diff --git a/src/telemetry/.gitlab-ci.yml b/src/telemetry/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d2e7e8cf38e714722002f7d405e4c54665626812..1d63654d9b5a14de7299c8e766b5bd40a75d6a12 100644
--- a/src/telemetry/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/src/telemetry/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ build kpi-manager:
   before_script:
     - docker login -u "$CI_REGISTRY_USER" -p "$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" $CI_REGISTRY
   script:
+    # This first build tags the builder resulting image to prevent being removed by dangling image removal command
+    - docker buildx build -t "${IMAGE_NAME}-backend:${IMAGE_TAG}-builder" --target builder -f ./src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/Dockerfile .
     - docker buildx build -t "${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend:$IMAGE_TAG" -f ./src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/Dockerfile .
     - docker buildx build -t "${IMAGE_NAME}-backend:$IMAGE_TAG" -f ./src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/Dockerfile .
     - docker tag "${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend:$IMAGE_TAG" "$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend:$IMAGE_TAG"
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ build kpi-manager:
     - changes:
       - src/common/**/*.py
       - proto/*.proto
+      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/.gitlab-ci.yml
       - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/**/*.{py,in,yml}
       - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/Dockerfile
       - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/tests/*.py
@@ -45,7 +48,75 @@ build kpi-manager:
       - .gitlab-ci.yml
 
