diff --git a/lib/ftl/mngt/ftl_mngt_md.c b/lib/ftl/mngt/ftl_mngt_md.c
index ffbd836b0..cabe345be 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/mngt/ftl_mngt_md.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/mngt/ftl_mngt_md.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ ftl_mngt_init_md(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, struct ftl_mngt_process *mngt)
 	struct ftl_layout *layout = &dev->layout;
 	struct ftl_layout_region *region = layout->region;
 	uint64_t i;
+	int md_flags;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_MAX; i++, region++) {
 		if (layout->md[i]) {
@@ -61,8 +62,11 @@ ftl_mngt_init_md(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, struct ftl_mngt_process *mngt)
 			 */
 			continue;
 		}
+		md_flags = is_buffer_needed(i) ?
+			   FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM | FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM_NEW :
+			   FTL_MD_CREATE_NO_MEM;
 		layout->md[i] = ftl_md_create(dev, region->current.blocks, region->vss_blksz, region->name,
-					      !is_buffer_needed(i), region);
+					      md_flags, region);
 		if (NULL == layout->md[i]) {
 			ftl_mngt_fail_step(mngt);
 			return;
@@ -245,6 +249,7 @@ ftl_mngt_superblock_init(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, struct ftl_mngt_process *mngt
 	struct ftl_layout *layout = &dev->layout;
 	struct ftl_layout_region *region = &layout->region[FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_SB];
 	char uuid[SPDK_UUID_STRING_LEN];
+	int md_create_flags = FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM | FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM_NEW;
 
 	/* Must generate UUID before MD create on SHM for the SB */
 	if (dev->conf.mode & SPDK_FTL_MODE_CREATE) {
@@ -261,7 +266,8 @@ ftl_mngt_superblock_init(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, struct ftl_mngt_process *mngt
 
 	/* Allocate md buf */
 	layout->md[FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_SB] = ftl_md_create(dev, region->current.blocks,
-						region->vss_blksz, region->name, false, region);
+						region->vss_blksz, region->name,
+						md_create_flags, region);
 	if (NULL == layout->md[FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_SB]) {
 		ftl_mngt_fail_step(mngt);
 		return;
@@ -273,7 +279,7 @@ ftl_mngt_superblock_init(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, struct ftl_mngt_process *mngt
 	/* Setup superblock mirror to QLC */
 	region = &layout->region[FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_SB_BASE];
 	layout->md[FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_SB_BASE] = ftl_md_create(dev, region->current.blocks,
-			region->vss_blksz, NULL, false, region);
+			region->vss_blksz, NULL, FTL_MD_CREATE_HEAP, region);
 	if (NULL == layout->md[FTL_LAYOUT_REGION_TYPE_SB_BASE]) {
 		ftl_mngt_fail_step(mngt);
 		return;
diff --git a/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.c b/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.c
index 335c3f78c..b29d396f4 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.c
@@ -61,8 +61,194 @@ xfer_size(struct ftl_md *md)
 	return ftl_md_xfer_blocks(md->dev) * FTL_BLOCK_SIZE;
 }
 
