diff --git a/src/backend/localcsv.js b/src/backend/localcsv.js
index d1969fa2..0510feb6 100644
--- a/src/backend/localcsv.js
+++ b/src/backend/localcsv.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
       });
       return _doc;
     });
-    var dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset(data, fields);
+    var dataset = recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset(data, fields);
     return dataset;
   };
 
diff --git a/src/backend/memory.js b/src/backend/memory.js
index 4783c20d..e117769a 100644
--- a/src/backend/memory.js
+++ b/src/backend/memory.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 this.recline = this.recline || {};
 this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
+this.recline.Backend.Memory = this.recline.Backend.Memory || {};
 
 (function($, my) {
   // ## createDataset
@@ -14,115 +15,54 @@ this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
   // @param metadata: (optional) dataset metadata - see recline.Model.Dataset.
   // If not defined (or id not provided) id will be autogenerated.
   my.createDataset = function(data, fields, metadata) {
-    if (!metadata) {
-      metadata = {};
-    }
-    if (!metadata.id) {
-      metadata.id = String(Math.floor(Math.random() * 100000000) + 1);
-    }
-    var backend = new recline.Backend.Memory();
-    var datasetInfo = {
-      documents: data,
-      metadata: metadata
-    };
-    if (fields) {
-      datasetInfo.fields = fields;
-    } else {
-      if (data) {
-        datasetInfo.fields = _.map(data[0], function(value, key) {
-          return {id: key};
-        });
-      }
-    }
-    backend.addDataset(datasetInfo);
-    var dataset = new recline.Model.Dataset({id: metadata.id}, backend);
+    var wrapper = new my.DataWrapper(data, fields);
+    var syncer = new my.BackboneSyncer();
+    var dataset = new recline.Model.Dataset(metadata, syncer);
+    dataset._dataCache = wrapper;
     dataset.fetch();
     dataset.query();
     return dataset;
   };
 
-
-  // ## Memory Backend - uses in-memory data
+  // ## Data Wrapper
   //
-  // To use it you should provide in your constructor data:
-  // 
-  //   * metadata (including fields array)
-  //   * documents: list of hashes, each hash being one doc. A doc *must* have an id attribute which is unique.
-  //
-  // Example:
-  // 
-  //  <pre>
-  //  // Backend setup
-  //  var backend = recline.Backend.Memory();
-  //  backend.addDataset({
-  //    metadata: {
-  //      id: 'my-id',
-  //      title: 'My Title'
-  //    },
-  //    fields: [{id: 'x'}, {id: 'y'}, {id: 'z'}],
-  //    documents: [
-  //        {id: 0, x: 1, y: 2, z: 3},
-  //        {id: 1, x: 2, y: 4, z: 6}
-  //      ]
-  //  });
-  //  // later ...
-  //  var dataset = Dataset({id: 'my-id'}, 'memory');
-  //  dataset.fetch();
-  //  etc ...
-  //  </pre>
-  my.Memory = my.Base.extend({
-    __type__: 'memory',
-    readonly: false,
-    initialize: function() {
-      this.datasets = {};
-    },
-    addDataset: function(data) {
-      this.datasets[data.metadata.id] = $.extend(true, {}, data);
-    },
-    sync: function(method, model, options) {
-      var self = this;
-      var dfd = $.Deferred();
-      if (method === "read") {
-        if (model.__type__ == 'Dataset') {
-          var rawDataset = this.datasets[model.id];
-          model.set(rawDataset.metadata);
-          model.fields.reset(rawDataset.fields);
-          model.docCount = rawDataset.documents.length;
-          dfd.resolve(model);
-        }
-        return dfd.promise();
-      } else if (method === 'update') {
-        if (model.__type__ == 'Document') {
-          _.each(self.datasets[model.dataset.id].documents, function(doc, idx) {
-            if(doc.id === model.id) {
-              self.datasets[model.dataset.id].documents[idx] = model.toJSON();
-            }
-          });
-          dfd.resolve(model);
-        }
-        return dfd.promise();
-      } else if (method === 'delete') {
-        if (model.__type__ == 'Document') {
-          var rawDataset = self.datasets[model.dataset.id];
-          var newdocs = _.reject(rawDataset.documents, function(doc) {
-            return (doc.id === model.id);
-          });
-          rawDataset.documents = newdocs;
-          dfd.resolve(model);
-        }
-        return dfd.promise();
-      } else {
-        alert('Not supported: sync on Memory backend with method ' + method + ' and model ' + model);
+  // Turn a simple array of JS objects into a mini data-store with
+  // functionality like querying, faceting, updating (by ID) and deleting (by
+  // ID).
+  my.DataWrapper = function(data, fields) {
+    var self = this;
+    this.data = data;
+    if (fields) {
+      this.fields = fields;
+    } else {
+      if (data) {
+        this.fields = _.map(data[0], function(value, key) {
+          return {id: key};
+        });
       }
-    },
-    query: function(model, queryObj) {
-      var dfd = $.Deferred();
-      var out = {};
-      var numRows = queryObj.size;
-      var start = queryObj.from;
-      var results = this.datasets[model.id].documents;
+    }
+
+    this.update = function(doc) {
+      _.each(self.data, function(internalDoc, idx) {
+        if(doc.id === internalDoc.id) {
+          self.data[idx] = doc;
+        }
+      });
+    };
+
+    this.delete = function(doc) {
+      var newdocs = _.reject(self.data, function(internalDoc) {
+        return (doc.id === internalDoc.id);
+      });
+      this.data = newdocs;
+    };
+
+    this.query = function(queryObj) {
+      var numRows = queryObj.size || this.data.length;
+      var start = queryObj.from || 0;
+      var results = this.data;
       results = this._applyFilters(results, queryObj);
-      results = this._applyFreeTextQuery(model, results, queryObj);
+      results = this._applyFreeTextQuery(results, queryObj);
       // not complete sorting!
       _.each(queryObj.sort, function(sortObj) {
         var fieldName = _.keys(sortObj)[0];
@@ -131,17 +71,18 @@ this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
           return (sortObj[fieldName].order == 'asc') ? _out : -1*_out;
         });
       });
-      out.facets = this._computeFacets(results, queryObj);
       var total = results.length;
-      resultsObj = this._docsToQueryResult(results.slice(start, start+numRows));
-      _.extend(out, resultsObj);
-      out.total = total;
-      dfd.resolve(out);
-      return dfd.promise();
-    },
+      var facets = this.computeFacets(results, queryObj);
+      results = results.slice(start, start+numRows);
+      return {
+        total: total,
+        documents: results,
+        facets: facets
+      };
+    };
 
