diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddHostCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddHostCmd.java
index 9b06bdd5656..76832e00f27 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddHostCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddHostCmd.java
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ClusterResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.HostResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ListResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.PodResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ZoneResponse;
 import com.cloud.exception.DiscoveryException;
 import com.cloud.host.Host;
 import com.cloud.user.Account;
@@ -43,8 +45,8 @@ public class AddHostCmd extends BaseCmd {
     //////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="cluster")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the cluster ID for the host")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=ClusterResponse.class,
+            description="the cluster ID for the host")
     private Long clusterId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_NAME, type=CommandType.STRING, description="the cluster name for the host")
@@ -53,8 +55,8 @@ public class AddHostCmd extends BaseCmd {
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.PASSWORD, type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="the password for the host")
     private String password;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host_pod_ref")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.POD_ID, required=true, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the Pod ID for the host")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.POD_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=PodResponse.class,
+            required=true, description="the Pod ID for the host")
     private Long podId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.URL, type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="the host URL")
@@ -63,8 +65,8 @@ public class AddHostCmd extends BaseCmd {
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.USERNAME, type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="the username for the host")
     private String username;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="data_center")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ZONE_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, required=true, description="the Zone ID for the host")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ZONE_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=ZoneResponse.class,
+            required=true, description="the Zone ID for the host")
     private Long zoneId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.HYPERVISOR, type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="hypervisor type of the host")
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddSecondaryStorageCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddSecondaryStorageCmd.java
index 39162e965bf..01ca3920bb6 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddSecondaryStorageCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/AddSecondaryStorageCmd.java
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.HostResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ZoneResponse;
 import com.cloud.exception.DiscoveryException;
 import com.cloud.host.Host;
 import com.cloud.user.Account;
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ public class AddSecondaryStorageCmd extends BaseCmd {
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.URL, type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="the URL for the secondary storage")
     private String url;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="data_center")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ZONE_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the Zone ID for the secondary storage")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ZONE_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=ZoneResponse.class,
+            description="the Zone ID for the secondary storage")
     private Long zoneId;
 
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/CancelMaintenanceCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/CancelMaintenanceCmd.java
index 354e9a9d234..35b7789f2da 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/CancelMaintenanceCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/CancelMaintenanceCmd.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseAsyncCmd;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
@@ -42,11 +41,10 @@ public class CancelMaintenanceCmd extends BaseAsyncCmd  {
     //////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.LONG, required=true, description="the host ID")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=HostResponse.class,
+            required=true, description="the host ID")
     private Long id;
 
-
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     /////////////////// Accessors ///////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -55,7 +53,6 @@ public class CancelMaintenanceCmd extends BaseAsyncCmd  {
         return id;
     }
 
-
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     /////////////// API Implementation///////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/DeleteHostCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/DeleteHostCmd.java
index 168dcb8e2c4..c11bbcf4aa8 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/DeleteHostCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/DeleteHostCmd.java
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@
 // under the License.
 package org.apache.cloudstack.api.command.admin.host;
 
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.HostResponse;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ public class DeleteHostCmd extends BaseCmd {
     // ////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     // ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name = ApiConstants.ID, type = CommandType.LONG, required = true, description = "the host ID")
+    @Parameter(name = ApiConstants.ID, type = CommandType.UUID, entityType = HostResponse.class,
+            required = true, description = "the host ID")
     private Long id;
 
     @Parameter(name = ApiConstants.FORCED, type = CommandType.BOOLEAN, description = "Force delete the host. All HA enabled vms running on the host will be put to HA; HA disabled ones will be stopped")
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ListHostsCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ListHostsCmd.java
index 7c33c52713c..32395e7be48 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ListHostsCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ListHostsCmd.java
@@ -25,11 +25,14 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants.HostDetails;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseListCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ClusterResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.HostResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ListResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.PodResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.UserVmResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ZoneResponse;
 import com.cloud.async.AsyncJob;
 import com.cloud.exception.InvalidParameterValueException;
 import com.cloud.host.Host;
@@ -45,19 +48,19 @@ public class ListHostsCmd extends BaseListCmd {
     //////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="cluster")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="lists hosts existing in particular cluster")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = ClusterResponse.class,
+            description="lists hosts existing in particular cluster")
     private Long clusterId;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the id of the host")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = HostResponse.class,
+            description="the id of the host")
     private Long id;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.NAME, type=CommandType.STRING, description="the name of the host")
     private String hostName;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host_pod_ref")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.POD_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the Pod ID for the host")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.POD_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = PodResponse.class,
+            description="the Pod ID for the host")
     private Long podId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.STATE, type=CommandType.STRING, description="the state of the host")
@@ -66,12 +69,12 @@ public class ListHostsCmd extends BaseListCmd {
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.TYPE, type=CommandType.STRING, description="the host type")
     private String type;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="data_center")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ZONE_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the Zone ID for the host")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ZONE_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = ZoneResponse.class,
+            description="the Zone ID for the host")
     private Long zoneId;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="vm_instance")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.VIRTUAL_MACHINE_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, required=false, description="lists hosts in the same cluster as this VM and flag hosts with enough CPU/RAm to host this VM")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.VIRTUAL_MACHINE_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = UserVmResponse.class,
+            required=false, description="lists hosts in the same cluster as this VM and flag hosts with enough CPU/RAm to host this VM")
     private Long virtualMachineId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.RESOURCE_STATE, type=CommandType.STRING, description="list hosts by resource state. Resource state represents current state determined by admin of host, valule can be one of [Enabled, Disabled, Unmanaged, PrepareForMaintenance, ErrorInMaintenance, Maintenance, Error]")
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/PrepareForMaintenanceCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/PrepareForMaintenanceCmd.java
index cb728270f91..6eacba5cd13 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/PrepareForMaintenanceCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/PrepareForMaintenanceCmd.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseAsyncCmd;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
@@ -42,8 +41,8 @@ public class PrepareForMaintenanceCmd extends BaseAsyncCmd {
     //////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.LONG, required=true, description="the host ID")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = HostResponse.class,
+            required=true, description="the host ID")
     private Long id;
 
