diff --git a/nova/compute/resource_tracker.py b/nova/compute/resource_tracker.py
index 0559638736ef..be03601859dd 100644
--- a/nova/compute/resource_tracker.py
+++ b/nova/compute/resource_tracker.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ from nova.compute import task_states
 from nova.compute import vm_states
 from nova import conductor
 from nova import context
-from nova import db
 from nova import exception
 from nova.openstack.common import cfg
 from nova.openstack.common import importutils
@@ -304,8 +303,8 @@ class ResourceTracker(object):
     def _create(self, context, values):
         """Create the compute node in the DB."""
         # initialize load stats from existing instances:
-        compute_node = db.compute_node_create(context, values)
-        self.compute_node = dict(compute_node)
+        self.compute_node = self.conductor_api.compute_node_create(context,
+                                                                   values)
 
     def _get_service(self, context):
         try:
@@ -349,9 +348,10 @@ class ResourceTracker(object):
 
     def _update(self, context, values, prune_stats=False):
         """Persist the compute node updates to the DB."""
-        compute_node = db.compute_node_update(context,
-                self.compute_node['id'], values, prune_stats)
-        self.compute_node = dict(compute_node)
+        if "service" in self.compute_node:
+            del self.compute_node['service']
+        self.compute_node = self.conductor_api.compute_node_update(
+            context, self.compute_node, values, prune_stats)
 
     def confirm_resize(self, context, migration, status='confirmed'):
         """Cleanup usage for a confirmed resize."""
diff --git a/nova/conductor/api.py b/nova/conductor/api.py
index c805f403cb8d..31ee19601fa2 100644
--- a/nova/conductor/api.py
+++ b/nova/conductor/api.py
@@ -278,6 +278,13 @@ class LocalAPI(object):
     def service_destroy(self, context, service_id):
         return self._manager.service_destroy(context, service_id)
 
+    def compute_node_create(self, context, values):
+        return self._manager.compute_node_create(context, values)
+
+    def compute_node_update(self, context, node, values, prune_stats=False):
+        return self._manager.compute_node_update(context, node, values,
+                                                 prune_stats)
+
 
 class API(object):
     """Conductor API that does updates via RPC to the ConductorManager."""
@@ -534,3 +541,10 @@ class API(object):
 
     def service_destroy(self, context, service_id):
         return self.conductor_rpcapi.service_destroy(context, service_id)
+
+    def compute_node_create(self, context, values):
+        return self.conductor_rpcapi.compute_node_create(context, values)
+
+    def compute_node_update(self, context, node, values, prune_stats=False):
+        return self.conductor_rpcapi.compute_node_update(context, node,
+                                                         values, prune_stats)
diff --git a/nova/conductor/manager.py b/nova/conductor/manager.py
index 4a82989eca46..9b18d1e009f8 100644
--- a/nova/conductor/manager.py
+++ b/nova/conductor/manager.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ datetime_fields = ['launched_at', 'terminated_at']
 class ConductorManager(manager.SchedulerDependentManager):
     """Mission: TBD."""
 
-    RPC_API_VERSION = '1.32'
+    RPC_API_VERSION = '1.33'
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(ConductorManager, self).__init__(service_name='conductor',
@@ -301,3 +301,12 @@ class ConductorManager(manager.SchedulerDependentManager):
     @rpc_common.client_exceptions(exception.ServiceNotFound)
     def service_destroy(self, context, service_id):
         self.db.service_destroy(context, service_id)
+
+    def compute_node_create(self, context, values):
+        result = self.db.compute_node_create(context, values)
+        return jsonutils.to_primitive(result)
+
+    def compute_node_update(self, context, node, values, prune_stats=False):
+        result = self.db.compute_node_update(context, node['id'], values,
+                                             prune_stats)
+        return jsonutils.to_primitive(result)
diff --git a/nova/conductor/rpcapi.py b/nova/conductor/rpcapi.py
index e5f901289f5c..95e3328400df 100644
--- a/nova/conductor/rpcapi.py
+++ b/nova/conductor/rpcapi.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class ConductorAPI(nova.openstack.common.rpc.proxy.RpcProxy):
     1.30 - Added migration_create
     1.31 - Added migration_get_in_progress_by_host_and_node
     1.32 - Added optional node to instance_get_all_by_host
+    1.33 - Added compute_node_create and compute_node_update
     """
 