     // in place filtering
-    _applyFilters: function(results, queryObj) {
+    this._applyFilters = function(results, queryObj) {
       _.each(queryObj.filters, function(filter) {
         results = _.filter(results, function(doc) {
           var fieldId = _.keys(filter.term)[0];
@@ -149,17 +90,17 @@ this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
         });
       });
       return results;
-    },
+    };
 
     // we OR across fields but AND across terms in query string
-    _applyFreeTextQuery: function(dataset, results, queryObj) {
+    this._applyFreeTextQuery = function(results, queryObj) {
       if (queryObj.q) {
         var terms = queryObj.q.split(' ');
         results = _.filter(results, function(rawdoc) {
           var matches = true;
           _.each(terms, function(term) {
             var foundmatch = false;
-            dataset.fields.each(function(field) {
+            _.each(self.fields, function(field) {
               var value = rawdoc[field.id];
               if (value !== null) { value = value.toString(); }
               // TODO regexes?
@@ -175,14 +116,15 @@ this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
         });
       }
       return results;
-    },
+    };
 
-    _computeFacets: function(documents, queryObj) {
+    this.computeFacets = function(documents, queryObj) {
       var facetResults = {};
       if (!queryObj.facets) {
-        return facetsResults;
+        return facetResults;
       }
       _.each(queryObj.facets, function(query, facetId) {
+        // TODO: remove dependency on recline.Model
         facetResults[facetId] = new recline.Model.Facet({id: facetId}).toJSON();
         facetResults[facetId].termsall = {};
       });
@@ -211,7 +153,55 @@ this.recline.Backend = this.recline.Backend || {};
         tmp.terms = tmp.terms.slice(0, 10);
       });
       return facetResults;
-    }
-  });
+    };
+  };
+  
 
