diff --git a/.github/workflows/erlang.yml b/.github/workflows/erlang.yml
index 4411af2..1907a6b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/erlang.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/erlang.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
     - name: Setup greptimedb
       run: |
-        GREPTIMEDB_VER=v0.9.0
+        GREPTIMEDB_VER=v0.9.3
         DOWNLOAD_URL=https://github.com/GreptimeTeam/greptimedb
         curl -L ${DOWNLOAD_URL}/releases/download/${GREPTIMEDB_VER}/greptime-linux-amd64-${GREPTIMEDB_VER}.tar.gz -o /tmp/greptimedb-${GREPTIMEDB_VER}-linux-amd64.tar.gz
         mkdir -p /tmp/greptimedb-download
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f8851bf..1c9934e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Start the client:
       [{endpoints, [{http, "localhost", 4001}]},
        {pool, greptimedb_client_pool},
        {pool_size, 5},
+       {grpc_hints, #{}},
        {pool_type, random},
        {timeunit, ms}].
     {ok, Client} = greptimedb:start_client(Options).
@@ -129,6 +130,12 @@ Stop the client:
     greptimedb:stop_client(Client).
 ```
 
+Check if the client is alive:
+
+```erlang
+    true = greptimedb:is_alive(Client),
+```
+
 Connect GreptimeDB with authentication:
 
 ```erlang
@@ -205,6 +212,12 @@ A proper list contains:
 * `endpoints`: List of the GreptimeDB server address in the form of `{http, host, port}`
 * `pool`, `pool_size` etc.: the client pool settings
 * `grpc_opts`: grpxbox [client options](https://github.com/tsloughter/grpcbox#defining-channels)
+* `grpc_hints`: a map for GreptimeDB gRPC insertion hints, for example`#{ <<"append_mode">> => <<"true">> }` to enable append mode when creating tables automatically. Valid hints include:
+    * `append_mode`: `true` or `false` to enable append mode, default is `false`,
+    * `ttl`: time to live, the table `ttl` option,
+    * `merge_mode`:  `last_row` or `last_non_null`, default is `last_row`,
+    * `auto_create_table`: `true` or `false`, whether to create tables automatically when writing data, default is `false`,
+    * More about these table options, please read the [doc](https://docs.greptime.com/reference/sql/create/#table-options).
 * `ssl_opts`: when the endpoint scheme is `https`, the ssl options to use(`[]` by default).
 * `auth`:  authentication options,  `{auth, {basic, #{username => <<"greptime_user">>, password => <<"greptime_pwd">>}}}` for example.
 * `timeunit`: Timestamp unit, supports:
diff --git a/rebar.config b/rebar.config
index 7a12a72..09f8e9f 100644
--- a/rebar.config
+++ b/rebar.config
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {deps, [
     {grpcbox, "0.17.1"},
-    {ecpool, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/ecpool", {tag, "0.5.7"}}}
+    {ecpool, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/ecpool", {tag, "0.5.9"}}}
 ]}.
 
 {grpc, [{protos, "protos"}, {gpb_opts, [{module_name_suffix, "_pb"}]}]}.
diff --git a/src/greptimedb_worker.erl b/src/greptimedb_worker.erl
index 4a8bac6..d1d52fa 100644
--- a/src/greptimedb_worker.erl
+++ b/src/greptimedb_worker.erl
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 -export([start_link/1, init/1, handle_call/3, handle_cast/2, handle_info/2, terminate/2, async_handle/3]).
 -export([connect/1]).
 
--record(state, {channel, requests}).
+-record(state, {channel, requests, hints}).
 