 # Apply unit test to the component
-unit_test telemetry:
+unit_test telemetry-backend:
+  variables:
+    IMAGE_NAME: 'telemetry' # name of the microservice
+    IMAGE_TAG: 'latest' # tag of the container image (production, development, etc)
+  stage: unit_test
+  needs:
+    - build telemetry
+  before_script:
+    - docker login -u "$CI_REGISTRY_USER" -p "$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" $CI_REGISTRY
+    - if docker network list | grep teraflowbridge; then echo "teraflowbridge is already created"; else docker network create -d bridge teraflowbridge; fi
+    - if docker container ls | grep kafka; then docker rm -f kafka; else echo "Kafka container is not in the system"; fi
+    - if docker container ls | grep zookeeper; then docker rm -f zookeeper; else echo "Zookeeper container is not in the system"; fi
+    # - if docker container ls | grep ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend; then docker rm -f ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend; else echo "${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend container is not in the system"; fi
+    - if docker container ls | grep ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend; then docker rm -f ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend; else echo "${IMAGE_NAME}-backend container is not in the system"; fi
+    - docker container prune -f
+  script:
+    - docker pull "$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/${IMAGE_NAME}-backend:$IMAGE_TAG"
+    - docker pull "bitnami/zookeeper:latest"
+    - docker pull "bitnami/kafka:latest"
+    - >
+      docker run --name zookeeper -d --network=teraflowbridge -p 2181:2181
+      bitnami/zookeeper:latest
+    - sleep 10 # Wait for Zookeeper to start
+    - docker run --name kafka -d --network=teraflowbridge -p 9092:9092
+      --env KAFKA_ZOOKEEPER_CONNECT=zookeeper:2181
+      --env ALLOW_PLAINTEXT_LISTENER=yes
+      bitnami/kafka:latest
+    - sleep 20 # Wait for Kafka to start
+    - KAFKA_IP=$(docker inspect kafka --format "{{.NetworkSettings.Networks.teraflowbridge.IPAddress}}")
+    - echo $KAFKA_IP    
+    - >
+      docker run --name $IMAGE_NAME -d -p 30060:30060
+      --env "KFK_SERVER_ADDRESS=${KAFKA_IP}:9092"
+      --volume "$PWD/src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/tests:/opt/results"
+      --network=teraflowbridge
+      $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/${IMAGE_NAME}-backend:$IMAGE_TAG
+    - docker ps -a
+    - sleep 5
+    - docker logs ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend
+    - >
+      docker exec -i ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend bash -c
+      "coverage run -m pytest --log-level=INFO --verbose --junitxml=/opt/results/${IMAGE_NAME}-backend_report.xml $IMAGE_NAME/backend/tests/test_*.py"
+    - docker exec -i ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend bash -c "coverage report --include='${IMAGE_NAME}/*' --show-missing"
+  coverage: '/TOTAL\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+(\d+%)/'
+  after_script:
+    - docker network rm teraflowbridge
+    - docker volume prune --force
+    - docker image prune --force
+    - docker rm -f ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend
+    - docker rm -f zookeeper
+    - docker rm -f kafka
+  rules:
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && ($CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "develop" || $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH)'
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
+    - changes:
+      - src/common/**/*.py
+      - proto/*.proto
+      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/**/*.{py,in,yml}
+      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/Dockerfile
+      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/tests/*.py
+      - manifests/${IMAGE_NAME}service.yaml
+      - .gitlab-ci.yml
+  artifacts:
+      when: always
+      reports:
+        junit: src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/tests/${IMAGE_NAME}-backend_report.xml
+
+# Apply unit test to the component
+unit_test telemetry-frontend:
   variables:
     IMAGE_NAME: 'telemetry' # name of the microservice
     IMAGE_TAG: 'latest' # tag of the container image (production, development, etc)
@@ -57,12 +128,14 @@ unit_test telemetry:
     - if docker network list | grep teraflowbridge; then echo "teraflowbridge is already created"; else docker network create -d bridge teraflowbridge; fi
     - if docker container ls | grep crdb; then docker rm -f crdb; else echo "CockroachDB container is not in the system"; fi
     - if docker volume ls | grep crdb; then docker volume rm -f crdb; else echo "CockroachDB volume is not in the system"; fi
+    - if docker container ls | grep kafka; then docker rm -f kafka; else echo "Kafka container is not in the system"; fi
+    - if docker container ls | grep zookeeper; then docker rm -f zookeeper; else echo "Zookeeper container is not in the system"; fi
     - if docker container ls | grep ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend; then docker rm -f ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend; else echo "${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend container is not in the system"; fi
-    - if docker container ls | grep ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend; then docker rm -f ${IMAGE_NAME}-backend; else echo "${IMAGE_NAME}-backend container is not in the system"; fi
     - docker container prune -f
   script:
