diff --git a/backend/Cargo.lock b/backend/Cargo.lock
index dab8fa7..4f87f91 100644
--- a/backend/Cargo.lock
+++ b/backend/Cargo.lock
@@ -86,6 +86,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "generic-array",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "bstr"
+version = "0.2.16"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "90682c8d613ad3373e66de8c6411e0ae2ab2571e879d2efbf73558cc66f21279"
+dependencies = [
+ "lazy_static",
+ "memchr",
+ "regex-automata",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "buf_redux"
 version = "0.8.4"
@@ -120,6 +132,15 @@ version = "1.0.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b700ce4376041dcd0a327fd0097c41095743c4c8af8887265942faf1100bd040"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "cast"
+version = "0.2.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4c24dab4283a142afa2fdca129b80ad2c6284e073930f964c3a1293c225ee39a"
+dependencies = [
+ "rustc_version",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cc"
 version = "1.0.68"
@@ -214,12 +235,116 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "criterion"
+version = "0.3.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ab327ed7354547cc2ef43cbe20ef68b988e70b4b593cbd66a2a61733123a3d23"
+dependencies = [
+ "atty",
+ "cast",
+ "clap",
+ "criterion-plot",
+ "csv",
+ "futures",
+ "itertools 0.10.1",
+ "lazy_static",
+ "num-traits",
+ "oorandom",
+ "plotters",
+ "rayon",
+ "regex",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_cbor",
+ "serde_derive",
+ "serde_json",
+ "tinytemplate",
+ "tokio",
+ "walkdir",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "criterion-plot"
+version = "0.4.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e022feadec601fba1649cfa83586381a4ad31c6bf3a9ab7d408118b05dd9889d"
+dependencies = [
+ "cast",
+ "itertools 0.9.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "crossbeam-channel"
+version = "0.5.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "06ed27e177f16d65f0f0c22a213e17c696ace5dd64b14258b52f9417ccb52db4"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "crossbeam-utils",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "crossbeam-deque"
+version = "0.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "94af6efb46fef72616855b036a624cf27ba656ffc9be1b9a3c931cfc7749a9a9"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "crossbeam-epoch",
+ "crossbeam-utils",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "crossbeam-epoch"
+version = "0.9.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4ec02e091aa634e2c3ada4a392989e7c3116673ef0ac5b72232439094d73b7fd"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "crossbeam-utils",
+ "lazy_static",
+ "memoffset",
+ "scopeguard",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "crossbeam-utils"
+version = "0.8.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d82cfc11ce7f2c3faef78d8a684447b40d503d9681acebed6cb728d45940c4db"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "lazy_static",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "crunchy"
 version = "0.2.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7a81dae078cea95a014a339291cec439d2f232ebe854a9d672b796c6afafa9b7"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "csv"
+version = "1.1.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "22813a6dc45b335f9bade10bf7271dc477e81113e89eb251a0bc2a8a81c536e1"
+dependencies = [
+ "bstr",
+ "csv-core",
+ "itoa",
+ "ryu",
+ "serde",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "csv-core"
+version = "0.1.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "2b2466559f260f48ad25fe6317b3c8dac77b5bdb5763ac7d9d6103530663bc90"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "digest"
 version = "0.9.0"
@@ -229,6 +354,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "generic-array",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "either"
+version = "1.6.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e78d4f1cc4ae33bbfc157ed5d5a5ef3bc29227303d595861deb238fcec4e9457"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "encoding_rs"
 version = "0.8.28"
@@ -432,6 +563,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "half"
+version = "1.7.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "62aca2aba2d62b4a7f5b33f3712cb1b0692779a56fb510499d5c0aa594daeaf3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "hashbrown"
 version = "0.9.1"
@@ -621,6 +758,24 @@ version = "2.3.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "68f2d64f2edebec4ce84ad108148e67e1064789bee435edc5b60ad398714a3a9"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "itertools"
+version = "0.9.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "284f18f85651fe11e8a991b2adb42cb078325c996ed026d994719efcfca1d54b"
+dependencies = [
+ "either",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "itertools"
+version = "0.10.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "69ddb889f9d0d08a67338271fa9b62996bc788c7796a5c18cf057420aaed5eaf"
+dependencies = [
+ "either",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "itoa"
 version = "0.4.7"
@@ -678,6 +833,15 @@ version = "2.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b16bd47d9e329435e309c58469fe0791c2d0d1ba96ec0954152a5ae2b04387dc"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "memoffset"