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ReconnectHostCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ReconnectHostCmd.java
index b1a95883284..1cabc205f0f 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ReconnectHostCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/ReconnectHostCmd.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseAsyncCmd;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
@@ -42,8 +41,8 @@ public class ReconnectHostCmd extends BaseAsyncCmd {
     //////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.LONG, required=true, description="the host ID")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = HostResponse.class,
+            required=true, description="the host ID")
     private Long id;
 
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostCmd.java
index 5e0f125066f..9de6107a682 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostCmd.java
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ServerApiException;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.GuestOSCategoryResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.HostResponse;
 import com.cloud.host.Host;
 import com.cloud.user.Account;
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ public class UpdateHostCmd extends BaseCmd {
     //////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.LONG, required=true, description="the ID of the host to update")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = HostResponse.class,
+            required=true, description="the ID of the host to update")
     private Long id;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="guest_os_category")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.OS_CATEGORY_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the id of Os category to update the host with")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.OS_CATEGORY_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType = GuestOSCategoryResponse.class,
+            description="the id of Os category to update the host with")
     private Long osCategoryId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ALLOCATION_STATE, type=CommandType.STRING, description="Change resource state of host, valid values are [Enable, Disable]. Operation may failed if host in states not allowing Enable/Disable")
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostPasswordCmd.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostPasswordCmd.java
index c3059236d81..e0f2f5d0104 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostPasswordCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/command/admin/host/UpdateHostPasswordCmd.java
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ package org.apache.cloudstack.api.command.admin.host;
 
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
-
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseCmd;
-import org.apache.cloudstack.api.IdentityMapper;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Implementation;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Parameter;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.ClusterResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.HostResponse;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.response.SuccessResponse;
 import com.cloud.user.Account;
 
@@ -37,13 +37,12 @@ public class UpdateHostPasswordCmd extends BaseCmd {
     // ////////////// API parameters /////////////////////
     // ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    // TO DO - this is of no use currently. Probably need to remove it.
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="host")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.HOST_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the host ID")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.HOST_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=HostResponse.class,
+            description="the host ID")
     private Long hostId;
 
-    @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="cluster")
-    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="the cluster ID")
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.CLUSTER_ID, type=CommandType.UUID, entityType=ClusterResponse.class,
+            description="the cluster ID")
     private Long clusterId;
 
     @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.USERNAME, type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="the username for the host/cluster")
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSCategoryResponse.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSCategoryResponse.java
index 62537d90533..f7f0b8dd67e 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSCategoryResponse.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSCategoryResponse.java
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@
 // under the License.
 package org.apache.cloudstack.api.response;
 
+import com.cloud.storage.GuestOsCategory;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
-import com.cloud.utils.IdentityProxy;
 import com.cloud.serializer.Param;
 import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Entity;
 
+@Entity(value=GuestOsCategory.class)
 public class GuestOSCategoryResponse extends BaseResponse {
     @SerializedName(ApiConstants.ID) @Param(description="the ID of the OS category")
     private String id;
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSResponse.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSResponse.java
index 469c3100941..a4f592e019e 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSResponse.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/GuestOSResponse.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package org.apache.cloudstack.api.response;
 
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.ApiConstants;
-import com.cloud.utils.IdentityProxy;
 import com.cloud.serializer.Param;
 import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseResponse;
diff --git a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/HostResponse.java b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/HostResponse.java
index 6b74b4803aa..e4aae571058 100644
--- a/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/HostResponse.java
+++ b/api/src/org/apache/cloudstack/api/response/HostResponse.java
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ import com.cloud.hypervisor.Hypervisor.HypervisorType;
 import com.cloud.serializer.Param;
 import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
 import org.apache.cloudstack.api.BaseResponse;
+import org.apache.cloudstack.api.Entity;
 
+@Entity(value=Host.class)
 public class HostResponse extends BaseResponse {
     @SerializedName(ApiConstants.ID) @Param(description="the ID of the host")
     private String id;