diff --git a/asterix-app/pom.xml b/asterix-app/pom.xml
index 430d8a5..5d7a187 100644
--- a/asterix-app/pom.xml
+++ b/asterix-app/pom.xml
@@ -170,6 +170,13 @@
 			<scope>compile</scope>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
+			<groupId>edu.uci.ics.asterix</groupId>
+			<artifactId>asterix-common</artifactId>
+			<version>0.0.4-SNAPSHOT</version>
+			<type>jar</type>
+			<scope>compile</scope>
+		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
 			<groupId>com.kenai.nbpwr</groupId>
 			<artifactId>org-apache-commons-io</artifactId>
 			<version>1.3.1-201002241208</version>
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java
index 85b2b87..b0b27ed 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import java.rmi.RemoteException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.json.JSONException;
 
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.visitor.AQLPrintVisitor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.rewrites.AqlRewriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.translator.DdlTranslator;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.OptimizationConfUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.rewriter.base.PhysicalOptimizationConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.utils.Pair;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.IHyracksClientConnection;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.NodeControllerInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobId;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 5432fb9..0000000
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.common;
-
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.base.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
-
-public class AsterixAppContextInfoImpl implements IAsterixApplicationContextInfo {
-
-    public static final AsterixAppContextInfoImpl INSTANCE = new AsterixAppContextInfoImpl();
-
-    private AsterixAppContextInfoImpl() {
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> getTreeRegisterProvider() {
-        return AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.INSTANCE;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public IStorageManagerInterface getStorageManagerInterface() {
-        return AsterixStorageManagerInterface.INSTANCE;
-    }
-
-}
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/DatasetOperations.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/DatasetOperations.java
index 3666251..9f41b65 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/DatasetOperations.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/DatasetOperations.java
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.common.Job;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.translator.DdlTranslator.CompiledDatasetDropStatement;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.OptimizationConfUtil;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.base.IDataFormat;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.declared.AqlCompiledDatasetDecl;
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.base.IEvaluatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.base.IPushRuntimeFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.jobgen.impl.ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.jobgen.impl.JobGenHelper;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.operators.meta.AlgebricksMetaOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.operators.std.AssignRuntimeFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.api.constraints.AlgebricksPartitionConstraint;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/IndexOperations.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/IndexOperations.java
index 5e6ffa1..730fac6 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/IndexOperations.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/IndexOperations.java
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.translator.DdlTranslator.CompiledIndexDropStatement;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.OptimizationConfUtil;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.valueproviders.AqlPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlBinaryComparatorFactoryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlBinaryTokenizerFactoryProvider;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestKeywordIndexJob.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestKeywordIndexJob.java
index 91af8de..a4a84db 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestKeywordIndexJob.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestKeywordIndexJob.java
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.comparators.AObjectAscBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AObjectSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.declared.AqlMetadataProvider;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestSecondaryIndexJob.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestSecondaryIndexJob.java
index 025fa16..cdecd74 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestSecondaryIndexJob.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/TestSecondaryIndexJob.java
@@ -5,18 +5,16 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.UUID;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.comparators.AObjectAscBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AObjectSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.declared.AqlMetadataProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AString;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.base.LogicalVariable;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.runtime.jobgen.impl.JobGenHelper;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.HyracksConnection;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.IHyracksClientConnection;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.constraints.PartitionConstraintHelper;
@@ -43,7 +41,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.misc.PrinterOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCBootstrapImpl.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCBootstrapImpl.java
index bcbfb8c..c6d38d3 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCBootstrapImpl.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCBootstrapImpl.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.aqlj.server.APIClientThreadFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.aqlj.server.ThreadedServer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.http.servlet.APIServlet;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IAsterixStateProxy;
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@
         } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IOException(" unable to obtain IP address node map", e);
         }
+        AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.setNodeControllerInfo(nodeNameMap);
         for (Map.Entry<String, Set<String>> entry : nodeNameMap.entrySet()) {
             Set<String> nodeNames = entry.getValue();
             Iterator<String> it = nodeNames.iterator();
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCBootstrapImpl.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCBootstrapImpl.java
index 63fb497..7cdca49 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCBootstrapImpl.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCBootstrapImpl.java
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.aqlj.server.NodeDataClientThreadFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.aqlj.server.ThreadedServer;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.common.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.context.AsterixAppRuntimeContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixAppRuntimeContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataNode;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IAsterixStateProxy;
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39642d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixStorageManagerInterface;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixTreeRegistryProvider;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
+
+public class AsterixAppContextInfoImpl implements IAsterixApplicationContextInfo {
+
+    public static final AsterixAppContextInfoImpl INSTANCE = new AsterixAppContextInfoImpl();
+
+    private static Map<String, Set<String>> nodeControllerMap;
+
+    private AsterixAppContextInfoImpl() {
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> getTreeRegisterProvider() {
+        return AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.INSTANCE;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public IStorageManagerInterface getStorageManagerInterface() {
+        return AsterixStorageManagerInterface.INSTANCE;
+    }
+
+    public static void setNodeControllerInfo(Map<String, Set<String>> nodeControllerInfo) {
+        nodeControllerMap = nodeControllerInfo;
+    }
+
+    public static Map<String, Set<String>> getNodeControllerMap() {
+        return nodeControllerMap;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
similarity index 98%
rename from asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
rename to asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
index 6320737..949855f 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.context;
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixFileMapManager.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixFileMapManager.java
similarity index 97%
rename from asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixFileMapManager.java
rename to asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixFileMapManager.java
index 0aacc3d..5c6611b 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixFileMapManager.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixFileMapManager.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.context;
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.HashMap;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixStorageManagerInterface.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixStorageManagerInterface.java
similarity index 94%
rename from asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixStorageManagerInterface.java
rename to asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixStorageManagerInterface.java
index 12d715d..67b785e 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixStorageManagerInterface.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixStorageManagerInterface.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.context;
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.java
similarity index 93%
rename from asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.java
rename to asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.java
index 80fd64a..3f542ec 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/context/AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixTreeRegistryProvider.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.context;
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
diff --git a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/dataflow/base/IAsterixApplicationContextInfo.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/dataflow/IAsterixApplicationContextInfo.java
similarity index 89%
rename from asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/dataflow/base/IAsterixApplicationContextInfo.java
rename to asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/dataflow/IAsterixApplicationContextInfo.java
index d8d9e78..b5033d3 100644
--- a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/dataflow/base/IAsterixApplicationContextInfo.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/dataflow/IAsterixApplicationContextInfo.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.base;
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/data/adapter/api/IDatasourceAdapter.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/data/adapter/api/IDatasourceAdapter.java
index 1baf149..ea21d78 100644
--- a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/data/adapter/api/IDatasourceAdapter.java
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/data/adapter/api/IDatasourceAdapter.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.IAType;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.api.constraints.AlgebricksPartitionConstraint;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.NodeControllerInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
 