+version = "0.6.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "59accc507f1338036a0477ef61afdae33cde60840f4dfe481319ce3ad116ddf9"
+dependencies = [
+ "autocfg",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "mime"
 version = "0.3.16"
@@ -796,6 +960,12 @@ version = "1.8.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "692fcb63b64b1758029e0a96ee63e049ce8c5948587f2f7208df04625e5f6b56"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "oorandom"
+version = "11.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0ab1bc2a289d34bd04a330323ac98a1b4bc82c9d9fcb1e66b63caa84da26b575"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "opaque-debug"
 version = "0.3.0"
@@ -916,6 +1086,34 @@ version = "0.3.19"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "3831453b3449ceb48b6d9c7ad7c96d5ea673e9b470a1dc578c2ce6521230884c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "plotters"
+version = "0.3.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "32a3fd9ec30b9749ce28cd91f255d569591cdf937fe280c312143e3c4bad6f2a"
+dependencies = [
+ "num-traits",
+ "plotters-backend",
+ "plotters-svg",
+ "wasm-bindgen",
+ "web-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "plotters-backend"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d88417318da0eaf0fdcdb51a0ee6c3bed624333bff8f946733049380be67ac1c"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "plotters-svg"
+version = "0.3.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "521fa9638fa597e1dc53e9412a4f9cefb01187ee1f7413076f9e6749e2885ba9"
+dependencies = [
+ "plotters-backend",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ppv-lite86"
 version = "0.2.10"
@@ -1081,6 +1279,31 @@ dependencies = [
  "rand_core 0.6.3",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rayon"
+version = "1.5.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c06aca804d41dbc8ba42dfd964f0d01334eceb64314b9ecf7c5fad5188a06d90"
+dependencies = [
+ "autocfg",
+ "crossbeam-deque",
+ "either",
+ "rayon-core",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "rayon-core"
+version = "1.9.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d78120e2c850279833f1dd3582f730c4ab53ed95aeaaaa862a2a5c71b1656d8e"
+dependencies = [
+ "crossbeam-channel",
+ "crossbeam-deque",
+ "crossbeam-utils",
+ "lazy_static",
+ "num_cpus",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "redox_syscall"
 version = "0.2.9"
@@ -1090,6 +1313,27 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "regex"
+version = "1.5.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d07a8629359eb56f1e2fb1652bb04212c072a87ba68546a04065d525673ac461"
+dependencies = [
+ "regex-syntax",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-automata"
+version = "0.1.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6c230d73fb8d8c1b9c0b3135c5142a8acee3a0558fb8db5cf1cb65f8d7862132"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-syntax"
+version = "0.6.25"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f497285884f3fcff424ffc933e56d7cbca511def0c9831a7f9b5f6153e3cc89b"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "remove_dir_all"
 version = "0.5.3"
@@ -1146,6 +1390,15 @@ version = "2.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "3e75f6a532d0fd9f7f13144f392b6ad56a32696bfcd9c78f797f16bbb6f072d6"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rustc_version"
+version = "0.4.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bfa0f585226d2e68097d4f95d113b15b83a82e819ab25717ec0590d9584ef366"
+dependencies = [
+ "semver",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ryu"
 version = "1.0.5"
@@ -1158,6 +1411,15 @@ version = "0.3.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ef703b7cb59335eae2eb93ceb664c0eb7ea6bf567079d843e09420219668e072"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "same-file"
+version = "1.0.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "93fc1dc3aaa9bfed95e02e6eadabb4baf7e3078b0bd1b4d7b6b0b68378900502"
+dependencies = [
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "schannel"
 version = "0.1.19"
@@ -1203,6 +1465,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "semver"
+version = "1.0.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5f3aac57ee7f3272d8395c6e4f502f434f0e289fcd62876f70daa008c20dcabe"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
 version = "1.0.126"
@@ -1212,6 +1480,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_cbor"
+version = "0.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1e18acfa2f90e8b735b2836ab8d538de304cbb6729a7360729ea5a895d15a622"
+dependencies = [
+ "half",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_derive"
 version = "1.0.126"
@@ -1379,6 +1657,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bimap",
  "bincode",
  "common",
+ "criterion",
  "futures",
  "hex",
  "http",
@@ -1493,6 +1772,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tinytemplate"
+version = "1.2.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "be4d6b5f19ff7664e8c98d03e2139cb510db9b0a60b55f8e8709b689d939b6bc"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "tinyvec"
 version = "1.2.0"
@@ -1749,6 +2038,17 @@ version = "0.9.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "5fecdca9a5291cc2b8dcf7dc02453fee791a280f3743cb0905f8822ae463b3fe"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "walkdir"
