diff --git a/doc/source/dev/dev-quickstart.rst b/doc/source/dev/dev-quickstart.rst
index a8547ade15..74212d80ef 100644
--- a/doc/source/dev/dev-quickstart.rst
+++ b/doc/source/dev/dev-quickstart.rst
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ Next start the API service::
 
 Next start the ackend service in a new window::
 
-    magnum-backend
+    magnum-conductor
 
 Create a new shell, and source the devstack openrc script::
 
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ The existing bays can be listed as follows::
     magnum bay-list
 
 If you make some code changes and want to test their effects,
-just restart either magnum-api or magnum-backend.  the -e option to
+just restart either magnum-api or magnum-conductor.  the -e option to
 pip install will link to the location from where the source code
 was installed.
 
diff --git a/magnum/api/controllers/v1/bay.py b/magnum/api/controllers/v1/bay.py
index bf66ee14c5..23fd4fb67c 100644
--- a/magnum/api/controllers/v1/bay.py
+++ b/magnum/api/controllers/v1/bay.py
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ from magnum.api.controllers import link
 from magnum.api.controllers.v1 import collection
 from magnum.api.controllers.v1 import types
 from magnum.api.controllers.v1 import utils as api_utils
-from magnum.backend import api
 from magnum.common import context
 from magnum.common import exception
+from magnum.conductor import api
 from magnum import objects
 
 
diff --git a/magnum/backend/__init__.py b/magnum/backend/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2..0000000000
diff --git a/magnum/backend/handlers/__init__.py b/magnum/backend/handlers/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2..0000000000
diff --git a/magnum/backend/manager.py b/magnum/backend/manager.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ffc3a462fd..0000000000
--- a/magnum/backend/manager.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,80 +0,0 @@
-# All Rights Reserved.
-#
-#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
-#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
-#    a copy of the License at
-#
-#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
-#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
-#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
-#    under the License.
-
-from eventlet import greenpool
-from oslo.config import cfg
-from oslo import messaging
-
-from magnum.common import exception
-from magnum.openstack.common import periodic_task
-
-MANAGER_TOPIC = 'magnum_backend'
-
-
-class BackendManager(periodic_task.PeriodicTasks):
-    """Magnum Backend manager main class."""
-
-    RPC_API_VERSION = '1.0'
-
-    target = messaging.Target(version=RPC_API_VERSION)
-
-    def __init__(self, host, topic):
-        super(BackendManager, self).__init__()
-        if not host:
-            host = cfg.CONF.host
-        self.host = host
-        self.topic = topic
-
-    def _conductor_service_record_keepalive(self):
-        while not self._keepalive_evt.is_set():
-            self._keepalive_evt.wait(1)
-
-    def _spawn_worker(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
-
-        """Create a greenthread to run func(*args, **kwargs).
-
-        Spawns a greenthread if there are free slots in pool, otherwise raises
-        exception. Execution control returns immediately to the caller.
-
-        :returns: GreenThread object.
-        :raises: NoFreeConductorWorker if worker pool is currently full.
-
-        """
-        if self._worker_pool.free():
-            return self._worker_pool.spawn(func, *args, **kwargs)
-        else:
-            raise exception.NoFreeConductorWorker()
-
-    def create_bay(self, context, bay):
-        bay.create()
-        return bay
-
-    def init_host(self):
-        self._worker_pool = greenpool.GreenPool(8)
-
-        # Spawn a dedicated greenthread for the keepalive
-#        self._keepalive_evt = threading.Event()
-#        self._spawn_worker(self._conductor_service_record_keepalive)
-
-    def del_host(self):
-        pass
-
-    def periodic_tasks(self, context, raise_on_error=False):
-        """Periodic tasks are run at pre-specified interval."""
-        res = self.run_periodic_tasks(context, raise_on_error=raise_on_error)
-        return res
-
-    @periodic_task.periodic_task
-    def trigger(self, context):
-        pass
diff --git a/magnum/cmd/backend.py b/magnum/cmd/conductor.py
similarity index 66%
rename from magnum/cmd/backend.py
rename to magnum/cmd/conductor.py
index d8bae288fb..712f01c412 100644
--- a/magnum/cmd/backend.py
+++ b/magnum/cmd/conductor.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 #    limitations under the License.
 
