diff --git a/ring.go b/ring.go
index d07e806..c1c16d7 100644
--- a/ring.go
+++ b/ring.go
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ func (opt *RingOptions) clientOptions() *Options {
 	}
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 type ringShard struct {
 	Client *Client
 	down   int32
@@ -127,6 +129,150 @@ func (shard *ringShard) Vote(up bool) bool {
 	return shard.IsDown()
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type ringShards struct {
+	mu     sync.RWMutex
+	hash   *consistenthash.Map
+	shards map[string]*ringShard // read only
+	list   []*ringShard          // read only
+	closed bool
+}
+
+func newRingShards() *ringShards {
+	return &ringShards{
+		hash:   consistenthash.New(nreplicas, nil),
+		shards: make(map[string]*ringShard),
+	}
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) Add(name string, cl *Client) {
+	shard := &ringShard{Client: cl}
+	c.hash.Add(name)
+	c.shards[name] = shard
+	c.list = append(c.list, shard)
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) List() []*ringShard {
+	c.mu.RLock()
+	list := c.list
+	c.mu.RUnlock()
+	return list
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) Hash(key string) string {
+	c.mu.RLock()
+	hash := c.hash.Get(key)
+	c.mu.RUnlock()
+	return hash
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) GetByKey(key string) (*ringShard, error) {
+	key = hashtag.Key(key)
+
+	c.mu.RLock()
+
+	if c.closed {
+		c.mu.RUnlock()
+		return nil, pool.ErrClosed
+	}
+
+	hash := c.hash.Get(key)
+	if hash == "" {
+		c.mu.RUnlock()
+		return nil, errRingShardsDown
+	}
+
+	shard := c.shards[hash]
+	c.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	return shard, nil
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) GetByHash(name string) (*ringShard, error) {
+	if name == "" {
+		return c.Random()
+	}
+
+	c.mu.RLock()
+	shard := c.shards[name]
+	c.mu.RUnlock()
+	return shard, nil
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) Random() (*ringShard, error) {
+	return c.GetByKey(strconv.Itoa(rand.Int()))
+}
+
+// heartbeat monitors state of each shard in the ring.
+func (c *ringShards) Heartbeat(frequency time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(frequency)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	for range ticker.C {
+		var rebalance bool
+
+		c.mu.RLock()
+
+		if c.closed {
+			c.mu.RUnlock()
+			break
+		}
+
+		shards := c.list
+		c.mu.RUnlock()
+
+		for _, shard := range shards {
+			err := shard.Client.Ping().Err()
+			if shard.Vote(err == nil || err == pool.ErrPoolTimeout) {
+				internal.Logf("ring shard state changed: %s", shard)
+				rebalance = true
+			}
+		}
+
+		if rebalance {
+			c.rebalance()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// rebalance removes dead shards from the Ring.
+func (c *ringShards) rebalance() {
+	hash := consistenthash.New(nreplicas, nil)
+	for name, shard := range c.shards {
+		if shard.IsUp() {
+			hash.Add(name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	c.hash = hash
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (c *ringShards) Close() error {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if c.closed {
+		return nil
+	}
+	c.closed = true
+
+	var firstErr error
+	for _, shard := range c.shards {
+		if err := shard.Client.Close(); err != nil && firstErr == nil {
+			firstErr = err
+		}
+	}
+	c.hash = nil
+	c.shards = nil
+	c.list = nil
+
+	return firstErr
+}
+
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 // Ring is a Redis client that uses constistent hashing to distribute
 // keys across multiple Redis servers (shards). It's safe for
 // concurrent use by multiple goroutines.
@@ -143,18 +289,11 @@ func (shard *ringShard) Vote(up bool) bool {
 // Otherwise you should use Redis Cluster.
 type Ring struct {
 	cmdable
-
 	opt           *RingOptions
+	shards        *ringShards
 	cmdsInfoCache *cmdsInfoCache
 
-	mu         sync.RWMutex
-	hash       *consistenthash.Map
-	shards     map[string]*ringShard // read only
-	shardsList []*ringShard          // read only
-
 	processPipeline func([]Cmder) error
-
-	closed bool
 }
 
 func NewRing(opt *RingOptions) *Ring {
@@ -162,10 +301,8 @@ func NewRing(opt *RingOptions) *Ring {
 
 	ring := &Ring{
 		opt:           opt,
+		shards:        newRingShards(),
 		cmdsInfoCache: newCmdsInfoCache(),
-
-		hash:   consistenthash.New(nreplicas, nil),
-		shards: make(map[string]*ringShard),
 	}
 	ring.processPipeline = ring.defaultProcessPipeline
 	ring.cmdable.setProcessor(ring.Process)
@@ -173,19 +310,17 @@ func NewRing(opt *RingOptions) *Ring {
 	for name, addr := range opt.Addrs {
 		clopt := opt.clientOptions()
 		clopt.Addr = addr
-		ring.addShard(name, NewClient(clopt))
+		ring.shards.Add(name, NewClient(clopt))
 	}
 