 /**
@@ -143,7 +144,8 @@
      *            providing all arguments as a set of (key,value) pairs. These
      *            arguments are put into the metadata.
      */
-    public void configure(Map<String, String> arguments, IAType atype) throws Exception;
+    public void configure(Map<String, String> arguments, IAType atype)
+            throws Exception;
 
     /**
      * Returns a list of partition constraints. A partition constraint can be a
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/HDFSAdapter.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/HDFSAdapter.java
index f7c89ff..6a0d181 100644
--- a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/HDFSAdapter.java
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/HDFSAdapter.java
@@ -17,11 +17,16 @@
 import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Random;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
@@ -42,6 +47,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.IAType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.operators.file.AdmSchemafullRecordParserFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.operators.file.NtDelimitedDataTupleParserFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.util.AsterixRuntimeUtil;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.api.constraints.AlgebricksAbsolutePartitionConstraint;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.api.constraints.AlgebricksCountPartitionConstraint;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.api.exceptions.NotImplementedException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
@@ -52,8 +59,8 @@
 
 public class HDFSAdapter extends AbstractDatasourceAdapter implements IDatasourceReadAdapter {
 
-    private String hdfsUrl;
-    private List<String> hdfsPaths;
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(HDFSAdapter.class.getName());
+
     private String inputFormatClassName;
     private Object[] inputSplits;
     private transient JobConf conf;
@@ -76,22 +83,6 @@
         formatClassNames.put(INPUT_FORMAT_SEQUENCE, "org.apache.hadoop.mapred.SequenceFileInputFormat");
     }
 
-    public String getHdfsUrl() {
-        return hdfsUrl;
-    }
-
-    public void setHdfsUrl(String hdfsUrl) {
-        this.hdfsUrl = hdfsUrl;
-    }
-
-    public List<String> getHdfsPaths() {
-        return hdfsPaths;
-    }
-
-    public void setHdfsPaths(List<String> hdfsPaths) {
-        this.hdfsPaths = hdfsPaths;
-    }
-
     @Override
     public void configure(Map<String, String> arguments, IAType atype) throws Exception {
         configuration = arguments;
@@ -126,14 +117,52 @@
     }
 