-    - docker pull "$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/${IMAGE_NAME}-backend:$IMAGE_TAG"
     - docker pull "$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend:$IMAGE_TAG"
+    - docker pull "bitnami/zookeeper:latest"
+    - docker pull "bitnami/kafka:latest"
     - docker pull "cockroachdb/cockroach:latest-v22.2"
     - docker volume create crdb
     - >
@@ -77,66 +150,51 @@ unit_test telemetry:
     - CRDB_ADDRESS=$(docker inspect crdb --format "{{.NetworkSettings.Networks.teraflowbridge.IPAddress}}")
     - echo $CRDB_ADDRESS
     - >
-      docker run --name $IMAGE_NAME -d -p 30010:30010
+      docker run --name zookeeper -d --network=teraflowbridge -p 2181:2181
+      bitnami/zookeeper:latest
+    - sleep 10 # Wait for Zookeeper to start
+    - docker run --name kafka -d --network=teraflowbridge -p 9092:9092
+      --env KAFKA_ZOOKEEPER_CONNECT=zookeeper:2181
+      --env ALLOW_PLAINTEXT_LISTENER=yes
+      bitnami/kafka:latest
+    - sleep 20 # Wait for Kafka to start
+    - KAFKA_IP=$(docker inspect kafka --format "{{.NetworkSettings.Networks.teraflowbridge.IPAddress}}")
+    - echo $KAFKA_IP    
+    - >
+      docker run --name $IMAGE_NAME -d -p 30050:30050
       --env "CRDB_URI=cockroachdb://tfs:tfs123@${CRDB_ADDRESS}:26257/tfs_test?sslmode=require"
-      --volume "$PWD/src/$IMAGE_NAME/tests:/opt/results"
+      --env "KFK_SERVER_ADDRESS=${KAFKA_IP}:9092"
+      --volume "$PWD/src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/tests:/opt/results"
       --network=teraflowbridge
-      $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/$IMAGE_NAME:$IMAGE_TAG
+      $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend:$IMAGE_TAG
     - docker ps -a
     - sleep 5
-    - docker logs $IMAGE_NAME
+    - docker logs ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend
     - >
-      docker exec -i $IMAGE_NAME bash -c
-      "coverage run -m pytest --log-level=INFO --verbose --junitxml=/opt/results/${IMAGE_NAME}_report.xml $IMAGE_NAME/tests/test_*.py"
-    - docker exec -i $IMAGE_NAME bash -c "coverage report --include='${IMAGE_NAME}/*' --show-missing"
+      docker exec -i ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend bash -c
+      "coverage run -m pytest --log-level=INFO --verbose --junitxml=/opt/results/${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend_report.xml $IMAGE_NAME/frontend/tests/test_*.py"
+    - docker exec -i ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend bash -c "coverage report --include='${IMAGE_NAME}/*' --show-missing"
   coverage: '/TOTAL\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+(\d+%)/'
   after_script:
     - docker volume rm -f crdb
     - docker network rm teraflowbridge
     - docker volume prune --force
     - docker image prune --force
+    - docker rm -f ${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend
+    - docker rm -f zookeeper
+    - docker rm -f kafka
   rules:
     - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && ($CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "develop" || $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH)'
     - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
     - changes:
       - src/common/**/*.py
       - proto/*.proto
-      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/**/*.{py,in,yml}
+      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/**/*.{py,in,yml}
       - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/Dockerfile
       - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/tests/*.py
-      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/tests/Dockerfile
-      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/Dockerfile
-      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/tests/*.py
-      - src/$IMAGE_NAME/backend/tests/Dockerfile
       - manifests/${IMAGE_NAME}service.yaml
       - .gitlab-ci.yml
-  # artifacts:
-  #     when: always
-  #     reports:
-  #       junit: src/$IMAGE_NAME/tests/${IMAGE_NAME}_report.xml
-
-## Deployment of the service in Kubernetes Cluster
-#deploy context:
-#  variables:
-#    IMAGE_NAME: 'context' # name of the microservice
-#    IMAGE_TAG: 'latest' # tag of the container image (production, development, etc)
-#  stage: deploy
-#  needs:
-#    - unit test context
-#    # - integ_test execute
-#  script:
-#    - 'sed -i "s/$IMAGE_NAME:.*/$IMAGE_NAME:$IMAGE_TAG/" manifests/${IMAGE_NAME}service.yaml'
-#    - kubectl version
-#    - kubectl get all
-#    - kubectl apply -f "manifests/${IMAGE_NAME}service.yaml"
-#    - kubectl get all
-#  # environment:
-#  #   name: test
-#  #   url: https://example.com
-#  #   kubernetes:
-#  #     namespace: test
-#  rules:
-#    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && ($CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "develop" || $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH)'
-#      when: manual    
-#    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
-#      when: manual
+  artifacts:
+      when: always
+      reports:
+        junit: src/$IMAGE_NAME/frontend/tests/${IMAGE_NAME}-frontend_report.xml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/telemetry/backend/service/TelemetryBackendService.py b/src/telemetry/backend/service/TelemetryBackendService.py
index 048474d9301766ddbcd965fc6cd18918e73f6bfd..6b9a6a8da537aa8cfff00896c75f65de46954787 100755
--- a/src/telemetry/backend/service/TelemetryBackendService.py
+++ b/src/telemetry/backend/service/TelemetryBackendService.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ class TelemetryBackendService:
 