-	go ring.heartbeat()
+	go ring.shards.Heartbeat(opt.HeartbeatFrequency)
 
 	return ring
 }
 
-func (c *Ring) addShard(name string, cl *Client) {
-	shard := &ringShard{Client: cl}
-	c.hash.Add(name)
-	c.shards[name] = shard
-	c.shardsList = append(c.shardsList, shard)
+func (c *Ring) copy() *Ring {
+	cp := *c
+	return &cp
 }
 
 // Options returns read-only Options that were used to create the client.
@@ -199,10 +334,7 @@ func (c *Ring) retryBackoff(attempt int) time.Duration {
 
 // PoolStats returns accumulated connection pool stats.
 func (c *Ring) PoolStats() *PoolStats {
-	c.mu.RLock()
-	shards := c.shardsList
-	c.mu.RUnlock()
-
+	shards := c.shards.List()
 	var acc PoolStats
 	for _, shard := range shards {
 		s := shard.Client.connPool.Stats()
@@ -221,7 +353,7 @@ func (c *Ring) Subscribe(channels ...string) *PubSub {
 		panic("at least one channel is required")
 	}
 
-	shard, err := c.shardByKey(channels[0])
+	shard, err := c.shards.GetByKey(channels[0])
 	if err != nil {
 		// TODO: return PubSub with sticky error
 		panic(err)
@@ -235,7 +367,7 @@ func (c *Ring) PSubscribe(channels ...string) *PubSub {
 		panic("at least one channel is required")
 	}
 
-	shard, err := c.shardByKey(channels[0])
+	shard, err := c.shards.GetByKey(channels[0])
 	if err != nil {
 		// TODO: return PubSub with sticky error
 		panic(err)
@@ -246,10 +378,7 @@ func (c *Ring) PSubscribe(channels ...string) *PubSub {
 // ForEachShard concurrently calls the fn on each live shard in the ring.
 // It returns the first error if any.
 func (c *Ring) ForEachShard(fn func(client *Client) error) error {
-	c.mu.RLock()
-	shards := c.shardsList
-	c.mu.RUnlock()
-
+	shards := c.shards.List()
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	errCh := make(chan error, 1)
 	for _, shard := range shards {
@@ -281,10 +410,7 @@ func (c *Ring) ForEachShard(fn func(client *Client) error) error {
 
 func (c *Ring) cmdInfo(name string) *CommandInfo {
 	cmdsInfo, err := c.cmdsInfoCache.Do(func() (map[string]*CommandInfo, error) {
-		c.mu.RLock()
-		shards := c.shardsList
-		c.mu.RUnlock()
-
+		shards := c.shards.List()
 		firstErr := errRingShardsDown
 		for _, shard := range shards {
 			cmdsInfo, err := shard.Client.Command().Result()
@@ -307,50 +433,14 @@ func (c *Ring) cmdInfo(name string) *CommandInfo {
 	return info
 }
 
-func (c *Ring) shardByKey(key string) (*ringShard, error) {
-	key = hashtag.Key(key)
-
-	c.mu.RLock()
-
-	if c.closed {
-		c.mu.RUnlock()
-		return nil, pool.ErrClosed
-	}
-
-	name := c.hash.Get(key)
-	if name == "" {
-		c.mu.RUnlock()
-		return nil, errRingShardsDown
-	}
-
-	shard := c.shards[name]
-	c.mu.RUnlock()
-	return shard, nil
-}
-
-func (c *Ring) randomShard() (*ringShard, error) {
-	return c.shardByKey(strconv.Itoa(rand.Int()))
-}
-
-func (c *Ring) shardByName(name string) (*ringShard, error) {
-	if name == "" {
-		return c.randomShard()
-	}
-
-	c.mu.RLock()
-	shard := c.shards[name]
-	c.mu.RUnlock()
-	return shard, nil
-}
-
 func (c *Ring) cmdShard(cmd Cmder) (*ringShard, error) {
 	cmdInfo := c.cmdInfo(cmd.Name())
 	pos := cmdFirstKeyPos(cmd, cmdInfo)
 	if pos == 0 {
-		return c.randomShard()
+		return c.shards.Random()
 	}
 	firstKey := cmd.stringArg(pos)
-	return c.shardByKey(firstKey)
+	return c.shards.GetByKey(firstKey)
 }
 
 func (c *Ring) WrapProcess(fn func(oldProcess func(cmd Cmder) error) func(cmd Cmder) error) {
@@ -369,77 +459,6 @@ func (c *Ring) Process(cmd Cmder) error {
 	return shard.Client.Process(cmd)
 }
 