-}(jQuery, this.recline.Backend));
+  // ## BackboneSyncer
+  //
+  // Provide a Backbone Sync interface to a DataWrapper data backend attached
+  // to a Dataset object
+  my.BackboneSyncer = function() {
+    this.sync = function(method, model, options) {
+      var self = this;
+      var dfd = $.Deferred();
+      if (method === "read") {
+        if (model.__type__ == 'Dataset') {
+          model.fields.reset(model._dataCache.fields);
+          dfd.resolve(model);
+        }
+        return dfd.promise();
+      } else if (method === 'update') {
+        if (model.__type__ == 'Document') {
+          model.dataset._dataCache.update(model.toJSON());
+          dfd.resolve(model);
+        }
+        return dfd.promise();
+      } else if (method === 'delete') {
+        if (model.__type__ == 'Document') {
+          model.dataset._dataCache.delete(model.toJSON());
+          dfd.resolve(model);
+        }
+        return dfd.promise();
+      } else {
+        alert('Not supported: sync on Memory backend with method ' + method + ' and model ' + model);
+      }
+    };
+
+    this.query = function(model, queryObj) {
+      var dfd = $.Deferred();
+      var results = model._dataCache.query(queryObj);
+      var hits = _.map(results.documents, function(row) {
+        return { _source: row };
+      });
+      var out = {
+        total: results.total,
+        hits: hits,
+        facets: results.facets
+      };
+      dfd.resolve(out);
+      return dfd.promise();
+    };
+  };
+
+}(jQuery, this.recline.Backend.Memory));
diff --git a/src/model.js b/src/model.js
index b99b8053..180fb926 100644
--- a/src/model.js
+++ b/src/model.js
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ my.Dataset = Backbone.Model.extend({
   initialize: function(model, backend) {
     _.bindAll(this, 'query');
     this.backend = backend;
+    this.backendType = 'memory';
+    this.backendURL = null;
     if (typeof(backend) === 'string') {
       this.backend = this._backendFromString(backend);
     }
@@ -162,7 +164,7 @@ my.Dataset.restore = function(state) {
     state.dataset = {url: state.url};
   }
   if (state.backend === 'memory') {
-    dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset(
+    dataset = recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset(
       [{stub: 'this is a stub dataset because we do not restore memory datasets'}],
       [],
       state.dataset // metadata
diff --git a/src/view.js b/src/view.js
index 4324994e..82fb1525 100644
--- a/src/view.js
+++ b/src/view.js
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ my.DataExplorer = Backbone.View.extend({
     var stateData = _.extend({
         query: query,
         'view-graph': graphState,
-        backend: this.model.backend.__type__,
+        backend: this.model.backendType,
         dataset: this.model.toJSON(),
         currentView: null,
         readOnly: false
diff --git a/test/backend/memory.js b/test/backend/memory.js
index 0563faf8..d9263d6b 100644
--- a/test/backend/memory.js
+++ b/test/backend/memory.js
@@ -1,4 +1,115 @@
-module("Backend Memory");
+(function ($) {
+
+module("Backend Memory - DataWrapper");
+
+var memoryData = [
+  {id: 0, x: 1, y: 2, z: 3, country: 'DE', label: 'first'}
+  , {id: 1, x: 2, y: 4, z: 6, country: 'UK', label: 'second'}
+  , {id: 2, x: 3, y: 6, z: 9, country: 'US', label: 'third'}
+  , {id: 3, x: 4, y: 8, z: 12, country: 'UK', label: 'fourth'}
+  , {id: 4, x: 5, y: 10, z: 15, country: 'UK', label: 'fifth'}
+  , {id: 5, x: 6, y: 12, z: 18, country: 'DE', label: 'sixth'}
+];
+
+var _wrapData = function() {
+  var dataCopy = $.extend(true, [], memoryData);
+  return new recline.Backend.Memory.DataWrapper(dataCopy);
+}
+
+test('basics', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  equal(data.fields.length, 6);
+  deepEqual(['id', 'x', 'y', 'z', 'country', 'label'], _.pluck(data.fields, 'id'));
+  equal(memoryData.length, data.data.length);
+});
+
+test('query', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  var queryObj = {
+    size: 4
+    , from: 2
+  };
+  var out = data.query(queryObj);
+  deepEqual(out.documents[0], memoryData[2]);
+  equal(out.documents.length, 4);
+  equal(out.total, 6);
+});
+
+test('query sort', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  var queryObj = {
+    sort: [
+      {'y': {order: 'desc'}}
+    ]
+  };
+  var out = data.query(queryObj);
+  equal(out.documents[0].x, 6);
+});
+
+test('query string', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  var out = data.query({q: 'UK'});
+  equal(out.total, 3);
+  deepEqual(_.pluck(out.documents, 'country'), ['UK', 'UK', 'UK']);
+
+  var out = data.query({q: 'UK 6'})
+  equal(out.total, 1);
+  deepEqual(out.documents[0].id, 1);
+});
+
+test('filters', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  var query = new recline.Model.Query();
+  query.addTermFilter('country', 'UK');
+  var out = data.query(query.toJSON());
+  equal(out.total, 3);
+  deepEqual(_.pluck(out.documents, 'country'), ['UK', 'UK', 'UK']);
+});
+
+test('facet', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  var query = new recline.Model.Query();
+  query.addFacet('country');
+  var out = data.computeFacets(data.data, query.toJSON());
+  var exp = [
+    {
+      term: 'UK',
+      count: 3
+    },
+    {
+      term: 'DE',
+      count: 2
+    },
+    {
+      term: 'US',
+      count: 1
+    }
+  ];
+  deepEqual(out['country'].terms, exp);
+});
+ 
+test('update and delete', function () {
+  var data = _wrapData();
+  // Test UPDATE
+  var newVal = 10;
+  doc1 = $.extend(true, {}, memoryData[0]);
+  doc1.x = newVal;
+  data.update(doc1);
+  equal(data.data[0].x, newVal);
+
+  // Test Delete
+  data.delete(doc1);
+  equal(data.data.length, 5);
+  equal(data.data[0].x, memoryData[1].x);
+});
+
+})(this.jQuery);
+
+// ======================================
+
+(function ($) {
+
+module("Backend Memory - BackboneSyncer");
 
