diff --git a/.env b/.env.leader
similarity index 100%
rename from .env
rename to .env.leader
diff --git a/.env.replica b/.env.replica
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a28769
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.replica
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+ROLE=replica
+THIS_ADDR=127.0.0.1:6377
+LEADER_ADDR=127.0.0.1:6379
+RUST_LOG=info
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 22cb4ce..19bf880 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ mod storage;
 use dotenv;
 use network::replica::Role;
 use network::server::start_server;
-use std::env;
+use std::{env, process};
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
 
 extern crate pretty_env_logger;
@@ -36,14 +36,26 @@ fn map_art() {
     println!("{}", world_map)
 }
 
+fn load_env_file(file: &str) {
+    println!("Loading environment from {}", file);
+    dotenv::from_filename(file).expect("Error loading {} file");
+}
+
+fn handle_environment() {
+    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
+    if args.len() != 2 {
+        println!("BAD USAGE");
+        eprintln!("USAGE: {} <env_file>", &args[0]);
+        process::exit(1);
+    }
+    let env_file = &args[1];
+    load_env_file(env_file);
+}
+
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() {
-    map_art();
-    dotenv::from_filename(".env").ok();
-    pretty_env_logger::init();
-    info!("Creating geomemdb ...");
+    handle_environment();
 
-    let role = env::var("ROLE").unwrap_or_else(|_| "leader".to_string());
     let leader_addr: SocketAddr = env::var("LEADER_ADDR")
         .unwrap_or_else(|_| "127.0.0.1:6379".to_string())
         .parse()
@@ -52,12 +64,19 @@ async fn main() {
         .unwrap_or_else(|_| "127.0.0.1:6379".to_string())
         .parse()
         .unwrap();
+    pretty_env_logger::init();
+    info!("Creating Geomemdb ...");
+    map_art();
 
+    let role = env::var("ROLE").unwrap_or_else(|_| "leader".to_string());
     match role.as_str() {
         "leader" => {
+            info!("I am LEADER running at {}", leader_addr);
             start_server(this_addr, None, Role::Leader).await;
         }
         "replica" => {
+            info!("I am replica running at: {}", this_addr);
+            info!("Leader is running at {}", leader_addr);
             start_server(this_addr, Some(leader_addr), Role::Replica).await;
         }
         _ => {
diff --git a/src/network/replica.rs b/src/network/replica.rs
index a386f58..ed4da7c 100644
--- a/src/network/replica.rs
+++ b/src/network/replica.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ use tokio::io::AsyncWriteExt;
 use tokio::net::TcpStream;
 use tokio::time::{sleep, Duration};
 
+const DEAD_REPLICA_TIMEOUT_SECONDS: u64 = 10;
+
+
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Role {
     Leader,
@@ -86,13 +89,13 @@ impl Replica {
 
     pub async fn monitor_replicas(&self) {
         loop {
-            sleep(Duration::from_secs(5)).await;
+            sleep(Duration::from_secs(10)).await; // checks every 10 seconds
             let mut replicas_to_remove = Vec::new();
             {
                 let replicas = self.replicas.lock().unwrap();
                 let now = std::time::Instant::now();
                 for (addr, last_heartbeat) in replicas.iter() {
-                    if now.duration_since(*last_heartbeat).as_secs() > 10 {
+                    if now.duration_since(*last_heartbeat).as_secs() > DEAD_REPLICA_TIMEOUT_SECONDS {
                         info!("Replica at {} is considered dead", addr);
                         replicas_to_remove.push(*addr);
                     }
diff --git a/src/network/server.rs b/src/network/server.rs
index 290ac24..05eb00e 100644
--- a/src/network/server.rs
+++ b/src/network/server.rs
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ pub async fn start_server(addr: SocketAddr, leader_addr: Option<SocketAddr>, rol
 
     if let Role::Replica = role {
         let replica_clone = Arc::clone(&replica);
-        tokio::spawn(async move {
-            replica_clone.send_heartbeat().await;
-        });
+        tokio::spawn(async move { replica_clone.send_heartbeat().await; });
     } else if let Role::Leader = role {
         let replica_clone = Arc::clone(&replica);
         tokio::spawn(async move {