-"""Starter script for the Magnum backend service."""
+"""Starter script for the Magnum conductor service."""
 
 import logging as std_logging
 import os
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ import sys
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
 
-from magnum.backend.handlers import bay_ironic as bay_ironic
-from magnum.backend.handlers import docker as docker_backend
-from magnum.backend.handlers import k8s as k8s_backend
 from magnum.common import rpc_service as service
+from magnum.conductor.handlers import bay_ironic as bay_ironic
+from magnum.conductor.handlers import docker as docker_conductor
+from magnum.conductor.handlers import k8s as k8s_conductor
 from magnum.openstack.common._i18n import _
 from magnum.openstack.common import log as logging
 
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ def main():
     LOG.debug("Configuration:")
     cfg.CONF.log_opt_values(LOG, std_logging.DEBUG)
 
-    cfg.CONF.import_opt('topic', 'magnum.backend.config', group='backend')
-    cfg.CONF.import_opt('host', 'magnum.backend.config', group='backend')
+    cfg.CONF.import_opt('topic', 'magnum.conductor.config', group='conductor')
+    cfg.CONF.import_opt('host', 'magnum.conductor.config', group='conductor')
     endpoints = [
-        docker_backend.Handler(),
-        k8s_backend.Handler(),
+        docker_conductor.Handler(),
+        k8s_conductor.Handler(),
         bay_ironic.Handler()
     ]
-    server = service.Service(cfg.CONF.backend.topic,
-                             cfg.CONF.backend.host, endpoints)
+    server = service.Service(cfg.CONF.conductor.topic,
+                             cfg.CONF.conductor.host, endpoints)
     server.serve()
diff --git a/magnum/backend/api.py b/magnum/conductor/api.py
similarity index 91%
rename from magnum/backend/api.py
rename to magnum/conductor/api.py
index 2cf3190a90..fede067da8 100644
--- a/magnum/backend/api.py
+++ b/magnum/conductor/api.py
@@ -19,15 +19,15 @@ from magnum import objects
 
 
 # The Backend API class serves as a AMQP client for communicating
-# on a topic exchange specific to the backends.  This allows the ReST
-# API to trigger operations on the backends
+# on a topic exchange specific to the conductors.  This allows the ReST
+# API to trigger operations on the conductors
 
 class API(service.API):
     def __init__(self, transport=None, context=None):
-        cfg.CONF.import_opt('topic', 'magnum.backend.config',
-                            group='backend')
+        cfg.CONF.import_opt('topic', 'magnum.conductor.config',
+                            group='conductor')
         super(API, self).__init__(transport, context,
-                                  topic=cfg.CONF.backend.topic)
+                                  topic=cfg.CONF.conductor.topic)
 
     # Bay Operations
 
diff --git a/magnum/backend/config.py b/magnum/conductor/config.py
similarity index 78%
rename from magnum/backend/config.py
rename to magnum/conductor/config.py
index 0792c4db77..205521b42a 100644
--- a/magnum/backend/config.py
+++ b/magnum/conductor/config.py
@@ -19,15 +19,15 @@ from oslo.config import cfg
 
 SERVICE_OPTS = [
     cfg.StrOpt('topic',
-               default='magnum-backend',
-               help='The queue to add backend tasks to'),
+               default='magnum-conductor',
+               help='The queue to add conductor tasks to'),
     cfg.StrOpt('host',
                default='localhost',
-               help='The location of the backend rpc queue'),
+               help='The location of the conductor rpc queue'),
 ]
 
 opt_group = cfg.OptGroup(
-    name='backend',
-    title='Options for the magnum-backend service')
+    name='conductor',
+    title='Options for the magnum-conductor service')
 cfg.CONF.register_group(opt_group)
 cfg.CONF.register_opts(SERVICE_OPTS, opt_group)
diff --git a/magnum/backend/handlers/bay_ironic.py b/magnum/conductor/handlers/bay_ironic.py
similarity index 100%
rename from magnum/backend/handlers/bay_ironic.py
rename to magnum/conductor/handlers/bay_ironic.py
diff --git a/magnum/backend/handlers/docker.py b/magnum/conductor/handlers/docker.py
similarity index 100%
rename from magnum/backend/handlers/docker.py
rename to magnum/conductor/handlers/docker.py
diff --git a/magnum/backend/handlers/k8s.py b/magnum/conductor/handlers/k8s.py
similarity index 100%
rename from magnum/backend/handlers/k8s.py
rename to magnum/conductor/handlers/k8s.py
diff --git a/magnum/tests/api/controllers/v1/test_all_objects.py b/magnum/tests/api/controllers/v1/test_all_objects.py
index 11ef2b8293..5d0b30bd7b 100644
--- a/magnum/tests/api/controllers/v1/test_all_objects.py
+++ b/magnum/tests/api/controllers/v1/test_all_objects.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 #    limitations under the License.
 
-from magnum.backend import api
+from magnum.conductor import api
 from magnum import tests
 from magnum.tests.db import base as db_base
 
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index e459516a85..7456522f86 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ output_file = magnum/locale/magnum.pot
 [entry_points]
 console_scripts =
     magnum-api = magnum.cmd.api:main
-    magnum-backend = magnum.cmd.backend:main
+    magnum-conductor = magnum.cmd.conductor:main
     magnum-db-manage = magnum.cmd.db_manage:main
 
 oslo.config.opts =