-// rebalance removes dead shards from the Ring.
-func (c *Ring) rebalance() {
-	hash := consistenthash.New(nreplicas, nil)
-	for name, shard := range c.shards {
-		if shard.IsUp() {
-			hash.Add(name)
-		}
-	}
-
-	c.mu.Lock()
-	c.hash = hash
-	c.mu.Unlock()
-}
-
-// heartbeat monitors state of each shard in the ring.
-func (c *Ring) heartbeat() {
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(c.opt.HeartbeatFrequency)
-	defer ticker.Stop()
-	for range ticker.C {
-		var rebalance bool
-
-		c.mu.RLock()
-
-		if c.closed {
-			c.mu.RUnlock()
-			break
-		}
-
-		shards := c.shardsList
-		c.mu.RUnlock()
-
-		for _, shard := range shards {
-			err := shard.Client.Ping().Err()
-			if shard.Vote(err == nil || err == pool.ErrPoolTimeout) {
-				internal.Logf("ring shard state changed: %s", shard)
-				rebalance = true
-			}
-		}
-
-		if rebalance {
-			c.rebalance()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Close closes the ring client, releasing any open resources.
-//
-// It is rare to Close a Ring, as the Ring is meant to be long-lived
-// and shared between many goroutines.
-func (c *Ring) Close() error {
-	c.mu.Lock()
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-
-	if c.closed {
-		return nil
-	}
-	c.closed = true
-
-	var firstErr error
-	for _, shard := range c.shards {
-		if err := shard.Client.Close(); err != nil && firstErr == nil {
-			firstErr = err
-		}
-	}
-	c.hash = nil
-	c.shards = nil
-	c.shardsList = nil
-
-	return firstErr
-}
-
 func (c *Ring) Pipeline() Pipeliner {
 	pipe := Pipeline{
 		exec: c.processPipeline,
@@ -462,11 +481,11 @@ func (c *Ring) defaultProcessPipeline(cmds []Cmder) error {
 	cmdsMap := make(map[string][]Cmder)
 	for _, cmd := range cmds {
 		cmdInfo := c.cmdInfo(cmd.Name())
-		name := cmd.stringArg(cmdFirstKeyPos(cmd, cmdInfo))
-		if name != "" {
-			name = c.hash.Get(hashtag.Key(name))
+		hash := cmd.stringArg(cmdFirstKeyPos(cmd, cmdInfo))
+		if hash != "" {
+			hash = c.shards.Hash(hashtag.Key(hash))
 		}
-		cmdsMap[name] = append(cmdsMap[name], cmd)
+		cmdsMap[hash] = append(cmdsMap[hash], cmd)
 	}
 
 	for attempt := 0; attempt <= c.opt.MaxRetries; attempt++ {
@@ -476,8 +495,8 @@ func (c *Ring) defaultProcessPipeline(cmds []Cmder) error {
 
 		var failedCmdsMap map[string][]Cmder
 
-		for name, cmds := range cmdsMap {
-			shard, err := c.shardByName(name)
+		for hash, cmds := range cmdsMap {
+			shard, err := c.shards.GetByHash(hash)
 			if err != nil {
 				setCmdsErr(cmds, err)
 				continue
@@ -500,7 +519,7 @@ func (c *Ring) defaultProcessPipeline(cmds []Cmder) error {
 				if failedCmdsMap == nil {
 					failedCmdsMap = make(map[string][]Cmder)
 				}
-				failedCmdsMap[name] = cmds
+				failedCmdsMap[hash] = cmds
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -520,3 +539,11 @@ func (c *Ring) TxPipeline() Pipeliner {
 func (c *Ring) TxPipelined(fn func(Pipeliner) error) ([]Cmder, error) {
 	panic("not implemented")
 }
+
+// Close closes the ring client, releasing any open resources.
+//
+// It is rare to Close a Ring, as the Ring is meant to be long-lived
+// and shared between many goroutines.
+func (c *Ring) Close() error {
+	return c.shards.Close()
+}