     def __init__(self):
         LOGGER.info('Init TelemetryBackendService')
-        self.kafka_producer = KafkaProducer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.SERVER_ADDRESS.value})
-        self.kafka_consumer = KafkaConsumer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.SERVER_ADDRESS.value,
+        self.kafka_producer = KafkaProducer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.get_kafka_address()})
+        self.kafka_consumer = KafkaConsumer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.get_kafka_address(),
                                             'group.id'           : 'backend',
                                             'auto.offset.reset'  : 'latest'})
         self.running_threads = {}
diff --git a/src/telemetry/backend/tests/testTelemetryBackend.py b/src/telemetry/backend/tests/testTelemetryBackend.py
index 3d7ec82ac30d042f278df03db0b3f24e9b0604da..95710ff8805593f3152c3f6905bacc20a96ea166 100644
--- a/src/telemetry/backend/tests/testTelemetryBackend.py
+++ b/src/telemetry/backend/tests/testTelemetryBackend.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import logging
+from common.tools.kafka.Variables import KafkaTopic
 from src.telemetry.backend.service.TelemetryBackendService import TelemetryBackendService
 
 
@@ -23,6 +24,12 @@ LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 # Tests Implementation of Telemetry Backend
 ###########################
 
+# --- "test_validate_kafka_topics" should be run before the functionality tests ---
+def test_validate_kafka_topics():
+    LOGGER.debug(" >>> test_validate_kafka_topics: START <<< ")
+    response = KafkaTopic.create_all_topics()
+    assert isinstance(response, bool)
+
 def test_RunRequestListener():
     LOGGER.info('test_RunRequestListener')
     TelemetryBackendServiceObj = TelemetryBackendService()
diff --git a/src/telemetry/frontend/service/TelemetryFrontendServiceServicerImpl.py b/src/telemetry/frontend/service/TelemetryFrontendServiceServicerImpl.py
index e6a6d0cd54c9fa664539c336da5f76d176b4c637..2b872dba33bbe1434b68d5b5d2449e0b228312f7 100644
--- a/src/telemetry/frontend/service/TelemetryFrontendServiceServicerImpl.py
+++ b/src/telemetry/frontend/service/TelemetryFrontendServiceServicerImpl.py
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ class TelemetryFrontendServiceServicerImpl(TelemetryFrontendServiceServicer):
     def __init__(self):
         LOGGER.info('Init TelemetryFrontendService')
         self.tele_db_obj = TelemetryDB()
-        self.kafka_producer = KafkaProducer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.SERVER_ADDRESS.value})
-        self.kafka_consumer = KafkaConsumer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.SERVER_ADDRESS.value,
+        self.kafka_producer = KafkaProducer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.get_kafka_address()})
+        self.kafka_consumer = KafkaConsumer({'bootstrap.servers' : KafkaConfig.get_kafka_address(),
                                             'group.id'           : 'frontend',
                                             'auto.offset.reset'  : 'latest'})
 
diff --git a/src/telemetry/frontend/tests/test_frontend.py b/src/telemetry/frontend/tests/test_frontend.py
index 3f8f3ebc805e721908a333228170c0007ce2bce9..9c3f9d3a8f545792eb2bb3a371c6c20664d24f69 100644
--- a/src/telemetry/frontend/tests/test_frontend.py
+++ b/src/telemetry/frontend/tests/test_frontend.py
@@ -16,11 +16,10 @@ import os
 import pytest
 import logging
 
-# from common.proto.context_pb2 import Empty
 from common.Constants import ServiceNameEnum
 from common.proto.telemetry_frontend_pb2 import CollectorId, CollectorList
 from common.proto.context_pb2 import Empty
-
+from common.tools.kafka.Variables import KafkaTopic
 from common.Settings import ( 
     get_service_port_grpc, get_env_var_name, ENVVAR_SUFIX_SERVICE_HOST, ENVVAR_SUFIX_SERVICE_PORT_GRPC)
 
@@ -81,6 +80,13 @@ def telemetryFrontend_client(
 ###########################
 
 # ------- Re-structuring Test ---------
+# --- "test_validate_kafka_topics" should be run before the functionality tests ---
+def test_validate_kafka_topics():
+    LOGGER.debug(" >>> test_validate_kafka_topics: START <<< ")
+    response = KafkaTopic.create_all_topics()
+    assert isinstance(response, bool)
+
+# ----- core funtionality test -----
 def test_StartCollector(telemetryFrontend_client):
     LOGGER.info(' >>> test_StartCollector START: <<< ')
     response = telemetryFrontend_client.StartCollector(create_collector_request())
@@ -99,6 +105,7 @@ def test_SelectCollectors(telemetryFrontend_client):
     LOGGER.debug(str(response))
     assert isinstance(response, CollectorList)
 
+# ----- Non-gRPC method tests ----- 
 def test_RunResponseListener():
     LOGGER.info(' >>> test_RunResponseListener START: <<< ')
     TelemetryFrontendServiceObj = TelemetryFrontendServiceServicerImpl()