+version = "2.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "808cf2735cd4b6866113f648b791c6adc5714537bc222d9347bb203386ffda56"
+dependencies = [
+ "same-file",
+ "winapi",
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "want"
 version = "0.3.0"
@@ -1894,6 +2194,15 @@ version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ac3b87c63620426dd9b991e5ce0329eff545bccbbb34f3be09ff6fb6ab51b7b6"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "winapi-util"
+version = "0.1.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "70ec6ce85bb158151cae5e5c87f95a8e97d2c0c4b001223f33a334e3ce5de178"
+dependencies = [
+ "winapi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "winapi-x86_64-pc-windows-gnu"
 version = "0.4.0"
diff --git a/backend/telemetry_core/Cargo.toml b/backend/telemetry_core/Cargo.toml
index c78a741..a1acc6c 100644
--- a/backend/telemetry_core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/backend/telemetry_core/Cargo.toml
@@ -31,4 +31,9 @@ tokio-util = { version = "0.6", features = ["compat"] }
 warp = "0.3.1"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-test_utils = { path = "../test_utils" }
\ No newline at end of file
+criterion = { version = "0.3.4", features = ["async", "async_tokio"] }
+test_utils = { path = "../test_utils" }
+
+[[bench]]
+name = "throughput"
+harness = false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/telemetry_core/benches/throughput.rs b/backend/telemetry_core/benches/throughput.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27691fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/telemetry_core/benches/throughput.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+use test_utils::workspace::start_server_release;
+use criterion::{criterion_group, criterion_main, Criterion};
+use tokio::runtime::Runtime;
+use serde_json::json;
+use common::node_types::BlockHash;
+
+pub fn benchmark_throughput_single_shard(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    let rt = Runtime::new().expect("tokio runtime should start");
+
+    // Setup our server and node/feed connections first:
+    let (nodes, feeds) = rt.block_on(async {
+        let mut server = start_server_release().await;
+        let shard_id = server.add_shard().await.unwrap();
+
+        // Connect 1000 nodes to the shard:
+        let mut nodes = server
+            .get_shard(shard_id)
+            .unwrap()
+            .connect_multiple(1000)
+            .await
+            .expect("nodes can connect");
+
+        // Every node announces itself on the same chain:
+        for (idx, (node_tx, _)) in nodes.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+            node_tx.send_json_text(json!({
+                "id":1, // message ID, not node ID. Can be the same for all.
+                "ts":"2021-07-12T10:37:47.714666+01:00",
+                "payload": {
+                    "authority":true,
+                    "chain":"Local Testnet",
+                    "config":"",
+                    "genesis_hash": BlockHash::from_low_u64_ne(1),
+                    "implementation":"Substrate Node",
+                    "msg":"system.connected",
+                    "name": format!("Alice {}", idx),
+                    "network_id":"12D3KooWEyoppNCUx8Yx66oV9fJnriXwCcXwDDUA2kj6vnc6iDEp",
+                    "startup_time":"1625565542717",
+                    "version":"2.0.0-07a1af348-aarch64-macos"
+                }
+            })).await.unwrap();
+        }
+
+        // Start 1000 feeds:
+        let mut feeds = server
+            .get_core()
+            .connect_multiple(1000)
+            .await
+            .expect("feeds can connect");
+
+        // Subscribe all feeds to the chain:
+        for (feed_tx, _) in feeds.iter_mut() {
+            feed_tx.send_command("subscribe", "Local Testnet").await.unwrap();
+        }
+
+        // Consume any messages feeds have received so far:
+        let feed_consumers = feeds
+            .iter_mut()
+            .map(|(_,rx)| rx.recv_feed_messages());
+        futures::future::join_all(feed_consumers).await;
+
+        tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(100)).await;
+
+        (nodes, feeds)
+    });
+
+    // Next, run criterion using the same tokio runtime to benchmark time taken to send
+    // messages to nodes and receive them from feeds.
+    c.bench_function(
+        "throughput time",
+        |b| b.to_async(&rt).iter(|| async {
+
+            // TODO: Actually implement the benchmark.
+
+        })
+    );
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, benchmark_throughput_single_shard);
+criterion_main!(benches);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/telemetry_core/tests/basic_tests.rs b/backend/telemetry_core/tests/e2e_tests.rs
similarity index 94%
rename from backend/telemetry_core/tests/basic_tests.rs
rename to backend/telemetry_core/tests/e2e_tests.rs
index 48ad776..6b1178b 100644
--- a/backend/telemetry_core/tests/basic_tests.rs
+++ b/backend/telemetry_core/tests/e2e_tests.rs
@@ -4,21 +4,12 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 use test_utils::{
     assert_contains_matches,
     feed_message_de::{FeedMessage, NodeDetails},
-    server::{self, Server},
+    workspace::start_server_debug
 };
 
