diff --git a/config/synergy_scheduler.conf b/config/synergy_scheduler.conf
index c0e53a8..82ef08d 100644
--- a/config/synergy_scheduler.conf
+++ b/config/synergy_scheduler.conf
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ clock_skew = 60
 # set the AMQP exchange (default: keystone)
 amqp_exchange = keystone
 
-# set the AMQP notification topic (default: notification)
-amqp_topic = notification
+# set the AMQP notification topic (default: keystone_notification)
+amqp_topic = keystone_notification
 
 
 [NovaManager]
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ rate = 5
 #set the http connection timeout (default: 60)
 timeout = 60
 
+# the amqp transport url
+# amqp_url =
+
 # set the AMQP backend type (e.g. rabbit, qpid)
 #amqp_backend =
 
@@ -133,13 +136,10 @@ conductor_topic = conductor
 compute_topic = compute
 
 # set the Nova scheduler topic (default: scheduler)
-
 scheduler_topic = scheduler
-# set the notification topic used by Nova for informing listeners about the state
-# changes of the VMs. In case some other service (e.g. Ceilometer) is listening
-# on the default Nova topic (i.e. "notifications"), please define a new topic
-specific for Synergy (e.g. notification_topics = notifications,synergy_notifications)
-notification_topic = notification
+
+# set the Nova notification topic (default: nova_notification)
+notification_topic = nova_notification
 
 # set the Nova database connection
 db_connection=DIALECT+DRIVER://USER:PASSWORD@DB_HOST/nova
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ cpu_allocation_ratio = 16
 ram_allocation_ratio = 1.5
 
 # set the Nova metadata_proxy_shared_secret
-metadata_proxy_shared_secret =
+metadata_proxy_shared_secret = METADATA_SECRET
 
 # set the PEM encoded Certificate Authority to use when verifying HTTPs connections
 #ssl_ca_file =
diff --git a/synergy_scheduler_manager/keystone_manager.py b/synergy_scheduler_manager/keystone_manager.py
index eb25270..4ed6eab 100644
--- a/synergy_scheduler_manager/keystone_manager.py
+++ b/synergy_scheduler_manager/keystone_manager.py
@@ -73,10 +73,6 @@ class KeystoneManager(Manager):
                        help="set the http connection timeout",
                        default=60,
                        required=False),
-            cfg.IntOpt("trust_expiration",
-                       help="set the trust expiration",
-                       default=24,
-                       required=False),
             cfg.IntOpt("clock_skew",
                        help="set the clock skew (seconds)",
                        default=60,
@@ -100,7 +96,7 @@ class KeystoneManager(Manager):
                        required=False),
             cfg.StrOpt("amqp_topic",
                        help="the notification topic",
-                       default="notification",
+                       default="keystone_notification",
                        required=False)
         ]
 
@@ -117,7 +113,6 @@ class KeystoneManager(Manager):
         self.project_domain_name = CONF.KeystoneManager.project_domain_name
         self.project_id = CONF.KeystoneManager.project_id
         self.timeout = CONF.KeystoneManager.timeout
-        self.trust_expiration = CONF.KeystoneManager.trust_expiration
         self.clock_skew = CONF.KeystoneManager.clock_skew
 
         self.authenticate()
diff --git a/synergy_scheduler_manager/nova_manager.py b/synergy_scheduler_manager/nova_manager.py
index 1f9b067..b8ff99d 100644
--- a/synergy_scheduler_manager/nova_manager.py
+++ b/synergy_scheduler_manager/nova_manager.py
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class NovaManager(Manager):
                        help="the amqp password",
                        default=None,
                        required=False),
-            cfg.StrOpt("amqp_virt_host",
+            cfg.StrOpt("amqp_virtual_host",
                        help="the amqp virtual host",
                        default="/",
                        required=False),
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ class NovaManager(Manager):
                        required=False),
             cfg.StrOpt("notification_topic",
                        help="the notifiction topic",
-                       default="notifications",
+                       default="nova_notification",
                        required=False),
             cfg.StrOpt("conductor_topic",
                        help="the conductor topic",
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ class NovaManager(Manager):
                        required=False),
             cfg.StrOpt("metadata_proxy_shared_secret",
                        help="the metadata proxy shared secret",
-                       default=None,
+                       default="METADATA_SECRET",
                        required=True),
             cfg.FloatOpt("cpu_allocation_ratio",
                          help="the cpu allocation ratio",
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ class NovaManager(Manager):
 
         amqp_password = self.getParameter("amqp_password")
 
-        amqp_virt_host = self.getParameter("amqp_virt_host")
+        amqp_virtual_host = self.getParameter("amqp_virtual_host")
 
         amqp_exchange = self.getParameter("amqp_exchange")
 
@@ -368,8 +368,10 @@ class NovaManager(Manager):
             self.db_engine = create_engine(db_connection, pool_recycle=30)
 
             self.messaging = AMQP(url=amqp_url, backend=amqp_backend,
-                                  username=amqp_user, password=amqp_password,
-                                  hosts=amqp_hosts, virt_host=amqp_virt_host,
+                                  username=amqp_user,
+                                  password=amqp_password,
+                                  hosts=amqp_hosts,
+                                  virt_host=amqp_virtual_host,
                                   exchange=amqp_exchange)
 
             self.novaConductorComputeAPI = NovaConductorComputeAPI(