diff --git a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/S3ContextFactory.java b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/S3ContextFactory.java
index 1c6cef238e..b483a7c1ef 100644
--- a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/S3ContextFactory.java
+++ b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/S3ContextFactory.java
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
  */
 package org.jclouds.aws.s3;
 
+import java.net.URI;
+
 import org.jclouds.http.config.JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule;
 import org.jclouds.logging.jdk.config.JDKLoggingModule;
 
@@ -48,4 +50,9 @@ public class S3ContextFactory {
                .buildContext();
    }
 
+   public static S3Context createS3Context(URI endpoint, String awsAccessKeyId,
+            String awsSecretAccessKey, Module... modules) {
+      return S3ContextBuilder.newBuilder(awsAccessKeyId, awsSecretAccessKey).withEndpoint(endpoint)
+               .withModules(modules).buildContext();
+   }
 }
diff --git a/azure/storage/blob/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobContextFactory.java b/azure/storage/blob/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobContextFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9f66d6f237
--- /dev/null
+++ b/azure/storage/blob/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobContextFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package org.jclouds.azure.storage.blob;
+
+import java.net.URI;
+
+import org.jclouds.http.config.JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule;
+import org.jclouds.logging.jdk.config.JDKLoggingModule;
+
+import com.google.inject.Module;
+
+/**
+ * Creates {@link AzureBlobContext} instances based on the most commonly requested arguments.
+ * <p/>
+ * Note that Threadsafe objects will be bound as singletons to the Injector or Context provided.
+ * <p/>
+ * <p/>
+ * If no <code>Module</code>s are specified, the default {@link JDKLoggingModule logging} and
+ * {@link JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule http transports} will be installed.
+ * 
+ * @author Adrian Cole, Andrew Newdigate
+ * @see AzureBlobContext
+ */
+public class AzureBlobContextFactory {
+
+   public static AzureBlobContext createAzureBlobContext(String account, String encodedKey,
+            Module... modules) {
+      return AzureBlobContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, encodedKey).withModules(modules)
+               .buildContext();
+   }
+
+   public static AzureBlobContext createAzureBlobContext(URI endpoint, String account,
+            String encodedKey, Module... modules) {
+      return AzureBlobContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, encodedKey).withEndpoint(endpoint)
+               .withModules(modules).buildContext();
+   }
+}
diff --git a/azure/storage/blob/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobStoreLiveTest.java b/azure/storage/blob/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobStoreLiveTest.java
index 63f4b3a098..ec40edbd84 100644
--- a/azure/storage/blob/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobStoreLiveTest.java
+++ b/azure/storage/blob/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/blob/AzureBlobStoreLiveTest.java
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMultimap;
 import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
-import com.google.inject.Injector;
 
 /**
  * Tests behavior of {@code AzureBlobConnection}
@@ -73,9 +72,8 @@ public class AzureBlobStoreLiveTest {
    public void setupConnection() {
       account = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.user");
       String key = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.key");
-      Injector injector = AzureBlobContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, key).withModules(
-               new Log4JLoggingModule()).withSaxDebug().buildInjector();
-      connection = injector.getInstance(AzureBlobStore.class);
+      connection = AzureBlobContextFactory.createAzureBlobContext(account, key,
+               new Log4JLoggingModule()).getApi();
    }
 