 -ifdef(TEST).
 -include_lib("eunit/include/eunit.hrl").
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 -define(CALL_TIMEOUT, 12_000).
 -define(HEALTH_CHECK_TIMEOUT, 1_000).
 -define(REQUEST_TIMEOUT, 10_000).
+-define(GTDB_HINT_HEADER_PREFIX, <<"x-greptime-hint-">>).
 -define(CONNECT_TIMEOUT, 5_000).
 -define(ASYNC_BATCH_SIZE, 100).
 -define(ASYNC_BATCH_TIMEOUT, 100).
@@ -50,6 +51,10 @@
 init(Args) ->
     logger:debug("[GreptimeDB] genserver has started (~w)~n", [self()]),
     Endpoints = proplists:get_value(endpoints, Args),
+    Hints0 = proplists:get_value(grpc_hints, Args, #{}),
+    Hints = maps:fold(fun(Key, Value, Acc) ->
+                              Acc#{<<?GTDB_HINT_HEADER_PREFIX/binary, Key/binary>> => Value}
+                      end, #{}, Hints0),
     SslOptions = proplists:get_value(ssl_opts, Args, []),
     Options = proplists:get_value(grpc_opts, Args, #{connect_timeout => ?CONNECT_TIMEOUT}),
     Channels =
@@ -57,10 +62,10 @@ init(Args) ->
                   end, Endpoints),
     Channel = list_to_atom(pid_to_list(self())),
     {ok, _} = grpcbox_channel_sup:start_child(Channel, Channels, Options),
-    {ok, #state{channel = Channel, requests = #{ pending => queue:new(), pending_count => 0}}}.
+    {ok, #state{channel = Channel, hints = Hints, requests = #{ pending => queue:new(), pending_count => 0}}}.
 
-handle_call({handle, Request}, _From, #state{channel = Channel} = State) ->
-    Ctx = ctx:with_deadline_after(?REQUEST_TIMEOUT, millisecond),
+handle_call({handle, Request}, _From, #state{channel = Channel, hints = Hints} = State) ->
+    Ctx = new_ctx(?REQUEST_TIMEOUT, Hints),
     Reply = greptime_v_1_greptime_database_client:handle(Ctx, Request, #{channel => Channel}),
     logger:debug("[GreptimeDB] handle_call reply: ~w~n", [Reply]),
     case Reply of
@@ -71,9 +76,9 @@ handle_call({handle, Request}, _From, #state{channel = Channel} = State) ->
         Err ->
             {reply, Err, State}
     end;
-handle_call(health_check, _From, #state{channel = Channel} = State) ->
+handle_call(health_check, _From, #state{channel = Channel, hints = Hints} = State) ->
     Request = #{},
-    Ctx = ctx:with_deadline_after(?HEALTH_CHECK_TIMEOUT, millisecond),
+    Ctx = new_ctx(?HEALTH_CHECK_TIMEOUT, Hints),
     Reply =
         greptime_v_1_health_check_client:health_check(Ctx, Request, #{channel => Channel}),
     case Reply of
@@ -128,6 +133,9 @@ ssl_options(https, []) ->
 ssl_options(_, SslOptions) ->
     SslOptions.
 
+new_ctx(TimeoutMs, Values) ->
+    Ctx0 = ctx:with_values(#{md_outgoing_key => Values}),
+    ctx:with_deadline_after(Ctx0, TimeoutMs, millisecond).
 
 now_() ->
     erlang:system_time(millisecond).
@@ -206,11 +214,11 @@ do_shoot(#state{requests = #{pending := Pending0, pending_count := N} = Requests
 do_shoot(State, _Force) ->
     State.
 
-do_shoot(State0, Requests0, Pending0, N, Channel) ->
+do_shoot(#state{hints = Hints} = State0, Requests0, Pending0, N, Channel) ->
     {{value, ?PEND_REQ(ReplyTo, Req)}, Pending} = queue:out(Pending0),
     Requests = Requests0#{pending := Pending, pending_count := N - 1},
     State1 = State0#state{requests = Requests},
-    Ctx = ctx:with_deadline_after(?REQUEST_TIMEOUT, millisecond),
+    Ctx = new_ctx(?REQUEST_TIMEOUT, Hints),
     try
         case greptime_v_1_greptime_database_client:handle_requests(Ctx, #{channel => Channel}) of
             {ok, Stream} ->
@@ -227,7 +235,6 @@ do_shoot(State0, Requests0, Pending0, N, Channel) ->
             State1
     end.
 
-
 shoot(Stream, ?REQ(Req, _), #state{requests = #{pending_count := 0}} = State, ReplyToList) ->
     %% Write the last request and finish stream
     case greptimedb_stream:write_request(Stream, Req) of
diff --git a/test/greptimedb_SUITE.erl b/test/greptimedb_SUITE.erl
index cbd0b5c..d22c017 100644
--- a/test/greptimedb_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/greptimedb_SUITE.erl
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ t_write(_) ->
         [{endpoints, [{http, "localhost", 4001}]},
          {pool, greptimedb_client_pool},
          {pool_size, 5},
+         %% enable append mode
+         {grpc_hints, #{<<"append_mode">> => <<"true">>}},
          {pool_type, random},
          {auth, {basic, #{username => <<"greptime_user">>, password => <<"greptime_pwd">>}}}],