 var memoryData = {
   metadata: {
@@ -18,60 +129,48 @@ var memoryData = {
 };
 
 function makeBackendDataset() {
-  var backend = new recline.Backend.Memory();
-  backend.addDataset(memoryData);
-  var dataset = new recline.Model.Dataset({id: memoryData.metadata.id}, backend);
+  var dataset = new recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset(memoryData.documents, null, memoryData.metadata);
   return dataset;
 }
 
-test('Memory Backend: readonly', function () {
-  var backend = new recline.Backend.Memory();
-  equal(backend.readonly, false);
-});
-
-test('Memory Backend: createDataset', function () {
-  var dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset(memoryData.documents, memoryData.fields, memoryData.metadata);
-  equal(memoryData.metadata.id, dataset.id);
-});
-
-test('Memory Backend: createDataset 2', function () {
-  var dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset(memoryData.documents);
+test('createDataset', function () {
+  var dataset = recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset(memoryData.documents);
   equal(dataset.fields.length, 6);
   deepEqual(['id', 'x', 'y', 'z', 'country', 'label'], dataset.fields.pluck('id'));
   dataset.query();
   equal(memoryData.documents.length, dataset.currentDocuments.length);
 });
 
-test('Memory Backend: basics', function () {
+test('basics', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   expect(3);
   // convenience for tests - get the data that should get changed
-  var data = dataset.backend.datasets[memoryData.metadata.id];
+  var data = dataset._dataCache;
   dataset.fetch().then(function(datasetAgain) {
-    equal(dataset.get('name'), data.metadata.name);
+    equal(dataset.get('name'), memoryData.metadata.name);
     deepEqual(_.pluck(dataset.fields.toJSON(), 'id'), _.pluck(data.fields, 'id'));
     equal(dataset.docCount, 6);
   });
 });
 
-test('Memory Backend: query', function () {
+test('query', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   // convenience for tests - get the data that should get changed
-  var data = dataset.backend.datasets[memoryData.metadata.id];
+  var data = dataset._dataCache.data;
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   var queryObj = {
     size: 4
     , from: 2
   };
   dataset.query(queryObj).then(function(documentList) {
-    deepEqual(data.documents[2], documentList.models[0].toJSON());
+    deepEqual(data[2], documentList.models[0].toJSON());
   });
 });
 
-test('Memory Backend: query sort', function () {
+test('query sort', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   // convenience for tests - get the data that should get changed
-  var data = dataset.backend.datasets[memoryData.metadata.id];
+  var data = dataset._dataCache.data;
   var queryObj = {
     sort: [
       {'y': {order: 'desc'}}
@@ -83,7 +182,7 @@ test('Memory Backend: query sort', function () {
   });
 });
 
