * @param  array  $columns Optional column list
+     *
+     * @return Icinga\Data\QueryInterface
+     */
+    public function query($name, $columns = null)
+    {
+        $class = $this->buildQueryClassName($name);
+
+        if (!class_exists($class)) {
+            throw new ProgrammingError(
+                'Query "%s" does not exist for backend %s',
+                $name,
+                $this->getType()
+            );
+        }
+
+        return new $class($this->getResource(), $columns);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Whether this backend supports the given query
+     *
+     * @param string $name Query name to check for
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function hasQuery($name)
+    {
+        return class_exists($this->buildQueryClassName($name));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Query name to class name resolution
+     *
+     * @param   string $query
+     *
+     * @return  string
+     * @throws  ProgrammingError When the query does not exist for this backend
+     */
+    protected function buildQueryClassName($query)
+    {
+        $parts = preg_split('~\\\~', get_class($this));
+        array_pop($parts);
+        array_push($parts, 'Query', ucfirst($query) . 'Query');
+        return implode('\\', $parts);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/DataView/DataView.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/DataView/DataView.php
index 2c4ec5380..f5d7dafe6 100644
--- a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/DataView/DataView.php
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/DataView/DataView.php
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ abstract class DataView implements Browsable, Countable, Filterable, Sortable
     public function __construct(ConnectionInterface $connection, array $columns = null)
     {
         $this->connection = $connection;
-        $queryClass = $connection->getQueryClass($this->getQueryName());
-        $this->query = new $queryClass($this->connection->getResource(), $columns);
+        $this->query = $connection->query($this->getQueryName(), $columns);
         $this->filter = Filter::matchAll();
         $this->init();
     }
diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Host.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Host.php
index 483cb2bae..831579a57 100644
--- a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Host.php
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Host.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 namespace Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Object;
 
 use InvalidArgumentException;
-use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend;
+use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend\MonitoringBackend;
 
 /**
  * A Icinga host
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ class Host extends MonitoredObject
     /**
      * Create a new host
      *
-     * @param Backend   $backend    Backend to fetch host information from
+     * @param MonitoringBackend   $backend    Backend to fetch host information from
      * @param string    $host       Host name
      */
-    public function __construct(Backend $backend, $host)
+    public function __construct(MonitoringBackend $backend, $host)
     {
         parent::__construct($backend);
         $this->host = $host;
diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/MonitoredObject.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/MonitoredObject.php
index ecd1a9cf6..8e88b861b 100644
--- a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/MonitoredObject.php
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/MonitoredObject.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Object;
 use InvalidArgumentException;
 use Icinga\Application\Config;
 use Icinga\Exception\InvalidPropertyException;
-use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend;
+use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend\MonitoringBackend;
 use Icinga\Web\UrlParams;
 
 /**
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ abstract class MonitoredObject
     /**
      * Backend to fetch object information from
      *
-     * @var Backend
+     * @var MonitoringBackend
      */
     protected $backend;
 
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ abstract class MonitoredObject
     /**
      * Create a monitored object, i.e. host or service
      *
-     * @param Backend $backend Backend to fetch object information from
+     * @param MonitoringBackend $backend Backend to fetch object information from
      */
-    public function __construct(Backend $backend)
+    public function __construct(MonitoringBackend $backend)
     {
         $this->backend = $backend;
     }
@@ -480,9 +480,9 @@ abstract class MonitoredObject
     public static function fromParams(UrlParams $params)
     {
         if ($params->has('service') && $params->has('host')) {
-            return new Service(Backend::createBackend(), $params->get('host'), $params->get('service'));
+            return new Service(MonitoringBackend::instance(), $params->get('host'), $params->get('service'));
         } elseif ($params->has('host')) {
-            return new Host(Backend::createBackend(), $params->get('host'));
+            return new Host(MonitoringBackend::instance(), $params->get('host'));
         }
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Service.php b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Service.php
index 28d0338f2..6d5245f0d 100644
--- a/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Service.php
+++ b/modules/monitoring/library/Monitoring/Object/Service.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 namespace Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Object;
 
 use InvalidArgumentException;
-use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend;
+use Icinga\Module\Monitoring\Backend\MonitoringBackend;
 
 /**
  * A Icinga service
@@ -68,11 +68,11 @@ class Service extends MonitoredObject
     /**
      * Create a new service
      *
-     * @param Backend   $backend    Backend to fetch service information from
+     * @param MonitoringBackend   $backend    Backend to fetch service information from
      * @param string    $host       Host name the service is running on
      * @param string    $service    Service name
      */
-    public function __construct(Backend $backend, $host, $service)
+    public function __construct(MonitoringBackend $backend, $host, $service)
     {
         parent::__construct($backend);
         $this->host = new Host($backend, $host);