diff --git a/extern/boostd-data/bench/cassandra.go b/extern/boostd-data/bench/cassandra.go
index 71e7b0722..f54066a3f 100644
--- a/extern/boostd-data/bench/cassandra.go
+++ b/extern/boostd-data/bench/cassandra.go
@@ -12,15 +12,19 @@ import (
 	"github.com/multiformats/go-multihash"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
 var cassandraCmd = &cli.Command{
 	Name:   "cassandra",
 	Before: before,
-	Flags:  commonFlags,
+	Flags: append(commonFlags, &cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "connect-string",
+		Value: "localhost",
+	}),
 	Action: func(cctx *cli.Context) error {
 		ctx := cliutil.ReqContext(cctx)
-		db, err := NewCassandraDB()
+		db, err := NewCassandraDB(cctx.String("connect-string"))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -34,15 +38,15 @@ var cassandraCmd = &cli.Command{
 }
 
 func createCassandra(ctx context.Context, connectString string) (BenchDB, error) {
-	return NewCassandraDB()
+	return NewCassandraDB(connectString)
 }
 
 type CassandraDB struct {
 	session *gocql.Session
 }
 
-func NewCassandraDB() (*CassandraDB, error) {
-	cluster := gocql.NewCluster("localhost")
+func NewCassandraDB(connectString string) (*CassandraDB, error) {
+	cluster := gocql.NewCluster(connectString)
 	cluster.Consistency = gocql.Quorum
 	session, err := cluster.CreateSession()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -155,23 +159,31 @@ func (c *CassandraDB) AddIndexRecords(ctx context.Context, pieceCid cid.Cid, rec
 	// Cassandra has a 50k limit on batch statements. Keeping batch size small
 	// makes sure we're under the limit.
 	const batchSize = 128
-	var batchIdx int
 	var batch *gocql.Batch
 	for allIdx, entry := range batchEntries {
-		if batchIdx == 0 {
-			batch = c.session.NewBatch(gocql.UnloggedBatch).WithContext(ctx)
+		if batch == nil {
+			batch = c.session.NewBatch(gocql.UnloggedBatch).WithContext(ctx).RetryPolicy(&gocql.ExponentialBackoffRetryPolicy{Max: 120 * time.Second, NumRetries: 25})
 		}
-		if allIdx == len(batchEntries)-1 || batchIdx == batchSize {
-			err := c.session.ExecuteBatch(batch)
+
+		batch.Entries = append(batch.Entries, entry)
+
+		if allIdx == len(batchEntries)-1 || len(batch.Entries) == batchSize {
+			var err error
+			for i := 0; i < 30; i++ {
+				err = c.session.ExecuteBatch(batch)
+				if err == nil {
+					break
+				}
+
+				log.Warnf("error executing batch: %s", err)
+				time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+			}
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("adding index records for piece %s: %w", pieceCid, err)
 			}
-			batchIdx = 0
+			batch = nil
 			continue
 		}
-
-		batch.Entries = append(batch.Entries, entry)
-		batchIdx++
 	}
 	return nil
 }