diff --git a/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark.py b/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark.py
index 237d08bd9a..e6220330b7 100644
--- a/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark.py
+++ b/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark.py
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ def train(
 @dataclass
 class BuildOperator(IndexOperator):
     index_descs: List[IndexDescriptor] = field(default_factory=lambda: [])
+    serialize_index: bool = False
 
     def get_desc(self, name: str) -> Optional[IndexDescriptor]:
         for desc in self.index_descs:
@@ -312,6 +313,7 @@ def build_index_wrapper(self, index_desc: IndexDescriptor):
                 path=index_desc.codec_desc.path,
                 index_name=index_desc.get_name(),
                 codec_name=index_desc.codec_desc.get_name(),
+                serialize_full_index=self.serialize_index,
             )
             index.set_io(self.io)
             index_desc.index = index
diff --git a/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark_io.py b/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark_io.py
index e6f337b89c..79b0fd09c4 100644
--- a/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark_io.py
+++ b/benchs/bench_fw/benchmark_io.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def merge_rcq_itq(
 
 @dataclass
 class BenchmarkIO:
-    path: str
+    path: str  # local path
 
     def __init__(self, path: str):
         self.path = path
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ def __init__(self, path: str):
     def clone(self):
         return BenchmarkIO(path=self.path)
 
-    # TODO(kuarora): rename it as get_local_file
-    def get_local_filename(self, filename):
+    def get_local_filepath(self, filename):
         if len(filename) > 184:
             fn, ext = os.path.splitext(filename)
             filename = (
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ def download_file_from_blobstore(
         bucket: Optional[str] = None,
         path: Optional[str] = None,
     ):
-        return self.get_local_filename(filename)
+        return self.get_local_filepath(filename)
 
     def upload_file_to_blobstore(
         self,
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ def upload_file_to_blobstore(
         pass
 
     def file_exist(self, filename: str):
-        fn = self.get_local_filename(filename)
+        fn = self.get_local_filepath(filename)
         exists = os.path.exists(fn)
         logger.info(f"{filename} {exists=}")
         return exists
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ def write_file(
         values: List[Any],
         overwrite: bool = False,
     ):
-        fn = self.get_local_filename(filename)
+        fn = self.get_local_filepath(filename)
         with ZipFile(fn, "w") as zip_file:
             for key, value in zip(keys, values, strict=True):
                 with zip_file.open(key, "w", force_zip64=True) as f:
@@ -187,7 +186,7 @@ def write_nparray(
         nparray: np.ndarray,
         filename: str,
     ):
-        fn = self.get_local_filename(filename)
+        fn = self.get_local_filepath(filename)
         logger.info(f"Saving nparray {nparray.shape} to {fn}")
         np.save(fn, nparray)
         self.upload_file_to_blobstore(filename)
@@ -209,7 +208,7 @@ def write_json(
         filename: str,
         overwrite: bool = False,
     ):
-        fn = self.get_local_filename(filename)
+        fn = self.get_local_filepath(filename)
         logger.info(f"Saving json {json_dict} to {fn}")
         with open(fn, "w") as fp:
             json.dump(json_dict, fp)
@@ -239,7 +238,7 @@ def write_index(
         index: faiss.Index,
         filename: str,
     ):
-        fn = self.get_local_filename(filename)
+        fn = self.get_local_filepath(filename)
         logger.info(f"Saving index to {fn}")
         faiss.write_index(index, fn)
         self.upload_file_to_blobstore(filename)
diff --git a/benchs/bench_fw/descriptors.py b/benchs/bench_fw/descriptors.py
index a9bae2a1ba..bcd454154d 100644
--- a/benchs/bench_fw/descriptors.py
+++ b/benchs/bench_fw/descriptors.py
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ def name_from_path(self):
             name = filename
         return name
 
-    def alias(self, benchmark_io : BenchmarkIO):
+    def alias(self, benchmark_io: BenchmarkIO):
         if hasattr(benchmark_io, "bucket"):
             return CodecDescriptor(desc_name=self.get_name(), bucket=benchmark_io.bucket, path=self.get_path(benchmark_io), d=self.d, metric=self.metric)
         return CodecDescriptor(desc_name=self.get_name(), d=self.d, metric=self.metric)
diff --git a/benchs/bench_fw/index.py b/benchs/bench_fw/index.py
index 6b6c2d93af..090722f54a 100644
--- a/benchs/bench_fw/index.py
+++ b/benchs/bench_fw/index.py
@@ -786,12 +786,12 @@ def is_flat_index(self):
 # are used to wrap pre-trained Faiss indices (codecs)
 @dataclass
 class IndexFromCodec(Index):
-    path: Optional[str] = None
+    path: Optional[str] = None  # remote or local path to the codec
 
     def __post_init__(self):
         super().__post_init__()
-        if self.path is None:
-            raise ValueError("path is not set")
+        if self.path is None and self.codec_name is None:
+            raise ValueError("path or desc_name is not set")
 
     def get_quantizer(self):
         if not self.is_ivf():
@@ -814,10 +814,17 @@ def fetch_meta(self, dry_run=False):
         return None, None
 
     def fetch_codec(self):
+        if self.path is not None:
+            codec_filename = os.path.basename(self.path)
+            remote_path = os.path.dirname(self.path)
+        else:
+            codec_filename = self.get_codec_name() + "codec"
+            remote_path = None
+
         codec = self.io.read_index(
-            os.path.basename(self.path),
+            codec_filename,
             self.bucket,
-            os.path.dirname(self.path),
+            remote_path,
         )
         assert self.d == codec.d
         assert self.metric_type == codec.metric_type