-async fn cargo_run_server() -> Server {
-    Server::start(server::StartOpts {
-        shard_command: server::cargo_run_commands::telemetry_shard().expect("valid shard command"),
-        core_command: server::cargo_run_commands::telemetry_core().expect("valid core command"),
-    })
-    .await
-    .unwrap()
-}
-
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn feed_sent_version_on_connect() {
-    let server = cargo_run_server().await;
+    let server = start_server_debug().await;
 
     // Connect a feed:
     let (_feed_tx, mut feed_rx) = server.get_core().connect().await.unwrap();
@@ -37,7 +28,7 @@ async fn feed_sent_version_on_connect() {
 
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn feed_ping_responded_to_with_pong() {
-    let server = cargo_run_server().await;
+    let server = start_server_debug().await;
 
     // Connect a feed:
     let (mut feed_tx, mut feed_rx) = server.get_core().connect().await.unwrap();
@@ -61,7 +52,7 @@ async fn feed_ping_responded_to_with_pong() {
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn feed_add_and_remove_node() {
     // Connect server and add shard
-    let mut server = cargo_run_server().await;
+    let mut server = start_server_debug().await;
     let shard_id = server.add_shard().await.unwrap();
 
     // Connect a node to the shard:
@@ -122,7 +113,7 @@ async fn feed_add_and_remove_node() {
 
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn feed_add_and_remove_shard() {
-    let mut server = cargo_run_server().await;
+    let mut server = start_server_debug().await;
 
     let mut shards = vec![];
     for id in 1..=2 {
@@ -202,7 +193,7 @@ async fn feed_can_subscribe_and_unsubscribe_from_chain() {
     use FeedMessage::*;
 
     // Start server, add shard, connect node:
-    let mut server = cargo_run_server().await;
+    let mut server = start_server_debug().await;
     let shard_id = server.add_shard().await.unwrap();
     let (mut node_tx, _node_rx) = server.get_shard(shard_id).unwrap().connect().await.unwrap();
 
diff --git a/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs b/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs
index 195eaf8..6572966 100644
--- a/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#[warn(missing_docs)]
+
 mod aggregator;
 mod connection;
 mod json_message;
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/lib.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/lib.rs
index da19dca..5004ef1 100644
--- a/backend/test_utils/src/lib.rs
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@ pub mod ws_client;
 /// in an iterable container.
 #[macro_use]
 pub mod contains_matches;
+
+/// Utilities to help with running tests from within this current workspace.
+pub mod workspace;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/server/cargo_run_commands.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/server/cargo_run_commands.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index c0470a1..0000000
--- a/backend/test_utils/src/server/cargo_run_commands.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-//! A pair of commands we can use when running `cargo test` style tests in this workspace
-//! that want to test the current code. For more external tests, we may want to ask for the
-//! commands, or connect to a running instance instead.
-
-use super::Command;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
-
-/// Runs `cargo run` in the current workspace to start up a telemetry shard process
-pub fn telemetry_shard() -> Result<Command, std::io::Error> {
-    telemetry_command("telemetry_shard")
-}
-
-/// Runs `cargo run` in the current workspace to start up a telemetry core process
-pub fn telemetry_core() -> Result<Command, std::io::Error> {
-    telemetry_command("telemetry_core")
-}
-
-fn telemetry_command(bin: &'static str) -> Result<Command, std::io::Error> {
-    let mut workspace_dir = try_find_workspace_dir()?;
-    workspace_dir.push("Cargo.toml");
-    Ok(Command::new("cargo")
-        .arg("run")
-        .arg("--bin")
-        .arg(bin)
-        .arg("--manifest-path")
-        .arg(workspace_dir)
-        .arg("--"))
-}
-
-/// A _very_ naive way to find the workspace ("backend") directory
-/// from the current path (which is assumed to be inside it).
-fn try_find_workspace_dir() -> Result<PathBuf, std::io::Error> {
-    let mut dir = std::env::current_dir()?;
-    while !dir.ends_with("backend") && dir.pop() {}
-    Ok(dir)
-}
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/server/mod.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/server/mod.rs
index 1bff5aa..3a7c665 100644
--- a/backend/test_utils/src/server/mod.rs
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/server/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 mod server;
 mod utils;
 