    @Test
diff --git a/azure/storage/queue/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/queue/AzureQueueContextFactory.java b/azure/storage/queue/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/queue/AzureQueueContextFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aa5d92f193
--- /dev/null
+++ b/azure/storage/queue/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/azure/storage/queue/AzureQueueContextFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package org.jclouds.azure.storage.queue;
+
+import java.net.URI;
+
+import org.jclouds.http.config.JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule;
+import org.jclouds.logging.jdk.config.JDKLoggingModule;
+
+import com.google.inject.Module;
+
+/**
+ * Creates {@link AzureQueueContext} instances based on the most commonly requested arguments.
+ * <p/>
+ * Note that Threadsafe objects will be bound as singletons to the Injector or Context provided.
+ * <p/>
+ * <p/>
+ * If no <code>Module</code>s are specified, the default {@link JDKLoggingModule logging} and
+ * {@link JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule http transports} will be installed.
+ * 
+ * @author Adrian Cole, Andrew Newdigate
+ * @see AzureQueueContext
+ */
+public class AzureQueueContextFactory {
+
+   public static AzureQueueContext createAzureQueueContext(String account, String encodedKey,
+            Module... modules) {
+      return AzureQueueContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, encodedKey).withModules(modules)
+               .buildContext();
+   }
+
+   public static AzureQueueContext createAzureQueueContext(URI endpoint, String account,
+            String encodedKey, Module... modules) {
+      return AzureQueueContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, encodedKey).withEndpoint(endpoint)
+               .withModules(modules).buildContext();
+   }
+}
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNContextFactory.java b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNContextFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2390bb260f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNContextFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package org.jclouds.rackspace.cloudfiles;
+
+import java.net.URI;
+
+import org.jclouds.http.config.JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule;
+import org.jclouds.logging.jdk.config.JDKLoggingModule;
+
+import com.google.inject.Module;
+
+/**
+ * Creates {@link CloudFilesCDNContext} instances based on the most commonly requested arguments.
+ * <p/>
+ * Note that Threadsafe objects will be bound as singletons to the Injector or Context provided.
+ * <p/>
+ * <p/>
+ * If no <code>Module</code>s are specified, the default {@link JDKLoggingModule logging} and
+ * {@link JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule http transports} will be installed.
+ * 
+ * @author Adrian Cole, Andrew Newdigate
+ * @see CloudFilesCDNContext
+ */
+public class CloudFilesCDNContextFactory {
+
+   public static CloudFilesCDNContext createCloudFilesCDNContext(String user, String key,
+            Module... modules) {
+      return CloudFilesCDNContextBuilder.newBuilder(user, key).withModules(modules).buildContext();
+   }
+
+   public static CloudFilesCDNContext createCloudFilesCDNContext(URI endpoint, String user,
+            String key, Module... modules) {
+      return CloudFilesCDNContextBuilder.newBuilder(user, key).withEndpoint(endpoint).withModules(
+               modules).buildContext();
+   }
+}
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesContextFactory.java b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesContextFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b080da338e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesContextFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package org.jclouds.rackspace.cloudfiles;
+
+import java.net.URI;
+
+import org.jclouds.http.config.JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule;
+import org.jclouds.logging.jdk.config.JDKLoggingModule;
+
+import com.google.inject.Module;
+
+/**
+ * Creates {@link CloudFilesContext} instances based on the most commonly requested arguments.
+ * <p/>
+ * Note that Threadsafe objects will be bound as singletons to the Injector or Context provided.
+ * <p/>
+ * <p/>
+ * If no <code>Module</code>s are specified, the default {@link JDKLoggingModule logging} and
+ * {@link JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule http transports} will be installed.
+ * 
+ * @author Adrian Cole, Andrew Newdigate
+ * @see CloudFilesContext
+ */
+public class CloudFilesContextFactory {
+
+   public static CloudFilesContext createCloudFilesContext(String user, String key,
+            Module... modules) {
+      return CloudFilesContextBuilder.newBuilder(user, key).withModules(modules)
+               .buildContext();
+   }
+
+   public static CloudFilesContext createCloudFilesContext(URI endpoint, String user,
+            String key, Module... modules) {
+      return CloudFilesContextBuilder.newBuilder(user, key).withEndpoint(endpoint)
+               .withModules(modules).buildContext();
+   }
+}
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/domain/ContainerCDNMetadata.java b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/domain/ContainerCDNMetadata.java
index 86ade7b0d6..4728ba5627 100644
--- a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/domain/ContainerCDNMetadata.java
+++ b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/domain/ContainerCDNMetadata.java
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ public class ContainerCDNMetadata extends org.jclouds.blobstore.domain.Container
    private boolean cdn_enabled;
    private String cdn_uri;
 
-   public ContainerCDNMetadata(String name, boolean cdnEnabled, long ttl, String cdnUri) {
-      super(name);
+   public ContainerCDNMetadata(boolean cdnEnabled, long ttl, String cdnUri) {
+      super();
       this.cdn_enabled = cdnEnabled;
       this.ttl = ttl;
       this.cdn_uri = cdnUri;
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/functions/ParseContainerCDNMetadataFromHeaders.java b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/functions/ParseContainerCDNMetadataFromHeaders.java
index 4c3a5705d9..b0345e204c 100644
--- a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/functions/ParseContainerCDNMetadataFromHeaders.java
+++ b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/functions/ParseContainerCDNMetadataFromHeaders.java
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ public class ParseContainerCDNMetadataFromHeaders implements
     */
    public ContainerCDNMetadata apply(final HttpResponse from) {
       // TODO: The container name is not returned as a header, hopefully one day it will be
-      String containerName = null;
 
       String cdnUri = checkNotNull(from.getFirstHeaderOrNull(CloudFilesHeaders.CDN_URI),
                CloudFilesHeaders.CDN_URI);
@@ -57,8 +56,8 @@ public class ParseContainerCDNMetadataFromHeaders implements
          // CDN is not, and has never, been enabled for this container.
          return null;
       } else {
-         return new ContainerCDNMetadata(containerName, Boolean.parseBoolean(cdnEnabled), Long
-                  .parseLong(cdnTTL), cdnUri);
+         return new ContainerCDNMetadata(Boolean.parseBoolean(cdnEnabled), Long.parseLong(cdnTTL),
+                  cdnUri);
       }
    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesBlobStoreLiveTest.java b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesBlobStoreLiveTest.java
index 15d975ab1d..4f13e0e83a 100644
--- a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesBlobStoreLiveTest.java
+++ b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesBlobStoreLiveTest.java
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ public class CloudFilesBlobStoreLiveTest {
    public void setupConnection() {
       String account = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.user");
       String key = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.key");
-      connection = CloudFilesContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, key).withModule(
-               new Log4JLoggingModule()).withJsonDebug().buildContext().getApi();
+      connection = CloudFilesContextFactory.createCloudFilesContext(account, key,
+               new Log4JLoggingModule()).getApi();
    }
 