+static void
+ftl_md_create_heap(struct ftl_md *md, uint64_t vss_blksz)
+{
+	md->shm_fd = -1;
+	md->vss_data = NULL;
+	md->data = calloc(md->data_blocks, FTL_BLOCK_SIZE + vss_blksz);
+
+	if (md->data && vss_blksz) {
+		md->vss_data = ((char *)md->data) + md->data_blocks * FTL_BLOCK_SIZE;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+ftl_md_destroy_heap(struct ftl_md *md)
+{
+	if (md->data) {
+		free(md->data);
+		md->data = NULL;
+		md->vss_data = NULL;
+	}
+}
+
+static int
+ftl_wrapper_open(const char *name, int of, mode_t m)
+{
+	return open(name, of, m);
+}
+
+static void
+ftl_md_setup_obj(struct ftl_md *md, int flags,
+		 const char *name)
+{
+	char uuid_str[SPDK_UUID_STRING_LEN];
+	const char *fmt;
+
+	if (!(flags & FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM)) {
+		assert(false);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* TODO: temporary, define a proper hugetlbfs mountpoint */
+	fmt = "/dev/hugepages/ftl_%s_%s";
+	md->shm_mmap_flags = MAP_SHARED;
+	md->shm_open = ftl_wrapper_open;
+	md->shm_unlink = unlink;
+
+	if (name == NULL ||
+	    spdk_uuid_fmt_lower(uuid_str, SPDK_UUID_STRING_LEN, &md->dev->conf.uuid) ||
+	    snprintf(md->name, sizeof(md->name) / sizeof(md->name[0]),
+		     fmt, uuid_str, name) <= 0) {
+		md->name[0] = 0;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+ftl_md_create_shm(struct ftl_md *md, uint64_t vss_blksz, int flags)
+{
+	struct stat shm_stat;
+	size_t vss_blk_offs;
+	void *shm_ptr;
+	int open_flags = O_RDWR;
+	mode_t open_mode = S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR;
+
+	assert(md->shm_open && md->shm_unlink);
+	md->data = NULL;
+	md->vss_data = NULL;
+	md->shm_sz = 0;
+
+	/* Must have an object name */
+	if (md->name[0] == 0) {
+		assert(false);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* If specified, unlink before create a new SHM object */
+	if (flags & FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM_NEW) {
+		if (md->shm_unlink(md->name) < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
+			return;
+		}
+		open_flags += O_CREAT | O_TRUNC;
+	}
+
+	/* Open existing or create a new SHM object, then query its props */
+	md->shm_fd = md->shm_open(md->name, open_flags, open_mode);
+	if (md->shm_fd < 0 || fstat(md->shm_fd, &shm_stat) < 0) {
+		goto err_shm;
+	}
+
+	/* Verify open mode hasn't changed */
+	if ((shm_stat.st_mode & (S_IRWXU | S_IRWXG | S_IRWXO)) != open_mode) {
+		goto err_shm;
+	}
+
+	/* Round up the SHM obj size to the nearest blk size (i.e. page size) */
+	md->shm_sz = spdk_divide_round_up(md->data_blocks * FTL_BLOCK_SIZE, shm_stat.st_blksize);
+
+	/* Add some blks for VSS metadata */
+	vss_blk_offs = md->shm_sz;
+
+	if (vss_blksz) {
+		md->shm_sz += spdk_divide_round_up(md->data_blocks * vss_blksz,
+						   shm_stat.st_blksize);
+	}
+
+	/* Total SHM obj size */
+	md->shm_sz *= shm_stat.st_blksize;
+
+	/* Set or check the object size - zero init`d in case of set (FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM_NEW) */
+	if ((shm_stat.st_size == 0 && (ftruncate(md->shm_fd, md->shm_sz) < 0 ||
+				       (flags & FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM_NEW) == 0))
+	    || (shm_stat.st_size > 0 && (size_t)shm_stat.st_size != md->shm_sz)) {
+		goto err_shm;
+	}
+
+	/* Create a virtual memory mapping for the object */
+	shm_ptr = mmap(NULL, md->shm_sz, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, md->shm_mmap_flags,
+		       md->shm_fd, 0);
+	if (shm_ptr == MAP_FAILED) {
+		goto err_shm;
+	}
+
+	md->data = shm_ptr;
+	if (vss_blksz) {
+		md->vss_data = ((char *)shm_ptr) + vss_blk_offs * shm_stat.st_blksize;
+	}
+
+	/* Lock the pages in memory (i.e. prevent the pages to be paged out) */
+	if (mlock(md->data, md->shm_sz) < 0) {
+		goto err_map;
+	}
+
+	if (spdk_mem_register(md->data, md->shm_sz)) {
+		goto err_mlock;
+	}
+	md->mem_reg = true;
+
+	return;
+
+	/* Cleanup upon fault */
+err_mlock:
+	munlock(md->data, md->shm_sz);
+
+err_map:
+	munmap(md->data, md->shm_sz);
+	md->data = NULL;
+	md->vss_data = NULL;
+	md->shm_sz = 0;
+
+err_shm:
+	if (md->shm_fd >= 0) {
+		close(md->shm_fd);
+		md->shm_unlink(md->name);
+		md->shm_fd = -1;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+ftl_md_destroy_shm(struct ftl_md *md)
+{
+	if (!md->data) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	assert(md->shm_sz > 0);
+	if (md->mem_reg) {
+		spdk_mem_unregister(md->data, md->shm_sz);
+		md->mem_reg = false;
+	}
+
+	/* Unlock the pages in memory */
+	munlock(md->data, md->shm_sz);
+
+	/* Remove the virtual memory mapping for the object */
+	munmap(md->data, md->shm_sz);
+
+	/* Close SHM object fd */
+	close(md->shm_fd);
+
+	md->data = NULL;
+	md->vss_data = NULL;
+
+	/* Otherwise destroy/unlink the object */
+	assert(md->name[0] != 0 && md->shm_unlink != NULL);
+	md->shm_unlink(md->name);
+}
+
 struct ftl_md *ftl_md_create(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, uint64_t blocks,
-			     uint64_t vss_blksz, const char *name, bool no_mem,
+			     uint64_t vss_blksz, const char *name, int flags,
 			     const struct ftl_layout_region *region)
 {
 	struct ftl_md *md;
@@ -75,20 +261,19 @@ struct ftl_md *ftl_md_create(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, uint64_t blocks,
 	md->data_blocks = blocks;
 	md->mirror_enabled = true;
 