     private void configurePartitionConstraint() throws Exception {
+        AlgebricksAbsolutePartitionConstraint absPartitionConstraint;
+        List<String> locations = new ArrayList<String>();
+        Random random = new Random();
+        boolean couldConfigureLocationConstraints = true;
         if (inputSplitsProxy == null) {
             InputSplit[] inputSplits = conf.getInputFormat().getSplits(conf, 0);
-            inputSplitsProxy = new InputSplitsProxy(conf, inputSplits);
-            partitionConstraint = new AlgebricksCountPartitionConstraint(inputSplits.length);
-            hdfsPaths = new ArrayList<String>();
-            for (String hdfsPath : configuration.get(KEY_HDFS_PATH).split(",")) {
-                hdfsPaths.add(hdfsPath);
+            try {
+                for (InputSplit inputSplit : inputSplits) {
+                    String[] dataNodeLocations = inputSplit.getLocations();
+                    for (String datanodeLocation : dataNodeLocations) {
+                        Set<String> nodeControllersAtLocation = AsterixRuntimeUtil
+                                .getNodeControllersOnHostName(datanodeLocation);
+                        if (nodeControllersAtLocation == null || nodeControllersAtLocation.size() == 0) {
+                            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
+                                LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "No node controller found at " + datanodeLocation
+                                        + " will look at replica location");
+                            }
+                            couldConfigureLocationConstraints = false;
+                        } else {
+                            int locationIndex = random.nextInt(nodeControllersAtLocation.size());
+                            String chosenLocation = (String) nodeControllersAtLocation.toArray()[locationIndex];
+                            locations.add(chosenLocation);
+                            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
+                                LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "split : " + inputSplit + " to be processed by :"
+                                        + chosenLocation);
+                            }
+                            couldConfigureLocationConstraints = true;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    if(!couldConfigureLocationConstraints){
+                        if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
+                            LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "No local node controller found to process split : " + inputSplit + " will use count constraint!");
+                        }
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (couldConfigureLocationConstraints) {
+                    partitionConstraint = new AlgebricksAbsolutePartitionConstraint(locations.toArray(new String[] {}));
+                } else {
+                    partitionConstraint = new AlgebricksCountPartitionConstraint(inputSplits.length);
+                }
+            } catch (UnknownHostException e) {
+                partitionConstraint = new AlgebricksCountPartitionConstraint(inputSplits.length);
             }
+            inputSplitsProxy = new InputSplitsProxy(conf, inputSplits);
         }
     }
 
@@ -156,9 +185,8 @@
     }
 
     private JobConf configureJobConf() throws Exception {
-        hdfsUrl = configuration.get(KEY_HDFS_URL);
         conf = new JobConf();
-        conf.set("fs.default.name", hdfsUrl);
+        conf.set("fs.default.name", configuration.get(KEY_HDFS_URL));
         conf.set("fs.hdfs.impl", "org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DistributedFileSystem");
         conf.setClassLoader(HDFSAdapter.class.getClassLoader());
         conf.set("mapred.input.dir", configuration.get(KEY_HDFS_PATH));
@@ -214,10 +242,10 @@
             public void progress() {
             }
         };
-        
+
         return reporter;
     }
-    
+
     @Override
     public IDataParser getDataParser(int partition) throws Exception {
         Path path = new Path(inputSplits[partition].toString());
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java
index dabff59..eb73938 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.IndexType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.base.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataNode;
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/MetadataBootstrap.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/MetadataBootstrap.java
index 29df060..84fb721 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/MetadataBootstrap.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/MetadataBootstrap.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.IndexType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.base.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.IDatasetDetails;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataTransactionContext;
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlMetadataProvider.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlMetadataProvider.java
index 17deaaf..f99d4ff 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlMetadataProvider.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlMetadataProvider.java
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.parse.IParseFileSplitsDecl;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.base.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.valueproviders.AqlPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.data.adapter.api.IDatasourceAdapter;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.data.adapter.api.IDatasourceReadAdapter;
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.api.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.utils.Pair;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.utils.Triple;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.NodeControllerInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.IOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
@@ -217,9 +219,10 @@
 				.getAdapterType().equals(
 						IDatasourceAdapter.AdapterType.READ_WRITE))) {
 			throw new AlgebricksException(
-					"external dataset does not support read");
+					"external dataset adapter does not support read operation");
 		}
 		ARecordType rt = (ARecordType) itemType;
+
 		try {
 			adapter.configure(decl.getProperties(), itemType);
 		} catch (Exception e) {
@@ -291,6 +294,7 @@
 		}
 
 		ARecordType rt = (ARecordType) itemType;
+		Map<String, NodeControllerInfo> ncInfo = null;
 		try {
 			adapter.configure(decl.getProperties(), itemType);
 		} catch (Exception e) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5326c56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2011 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.util;
+
+import java.net.InetAddress;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+
+public class AsterixRuntimeUtil {
+
+    public static Set<String> getNodeControllersOnIP(String ipAddress) throws AsterixException {
+        Map<String, Set<String>> nodeControllerInfo = AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.getNodeControllerMap();
+        Set<String> nodeControllersAtLocation = nodeControllerInfo.get(ipAddress);
+        return nodeControllersAtLocation;
+    }
+
+    public static Set<String> getNodeControllersOnHostName(String hostName) throws UnknownHostException {
+        Map<String, Set<String>> nodeControllerInfo = AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.getNodeControllerMap();
+        String address;
+        address = InetAddress.getByName(hostName).getHostAddress();
+        if (address.equals("127.0.1.1")) {
+            address = "127.0.0.1";
+        }
+        Set<String> nodeControllersAtLocation = nodeControllerInfo.get(address);
+        return nodeControllersAtLocation;
+    }
+
+}