    @Test
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNConnectionLiveTest.java b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNConnectionLiveTest.java
index a3c14b83fc..bc4a07091d 100644
--- a/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNConnectionLiveTest.java
+++ b/rackspace/cloudfiles/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudfiles/CloudFilesCDNConnectionLiveTest.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import static org.testng.Assert.assertTrue;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
+import org.jclouds.blobstore.ContainerNotFoundException;
 import org.jclouds.logging.log4j.config.Log4JLoggingModule;
 import org.jclouds.rackspace.cloudfiles.domain.ContainerCDNMetadata;
 import org.jclouds.rackspace.cloudfiles.options.ListCdnContainerOptions;
@@ -55,10 +56,10 @@ public class CloudFilesCDNConnectionLiveTest {
       String account = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.user");
       String key = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.key");
 
-      cdnConnection = CloudFilesCDNContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, key).withModule(
-               new Log4JLoggingModule()).withJsonDebug().buildContext().getApi();
-      filesConnection = CloudFilesContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, key).withModule(
-               new Log4JLoggingModule()).withJsonDebug().buildContext().getApi();
+      cdnConnection = CloudFilesCDNContextFactory.createCloudFilesCDNContext(account, key,
+               new Log4JLoggingModule()).getApi();
+      filesConnection = CloudFilesContextFactory.createCloudFilesContext(account, key,
+               new Log4JLoggingModule()).getApi();
    }
 
    @Test
@@ -84,11 +85,17 @@ public class CloudFilesCDNConnectionLiveTest {
       assertEquals(cdnMetadata.getCdnUri(), cdnUri);
       final long initialTTL = cdnMetadata.getTtl();
 
-      // Check HEAD responses for non-existent container, and container with no CDN metadata
-      cdnMetadata = cdnConnection.getCDNMetadata(containerNameWithoutCDN);
-      assertEquals(cdnMetadata, null);
-      cdnMetadata = cdnConnection.getCDNMetadata("DoesNotExist");
-      assertEquals(cdnMetadata, null);
+      try {
+         cdnMetadata = cdnConnection.getCDNMetadata(containerNameWithoutCDN);
+         assert false : "should not exist";
+      } catch (ContainerNotFoundException e) {
+      }
+
+      try {
+         cdnMetadata = cdnConnection.getCDNMetadata("DoesNotExist");
+         assert false : "should not exist";
+      } catch (ContainerNotFoundException e) {
+      }
 
       // List CDN metadata for containers, and ensure all CDN info is available for enabled
       // container
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersContextFactory.java b/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersContextFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9877a49234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersContextFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package org.jclouds.rackspace.cloudservers;
+
+import java.net.URI;
+
+import org.jclouds.http.config.JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule;
+import org.jclouds.logging.jdk.config.JDKLoggingModule;
+
+import com.google.inject.Module;
+
+/**
+ * Creates {@link CloudServersContext} instances based on the most commonly requested arguments.
+ * <p/>
+ * Note that Threadsafe objects will be bound as singletons to the Injector or Context provided.
+ * <p/>
+ * <p/>
+ * If no <code>Module</code>s are specified, the default {@link JDKLoggingModule logging} and
+ * {@link JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorServiceModule http transports} will be installed.
+ * 
+ * @author Adrian Cole, Andrew Newdigate
+ * @see CloudServersContext
+ */
+public class CloudServersContextFactory {
+
+   public static CloudServersContext createCloudServersContext(String user, String key,
+            Module... modules) {
+      return CloudServersContextBuilder.newBuilder(user, key).withModules(modules).buildContext();
+   }
+
+   public static CloudServersContext createCloudServersContext(URI endpoint, String user,
+            String key, Module... modules) {
+      return CloudServersContextBuilder.newBuilder(user, key).withEndpoint(endpoint).withModules(
+               modules).buildContext();
+   }
+}
diff --git a/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersConnectionLiveTest.java b/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersConnectionLiveTest.java
index 48f78ee4d6..8fda93644f 100755
--- a/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersConnectionLiveTest.java
+++ b/rackspace/cloudservers/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rackspace/cloudservers/CloudServersConnectionLiveTest.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import org.testng.annotations.BeforeGroups;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
+import com.google.inject.Guice;
 import com.google.inject.Injector;
 
 /**
@@ -78,10 +79,12 @@ public class CloudServersConnectionLiveTest {
       String account = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.user");
       String key = System.getProperty("jclouds.test.key");
 
-      Injector injector = CloudServersContextBuilder.newBuilder(account, key).withModules(
-               new Log4JLoggingModule(), new JschSshConnectionModule()).withJsonDebug()
-               .buildInjector();
-      connection = injector.getInstance(CloudServersConnection.class);
+      connection = CloudServersContextFactory.createCloudServersContext(account, key,
+               new Log4JLoggingModule()).getApi();
+
+      Injector injector = Guice.createInjector(new Log4JLoggingModule(),
+               new JschSshConnectionModule());
+
       sshFactory = injector.getInstance(SshConnection.Factory.class);
 
    }