-test('Memory Backend: query string', function () {
+test('query string', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   dataset.fetch();
   dataset.query({q: 'UK'}).then(function() {
@@ -97,7 +196,7 @@ test('Memory Backend: query string', function () {
   });
 });
 
-test('Memory Backend: filters', function () {
+test('filters', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   dataset.queryState.addTermFilter('country', 'UK');
   dataset.query().then(function() {
@@ -106,7 +205,7 @@ test('Memory Backend: filters', function () {
   });
 });
 
-test('Memory Backend: facet', function () {
+test('facet', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   dataset.queryState.addFacet('country');
   dataset.query().then(function() {
@@ -129,27 +228,28 @@ test('Memory Backend: facet', function () {
   });
 });
  
-test('Memory Backend: update and delete', function () {
+test('update and delete', function () {
   var dataset = makeBackendDataset();
   // convenience for tests - get the data that should get changed
-  var data = dataset.backend.datasets[memoryData.metadata.id];
+  var data = dataset._dataCache;
   dataset.query().then(function(docList) {
-    equal(docList.length, Math.min(100, data.documents.length));
+    equal(docList.length, Math.min(100, data.data.length));
     var doc1 = docList.models[0];
-    deepEqual(doc1.toJSON(), data.documents[0]);
+    deepEqual(doc1.toJSON(), data.data[0]);
 
     // Test UPDATE
     var newVal = 10;
     doc1.set({x: newVal});
     doc1.save().then(function() {
-      equal(data.documents[0].x, newVal);
+      equal(data.data[0].x, newVal);
     })
 
     // Test Delete
     doc1.destroy().then(function() {
-      equal(data.documents.length, 5);
-      equal(data.documents[0].x, memoryData.documents[1].x);
+      equal(data.data.length, 5);
+      equal(data.data[0].x, memoryData.documents[1].x);
     });
   });
 });
 
+})(this.jQuery);
diff --git a/test/base.js b/test/base.js
index f80977ac..7163131b 100644
--- a/test/base.js
+++ b/test/base.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ var Fixture = {
       {id: 4, date: '2011-05-04', x: 5, y: 10, z: 15, country: 'UK', label: 'fifth', lat:51.58, lon:0},
       {id: 5, date: '2011-06-02', x: 6, y: 12, z: 18, country: 'DE', label: 'sixth', lat:51.04, lon:7.9}
     ];
-    var dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset(documents, fields);
+    var dataset = recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset(documents, fields);
     return dataset;
   }
 };
diff --git a/test/model.test.js b/test/model.test.js
index b7a0e3d8..fef946e7 100644
--- a/test/model.test.js
+++ b/test/model.test.js
@@ -125,17 +125,6 @@ test('Dataset _prepareQuery', function () {
   deepEqual(out, exp);
 });
 
-test('Dataset _backendFromString', function () {
-  var dataset = new recline.Model.Dataset();
-
-  var out = dataset._backendFromString('recline.Backend.Memory');
-  equal(out.__type__, 'memory');
-
-  var out = dataset._backendFromString('dataproxy');
-  equal(out.__type__, 'dataproxy');
-});
-
-
 // =================================
 // Query
 
diff --git a/test/view-map.test.js b/test/view-map.test.js
index cf709a53..adc12940 100644
--- a/test/view-map.test.js
+++ b/test/view-map.test.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ var GeoJSONFixture = {
       {id: 1, x: 2, y: 4, z: 6, geom: {type:"Point",coordinates:[13.40,52.35]}},
       {id: 2, x: 3, y: 6, z: 9, geom: {type:"LineString",coordinates:[[100.0, 0.0],[101.0, 1.0]]}}
     ];
-    var dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset(documents, fields);
+    var dataset = recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset(documents, fields);
     return dataset;
   }
 };
diff --git a/test/view-timeline.test.js b/test/view-timeline.test.js
index 3161d4e8..562fc982 100644
--- a/test/view-timeline.test.js
+++ b/test/view-timeline.test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module("View - Timeline");
 
 test('extract dates and timelineJSON', function () {
-  var dataset = recline.Backend.createDataset([
+  var dataset = recline.Backend.Memory.createDataset([
     {'Date': '2012-03-20', 'title': '1'},
     {'Date': '2012-03-25', 'title': '2'},
   ]);