-	if (!no_mem) {
-		size_t buf_size = md->data_blocks * (FTL_BLOCK_SIZE + vss_blksz);
-		int ret;
+	if (flags != FTL_MD_CREATE_NO_MEM) {
+		if (flags & FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM) {
+			ftl_md_setup_obj(md, flags, name);
+			ftl_md_create_shm(md, vss_blksz, flags);
+		} else {
+			assert((flags & FTL_MD_CREATE_HEAP) == FTL_MD_CREATE_HEAP);
+			ftl_md_create_heap(md, vss_blksz);
+		}
 
-		ret = posix_memalign((void **)&md->data, FTL_BLOCK_SIZE, buf_size);
-		if (ret) {
+		if (!md->data) {
 			free(md);
 			return NULL;
 		}
-		memset(md->data, 0, buf_size);
-
-		if (vss_blksz) {
-			md->vss_data = ((char *)md->data) + md->data_blocks * FTL_BLOCK_SIZE;
-		}
 	}
 
 	if (region) {
@@ -114,6 +299,22 @@ err:
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+int
+ftl_md_unlink(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, const char *name, int flags)
+{
+	struct ftl_md md = { 0 };
+
+	if (0 == (flags & FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM)) {
+		/* Unlink can be called for shared memory only */
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	md.dev = dev;
+	ftl_md_setup_obj(&md, flags, name);
+
+	return md.shm_unlink(md.name);
+}
+
 void
 ftl_md_destroy(struct ftl_md *md)
 {
@@ -136,10 +337,10 @@ ftl_md_free_buf(struct ftl_md *md)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (md->data) {
-		free(md->data);
-		md->data = NULL;
-		md->vss_data = NULL;
+	if (md->shm_fd < 0) {
+		ftl_md_destroy_heap(md);
+	} else {
+		ftl_md_destroy_shm(md);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.h b/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.h
index 7d5a77c20..697821a8f 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.h
+++ b/lib/ftl/utils/ftl_md.h
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ enum ftl_md_ops {
 	FTL_MD_OP_CLEAR,
 };
 
+typedef int (*shm_open_t)(const char *, int, mode_t);
+typedef int (*shm_unlink_t)(const char *);
+
 /* FTL metadata container which allows to store/restore/recover */
 struct ftl_md {
 	/* Context of owner (Caller of restore/persist/clear operation) */
@@ -64,6 +67,27 @@ struct ftl_md {
 		struct spdk_bdev_io_wait_entry bdev_io_wait;
 	} io;
 
+	/* SHM object file descriptor or -1 if heap alloc */
+	int shm_fd;
+
+	/* Object name */
+	char name[NAME_MAX + 1];
+
+	/* mmap flags for the SHM object */
+	int shm_mmap_flags;
+
+	/* Total size of SHM object (data + md) */
+	size_t shm_sz;
+
+	/* open() for the SHM object */
+	shm_open_t shm_open;
+
+	/* unlink() for the SHM object */
+	shm_unlink_t shm_unlink;
+
+	/* Memory was registered to SPDK */
+	bool mem_reg;
+
 	/* Metadata primary object */
 	struct ftl_md *mirror;
 