-pub mod cargo_run_commands;
 pub mod channels;
 pub use server::*;
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/commands.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/commands.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df7f97a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/commands.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+//! Commands that we can use when running `cargo test` style tests in this workspace
+//! that want to test the current code.
+use crate::server::Command;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+/// Runs `cargo run` in the current workspace to start up a telemetry shard process.
+///
+/// Note: The CWD must be somewhere within this backend workspace for the command to work.
+pub fn cargo_run_telemetry_shard(release_mode: bool) -> Result<Command, std::io::Error> {
+    telemetry_command("telemetry_shard", release_mode)
+}
+
+/// Runs `cargo run` in the current workspace to start up a telemetry core process.
+///
+/// Note: The CWD must be somewhere within this backend workspace for the command to work.
+pub fn cargo_run_telemetry_core(release_mode: bool) -> Result<Command, std::io::Error> {
+    telemetry_command("telemetry_core", release_mode)
+}
+
+fn telemetry_command(bin: &'static str, release_mode: bool) -> Result<Command, std::io::Error> {
+    let mut workspace_dir = try_find_workspace_dir()?;
+    workspace_dir.push("Cargo.toml");
+
+    let mut cmd = Command::new("cargo").arg("run");
+
+    // Release mode?
+    if release_mode {
+        cmd = cmd.arg("--release");
+    }
+
+    cmd = cmd.arg("--bin")
+        .arg(bin)
+        .arg("--manifest-path")
+        .arg(workspace_dir)
+        .arg("--");
+
+    Ok(cmd)
+}
+
+/// A _very_ naive way to find the workspace ("backend") directory
+/// from the current path (which is assumed to be inside it).
+fn try_find_workspace_dir() -> Result<PathBuf, std::io::Error> {
+    let mut dir = std::env::current_dir()?;
+    while !dir.ends_with("backend") && dir.pop() {}
+    Ok(dir)
+}
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/mod.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9803ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+mod commands;
+mod start_server;
+
+pub use start_server::{ start_server_debug, start_server_release };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a11f76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+use super::commands;
+use crate::server::{self, Server, Command};
+
+/// Start a telemetry core server. We'll use `cargo run` by default, to ensure that
+/// the code we run is uptodate, but you can also provide env vars to configure the binary
+/// that runs for the shard and core process:
+///
+/// TELEMETRY_SHARD_BIN - path to telemetry_shard binary
+/// TELEMETRY_CORE_BIN - path to telemetry_core binary
+async fn start_server(release_mode: bool) -> Server {
+    let shard_command = std::env::var("TELEMETRY_SHARD_BIN")
+        .map(|val| Command::new(val))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|_| commands::cargo_run_telemetry_shard(release_mode).expect("valid shard command"));
+
+    let core_command = std::env::var("TELEMETRY_CORE_BIN")
+        .map(|val| Command::new(val))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|_| commands::cargo_run_telemetry_core(release_mode).expect("valid core command"));
+
+    Server::start(server::StartOpts { shard_command, core_command }).await.unwrap()
+}
+
+/// Start a telemetry server using debug builds for compile speed
+pub async fn start_server_debug() -> Server {
+    start_server(false).await
+}
+
+/// Start a telemetry server using release builds for performance accuracy
+pub async fn start_server_release() -> Server {
+    start_server(true).await
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/ws_client.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/ws_client.rs
index 9da8fd2..ed5e5d4 100644
--- a/backend/test_utils/src/ws_client.rs
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/ws_client.rs
@@ -11,10 +11,15 @@ pub struct Sender {
 }
 
 impl Sender {
+    /// Ask the underlying Websocket connection to close.
     pub async fn close(&mut self) -> Result<(), SendError> {
         self.inner.send(SentMessage::Close).await?;
         Ok(())
     }
+    /// Returns whether this channel is closed.
+    pub fn is_closed(&mut self) -> bool {
+        self.inner.is_closed()
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(thiserror::Error, Debug, Clone)]