diff --git a/tcp_tests/helpers/utils.py b/tcp_tests/helpers/utils.py
index 001cf3e..b300168 100644
--- a/tcp_tests/helpers/utils.py
+++ b/tcp_tests/helpers/utils.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import copy
 import os
 import shutil
+import StringIO
 import tempfile
 import time
 import traceback
@@ -148,13 +149,28 @@
 
 
 def generate_keys():
+    file_obj = StringIO.StringIO()
     key = paramiko.RSAKey.generate(1024)
+    key.write_private_key(file_obj)
     public = key.get_base64()
-    dirpath = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-    key.write_private_key_file(os.path.join(dirpath, 'id_rsa'))
-    with open(os.path.join(dirpath, 'id_rsa.pub'), 'w') as pub_file:
-        pub_file.write(public)
-    return dirpath
+    private = file_obj.getvalue()
+    file_obj.close()
+    return {'private': private,
+            'public': public}
+
+
+def load_keyfile(file_path):
+    with open(file_path, 'r') as private_key_file:
+        private = private_key_file.read()
+    key = paramiko.RSAKey(file_obj=StringIO.StringIO(private))
+    public = key.get_base64()
+    return {'private': private,
+            'public': public}
+
+
+def dump_keyfile(file_path, key):
+    key = paramiko.RSAKey(file_obj=StringIO.StringIO(key['private']))
+    key.write_private_key_file(file_path)
 
 
 def clean_dir(dirpath):