     BASE_RPC_API_VERSION = '1.0'
@@ -305,3 +306,13 @@ class ConductorAPI(nova.openstack.common.rpc.proxy.RpcProxy):
     def service_destroy(self, context, service_id):
         msg = self.make_msg('service_destroy', service_id=service_id)
         return self.call(context, msg, version='1.29')
+
+    def compute_node_create(self, context, values):
+        msg = self.make_msg('compute_node_create', values=values)
+        return self.call(context, msg, version='1.33')
+
+    def compute_node_update(self, context, node, values, prune_stats=False):
+        node_p = jsonutils.to_primitive(node)
+        msg = self.make_msg('compute_node_update', node=node_p, values=values,
+                            prune_stats=prune_stats)
+        return self.call(context, msg, version='1.33')
diff --git a/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index 038a47ca163a..cb3d69f789b5 100644
--- a/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -253,6 +253,12 @@ def exact_filter(query, model, filters, legal_keys):
     return query
 
 
+def convert_datetimes(values, *datetime_keys):
+    for key in values:
+        if key in datetime_keys and isinstance(values[key], basestring):
+            values[key] = timeutils.parse_strtime(values[key])
+    return values
+
 ###################
 
 
@@ -497,6 +503,7 @@ def compute_node_create(context, values):
     """Creates a new ComputeNode and populates the capacity fields
     with the most recent data."""
     _prep_stats_dict(values)
+    convert_datetimes(values, 'created_at', 'deleted_at', 'updated_at')
 
     compute_node_ref = models.ComputeNode()
     compute_node_ref.update(values)
@@ -545,9 +552,10 @@ def compute_node_update(context, compute_id, values, prune_stats=False):
     stats = values.pop('stats', {})
 
     session = get_session()
-    with session.begin(subtransactions=True):
+    with session.begin():
         _update_stats(context, stats, compute_id, session, prune_stats)
         compute_ref = _compute_node_get(context, compute_id, session=session)
+        convert_datetimes(values, 'created_at', 'deleted_at', 'updated_at')
         compute_ref.update(values)
     return compute_ref
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/conductor/test_conductor.py b/nova/tests/conductor/test_conductor.py
index 9f694060724d..b29db92e776f 100644
--- a/nova/tests/conductor/test_conductor.py
+++ b/nova/tests/conductor/test_conductor.py
@@ -398,6 +398,25 @@ class _BaseTestCase(object):
         result = self.conductor.ping(self.context, 'foo')
         self.assertEqual(result, {'service': 'conductor', 'arg': 'foo'})
 
+    def test_compute_node_create(self):
+        self.mox.StubOutWithMock(db, 'compute_node_create')
+        db.compute_node_create(self.context, 'fake-values').AndReturn(
+            'fake-result')
+        self.mox.ReplayAll()
+        result = self.conductor.compute_node_create(self.context,
+                                                    'fake-values')
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'fake-result')
+
+    def test_compute_node_update(self):
+        node = {'id': 'fake-id'}
+        self.mox.StubOutWithMock(db, 'compute_node_update')
+        db.compute_node_update(self.context, node['id'], 'fake-values',
+                               False).AndReturn('fake-result')
+        self.mox.ReplayAll()
+        result = self.conductor.compute_node_update(self.context, node,
+                                                    'fake-values', False)
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'fake-result')
+
 
 class ConductorTestCase(_BaseTestCase, test.TestCase):
     """Conductor Manager Tests."""