@@ -104,6 +128,23 @@ union ftl_md_vss {
 
 SPDK_STATIC_ASSERT(sizeof(union ftl_md_vss) == FTL_MD_VSS_SZ, "Invalid md vss size");
 
+/**
+ *  FTL metadata creation flags
+ */
+enum ftl_md_create_flags {
+	/** FTL metadata will be created without memory allocation */
+	FTL_MD_CREATE_NO_MEM =		0x0,
+
+	/** FTL metadata data buf will be allocated in SHM */
+	FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM =		0x1,
+
+	/** Always create a new SHM obj, i.e. issue shm_unlink() before shm_open(), only valid with FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM */
+	FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM_NEW =		0x2,
+
+	/** FTL metadata will be created on heap */
+	FTL_MD_CREATE_HEAP =		0x4,
+};
+
 /**
  * @brief Creates FTL metadata
  *
@@ -111,7 +152,7 @@ SPDK_STATIC_ASSERT(sizeof(union ftl_md_vss) == FTL_MD_VSS_SZ, "Invalid md vss si
  * @param blocks Size of buffer in FTL block size unit
  * @param vss_blksz Size of VSS MD
  * @param name Name of the object being created
- * @param no_mem If true metadata will be created without memory allocation
+ * @param flags Bit flags of ftl_md_create_flags type
  * @param region Region associated with FTL metadata
  *
  * @note if buffer is NULL, the buffer will be allocated internally by the object
@@ -119,9 +160,21 @@ SPDK_STATIC_ASSERT(sizeof(union ftl_md_vss) == FTL_MD_VSS_SZ, "Invalid md vss si
  * @return FTL metadata
  */
 struct ftl_md *ftl_md_create(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, uint64_t blocks,
-			     uint64_t vss_blksz, const char *name, bool no_mem,
+			     uint64_t vss_blksz, const char *name, int flags,
 			     const struct ftl_layout_region *region);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Unlinks metadata object from FS
+ * @param dev The FTL device
+ * @param name Name of the object being unlinked
+ * @param flags Bit flag describing the MD object
+ *
+ * @note Unlink is possible only for objects created with FTL_MD_CREATE_SHM flag
+ *
+ * @return Operation result
+ */
+int ftl_md_unlink(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, const char *name, int flags);
+
 /**
  * @brief Destroys metadata
  *
diff --git a/test/ftl/bdevperf.sh b/test/ftl/bdevperf.sh
index 22893a07d..6fdbe8da0 100755
--- a/test/ftl/bdevperf.sh
+++ b/test/ftl/bdevperf.sh
@@ -32,3 +32,5 @@ for ((i = 0; i < ${#tests[@]}; i++)); do
 	trap - SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 	timing_exit "${tests[$i]}"
 done
+
+remove_shm
diff --git a/test/ftl/common.sh b/test/ftl/common.sh
index 612e68368..5b68c3c58 100644
--- a/test/ftl/common.sh
+++ b/test/ftl/common.sh
@@ -46,3 +46,13 @@ function create_base_bdev() {
 		$rootdir/scripts/rpc.py bdev_lvol_create ${base_bdev}p0 $size -t -u $lvs
 	fi
 }
+
+# Remove not needed files from shared memory
+function remove_shm() {
+	echo Remove shared memory files
+	rm -f rm -f /dev/shm/ftl*
+	rm -f rm -f /dev/hugepages/ftl*
+	rm -f rm -f /dev/shm/spdk*
+	rm -f rm -f /dev/shm/iscsi
+	rm -f rm -f /dev/hugepages/spdk*
+}
diff --git a/test/ftl/fio.sh b/test/ftl/fio.sh
index 8924e4be0..18655b849 100755
--- a/test/ftl/fio.sh
+++ b/test/ftl/fio.sh
@@ -66,3 +66,4 @@ for test in ${tests}; do
 done
 
 rm -f $FTL_JSON_CONF
+remove_shm
diff --git a/test/ftl/ftl.sh b/test/ftl/ftl.sh
index 4cb745515..85575078c 100755
--- a/test/ftl/ftl.sh
+++ b/test/ftl/ftl.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ function at_ftl_exit() {
 
 	# restore original driver
 	$rootdir/scripts/setup.sh reset
+	remove_shm
 }
 
 trap 'at_ftl_exit' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT