diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index 75da9a447c..59f61ed2f5 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -931,6 +931,7 @@ scylla_core = (['message/messaging_service.cc',
                 'query.cc',
                 'query-result-set.cc',
                 'locator/abstract_replication_strategy.cc',
+                'locator/tablets.cc',
                 'locator/azure_snitch.cc',
                 'locator/simple_strategy.cc',
                 'locator/local_strategy.cc',
diff --git a/dht/token.cc b/dht/token.cc
index 3f1d5e960e..ba868b2347 100644
--- a/dht/token.cc
+++ b/dht/token.cc
@@ -282,4 +282,14 @@ compaction_group_of(unsigned most_significant_bits, const token& t) {
     __builtin_unreachable();
 }
 
+token last_token_of_compaction_group(unsigned most_significant_bits, size_t group) {
+    uint64_t n;
+    if (group == ((1ul << most_significant_bits) - 1)) {
+        n = std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max();
+    } else {
+        n = ((uint64_t(group) + 1) << (64 - most_significant_bits)) - 1;
+    }
+    return bias(n);
+}
+
 } // namespace dht
diff --git a/dht/token.hh b/dht/token.hh
index 1701139cef..c000c2865f 100644
--- a/dht/token.hh
+++ b/dht/token.hh
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ token first_token() {
 uint64_t unbias(const token& t);
 token bias(uint64_t n);
 size_t compaction_group_of(unsigned most_significant_bits, const token& t);
+token last_token_of_compaction_group(unsigned most_significant_bits, size_t group);
 
 } // namespace dht
 
diff --git a/locator/tablets.cc b/locator/tablets.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..baf0ba2851
--- /dev/null
+++ b/locator/tablets.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023-present ScyllaDB
+ */
+
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+#include "locator/tablet_replication_strategy.hh"
+#include "locator/tablets.hh"
+#include "types/types.hh"
+#include "types/tuple.hh"
+#include "types/set.hh"
+#include "utils/hash.hh"
+#include "db/system_keyspace.hh"
+#include "cql3/query_processor.hh"
+#include "cql3/untyped_result_set.hh"
+#include "replica/database.hh"
+#include "utils/stall_free.hh"
+
+#include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
+#include <seastar/coroutine/maybe_yield.hh>
+
+namespace locator {
+
+seastar::logger tablet_logger("tablets");
+
+const tablet_map& tablet_metadata::get_tablet_map(table_id id) const {
+    try {
+        return _tablets.at(id);
+    } catch (const std::out_of_range&) {
+        throw std::runtime_error(format("Tablet map not found for table {}", id));
+    }
+}
+
+tablet_map& tablet_metadata::get_tablet_map(table_id id) {
+    return const_cast<tablet_map&>(
+        const_cast<const tablet_metadata*>(this)->get_tablet_map(id));
+}
+
+void tablet_metadata::set_tablet_map(table_id id, tablet_map map) {
+    _tablets.insert_or_assign(id, std::move(map));
+}
+
+future<> tablet_metadata::clear_gently() {
+    for (auto&& [id, map] : _tablets) {
+        co_await map.clear_gently();
+    }
+    co_return;
+}
+
+tablet_map::tablet_map(size_t tablet_count)
+        : _log2_tablets(log2ceil(tablet_count)) {
+    if (tablet_count != 1ul << _log2_tablets) {
+        on_internal_error(tablet_logger, format("Tablet count not a power of 2: {}", tablet_count));
+    }
+    _tablets.resize(tablet_count);
+}
+
+void tablet_map::check_tablet_id(tablet_id id) const {
+    if (size_t(id) >= tablet_count()) {
+        throw std::logic_error(format("Invalid tablet id: {} >= {}", id, tablet_count()));
+    }
+}
+
+const tablet_info& tablet_map::get_tablet_info(tablet_id id) const {
+    check_tablet_id(id);
+    return _tablets[size_t(id)];
+}
+
+tablet_id tablet_map::get_tablet_id(token t) const {
+    return tablet_id(dht::compaction_group_of(_log2_tablets, t));
+}
+
+dht::token tablet_map::get_last_token(tablet_id id) const {
+    check_tablet_id(id);
+    return dht::last_token_of_compaction_group(_log2_tablets, size_t(id));
+}
+
+dht::token tablet_map::get_first_token(tablet_id id) const {
+    if (id == first_tablet()) {
+        return dht::first_token();
+    } else {
+        return dht::next_token(get_last_token(tablet_id(size_t(id) - 1)));
+    }
+}
+
+dht::token_range tablet_map::get_token_range(tablet_id id) const {
+    if (id == first_tablet()) {
+        return dht::token_range::make({dht::minimum_token(), false}, {get_last_token(id), true});
+    } else {
+        return dht::token_range::make({get_last_token(tablet_id(size_t(id) - 1)), false}, {get_last_token(id), true});
+    }
+}
+
+void tablet_map::set_tablet(tablet_id id, tablet_info info) {
+    check_tablet_id(id);
+    _tablets[size_t(id)] = std::move(info);
+}
+
+void tablet_map::set_tablet_transition_info(tablet_id id, tablet_transition_info info) {
+    check_tablet_id(id);
+    _transitions.insert_or_assign(id, std::move(info));
+}
+
+future<> tablet_map::clear_gently() {
+    return utils::clear_gently(_tablets);
+}
+
+const tablet_transition_info* tablet_map::get_tablet_transition_info(tablet_id id) const {
+    auto i = _transitions.find(id);
+    if (i == _transitions.end()) {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    return &i->second;
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/locator/tablets.hh b/locator/tablets.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..019909fbf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/locator/tablets.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023-present ScyllaDB
+ */
+
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "dht/token.hh"
+#include "utils/small_vector.hh"
+#include "locator/host_id.hh"
+#include "dht/i_partitioner_fwd.hh"
+#include "schema/schema_fwd.hh"
+#include "utils/chunked_vector.hh"
+#include "utils/hash.hh"
+
+#include <boost/range/adaptor/transformed.hpp>
+#include <seastar/core/reactor.hh>
+#include <seastar/util/log.hh>
+
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace locator {
+
+extern seastar::logger tablet_logger;
+
+using token = dht::token;
+
+// Identifies tablet within the scope of a single tablet_map,
+// which has a scope of (table_id, token metadata version).
+// Different tablets of different tables can have the same tablet_id.
+// Different tablets in subsequent token metadata version can have the same tablet_id.
+// When splitting a tablet, one of the new tablets (in the new token metadata version)
+// will have the same tablet_id as the old one.
+enum class tablet_id : size_t;
+
+struct tablet_replica {
+    host_id host;
+    shard_id shard;
+
+    bool operator==(const tablet_replica&) const = default;
+};
+
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream&, const tablet_replica&);
+
+using tablet_replica_set = utils::small_vector<tablet_replica, 3>;
+
+/// Stores information about a single tablet.
+struct tablet_info {
+    tablet_replica_set replicas;
+
+    std::optional<shard_id> get_shard(host_id host) const {
+        for (auto&& r : replicas) {
+            if (r.host == host) {
+                return r.shard;
+            }
+        }
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+
+    bool operator==(const tablet_info&) const = default;
+};
+
+/// Used for storing tablet state transition during topology changes.
+/// Describes transition of a single tablet.
+struct tablet_transition_info {
+    tablet_replica_set next;
+    tablet_replica pending_replica; // Optimization (next - tablet_info::replicas)
+
+    bool operator==(const tablet_transition_info&) const = default;
+};
+
+/// Stores information about tablets of a single table.
+///
+/// The map contains a constant number of tablets, tablet_count().
+/// Each tablet has an associated tablet_info, and an optional tablet_transition_info.
+/// Any given token is owned by exactly one tablet in this map.
+///
+/// A tablet map describes the whole ring, it cannot contain a partial mapping.
+/// This means that the following sequence is always valid:
+///
+///    tablet_map& tmap = ...;
+///    dht::token t = ...;
+///    tablet_id id = tmap.get_tablet_id(t);
+///    tablet_info& info = tmap.get_tablet_info(id);
+///
+/// A tablet_id obtained from an instance of tablet_map is valid for that instance only.
+class tablet_map {
+public:
+    using tablet_container = utils::chunked_vector<tablet_info>;
+private:
+    // The implementation assumes that _tablets.size() is a power of 2:
+    //
+    //   _tablets.size() == 1 << _log2_tablets
+    //
+    tablet_container _tablets;
+    size_t _log2_tablets; // log_2(_tablets.size())
+    std::unordered_map<tablet_id, tablet_transition_info> _transitions;
+public:
+    /// Constructs a tablet map.
+    ///
+    /// \param tablet_count The desired tablets to allocate. Must be a power of two.
+    explicit tablet_map(size_t tablet_count);
+
+    /// Returns tablet_id of a tablet which owns a given token.
+    tablet_id get_tablet_id(token) const;
+
+    /// Returns tablet_info associated with a given tablet.
+    /// The given id must belong to this instance.
+    const tablet_info& get_tablet_info(tablet_id) const;
+
+    /// Returns a pointer to tablet_transition_info associated with a given tablet.
+    /// If there is no transition for a given tablet, returns nullptr.
+    /// \throws std::logic_error If the given id does not belong to this instance.
+    const tablet_transition_info* get_tablet_transition_info(tablet_id) const;
+
+    /// Returns the largest token owned by a given tablet.
+    /// \throws std::logic_error If the given id does not belong to this instance.
+    dht::token get_last_token(tablet_id id) const;
+
+    /// Returns the smallest token owned by a given tablet.
+    /// \throws std::logic_error If the given id does not belong to this instance.
+    dht::token get_first_token(tablet_id id) const;
+
+    /// Returns token_range which contains all tokens owned by a given tablet and only such tokens.
+    /// \throws std::logic_error If the given id does not belong to this instance.
+    dht::token_range get_token_range(tablet_id id) const;
+
+    /// Returns the id of the first tablet.
+    tablet_id first_tablet() const {
+        return tablet_id(0);
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the id of the last tablet.
+    tablet_id last_tablet() const {
+        return tablet_id(tablet_count() - 1);
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the id of a tablet which follows a given tablet in the ring,
+    /// or disengaged optional if the given tablet is the last one.
+    std::optional<tablet_id> next_tablet(tablet_id t) const {
+        if (t == last_tablet()) {
+            return std::nullopt;
+        }
+        return tablet_id(size_t(t) + 1);
+    }
+
+    const tablet_container& tablets() const {
+        return _tablets;
+    }
+
+    /// Returns an iterable range over tablet_id:s which includes all tablets in token ring order.
+    auto tablet_ids() const {
+        return boost::irange<size_t>(0, tablet_count()) | boost::adaptors::transformed([] (size_t i) {
+            return tablet_id(i);
+        });
+    }
+
+    size_t tablet_count() const {
+        return _tablets.size();
+    }
+
+    /// Returns tablet_info associated with the tablet which owns a given token.
+    const tablet_info& get_tablet_info(token t) const {
+        return get_tablet_info(get_tablet_id(t));
+    }
+
+    bool operator==(const tablet_map&) const = default;
+public:
+    void set_tablet(tablet_id, tablet_info);
+    void set_tablet_transition_info(tablet_id, tablet_transition_info);
+
+    // Destroys gently.
+    // The tablet map is not usable after this call and should be destroyed.
+    future<> clear_gently();
+private:
+    void check_tablet_id(tablet_id) const;
+};
+
+/// Holds information about all tablets in the cluster.
+///
+/// When this instance is obtained via token_metadata_ptr, it is immutable
+/// (represents a snapshot) and references obtained through this are guaranteed
+/// to remain valid as long as the containing token_metadata_ptr is held.
+///
+/// Copy constructor can be invoked across shards.
+class tablet_metadata {
+public:
+    // FIXME: Make cheap to copy.
+    // We want both immutability and cheap updates, so we should use
+    // hierarchical data structure with shared pointers and copy-on-write.
+    // Currently we have immutability but updates require full copy.
+    //
+    // Also, currently the copy constructor is invoked across shards, which precludes
+    // using shared pointers. We should change that and use a foreign_ptr<> to
+    // hold immutable tablet_metadata which lives on shard 0 only.
+    // See storage_service::replicate_to_all_cores().
+    using table_to_tablet_map = std::unordered_map<table_id, tablet_map>;
+private:
+    table_to_tablet_map _tablets;
+public:
+    const tablet_map& get_tablet_map(table_id id) const;
+    const table_to_tablet_map& all_tables() const { return _tablets; }
+public:
+    void set_tablet_map(table_id, tablet_map);
+    tablet_map& get_tablet_map(table_id id);
+    future<> clear_gently();
+public:
+    bool operator==(const tablet_metadata&) const = default;
+};
+
+}
+
+namespace std {
+
+template<>
+struct hash<locator::tablet_replica> {
+    size_t operator()(const locator::tablet_replica& r) const {
+        return utils::hash_combine(
+                std::hash<locator::host_id>()(r.host),
+                std::hash<shard_id>()(r.shard));
+    }
+};
+
+}
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.cc b/locator/token_metadata.cc
index 27f59ad7a5..2e6c824954 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.cc
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <optional>
 #include "locator/snitch_base.hh"
 #include "locator/abstract_replication_strategy.hh"
+#include "locator/tablets.hh"
 #include "log.hh"
 #include "partition_range_compat.hh"
 #include <unordered_map>
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@ private:
 
     std::vector<token> _sorted_tokens;
 
+    tablet_metadata _tablets;
+
     topology _topology;
 
     long _ring_version = 0;
@@ -72,6 +75,13 @@ private:
 
     void sort_tokens();
 
+    const tablet_metadata& tablets() const { return _tablets; }
+
+    void set_tablets(tablet_metadata&& tablets) {
+        _tablets = std::move(tablets);
+        invalidate_cached_rings();
+    }
+
     struct shallow_copy {};
     token_metadata_impl(shallow_copy, const token_metadata_impl& o) noexcept
             : _topology(topology::config{})
@@ -368,6 +378,7 @@ future<token_metadata_impl> token_metadata_impl::clone_only_token_map(bool clone
         ret._sorted_tokens = _sorted_tokens;
         co_await coroutine::maybe_yield();
     }
+    ret._tablets = _tablets;
     co_return ret;
 }
 
@@ -380,6 +391,7 @@ future<> token_metadata_impl::clear_gently() noexcept {
     co_await utils::clear_gently(_pending_ranges_interval_map);
     co_await utils::clear_gently(_sorted_tokens);
     co_await _topology.clear_gently();
+    co_await _tablets.clear_gently();
     co_return;
 }
 
@@ -396,6 +408,14 @@ void token_metadata_impl::sort_tokens() {
     _sorted_tokens = std::move(sorted);
 }
 
+const tablet_metadata& token_metadata::tablets() const {
+    return _impl->tablets();
+}
+
+void token_metadata::set_tablets(tablet_metadata tm) {
+    _impl->set_tablets(std::move(tm));
+}
+
 const std::vector<token>& token_metadata_impl::sorted_tokens() const {
     return _sorted_tokens;
 }
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.hh b/locator/token_metadata.hh
index 8e83675cb9..0abef31f7f 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.hh
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.hh
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class abstract_replication_strategy;
 using token = dht::token;
 
 class token_metadata;
+class tablet_metadata;
 
 struct host_id_or_endpoint {
     host_id id;
@@ -106,6 +107,8 @@ public:
     token_metadata& operator=(token_metadata&&) noexcept;
     ~token_metadata();
     const std::vector<token>& sorted_tokens() const;
+    const tablet_metadata& tablets() const;
+    void set_tablets(tablet_metadata);
     // Update token->endpoint mappings for a given \c endpoint.
     // \c tokens are all the tokens that are now owned by \c endpoint.
     //