diff --git a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/algebra/operators/physical/InvertedIndexPOperator.java b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/algebra/operators/physical/InvertedIndexPOperator.java
index 49ca5ba..48f9e36 100644
--- a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/algebra/operators/physical/InvertedIndexPOperator.java
+++ b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/algebra/operators/physical/InvertedIndexPOperator.java
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataException;
@@ -196,20 +197,22 @@
             IBinaryTokenizerFactory queryTokenizerFactory = InvertedIndexAccessMethod.getBinaryTokenizerFactory(
                     searchModifierType, searchKeyType, secondaryIndex);
             IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory;
+
+            AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getStorageProperties();
             if (!isPartitioned) {
                 dataflowHelperFactory = new LSMInvertedIndexDataflowHelperFactory(
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                        storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
             } else {
                 dataflowHelperFactory = new PartitionedLSMInvertedIndexDataflowHelperFactory(
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                        storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
             }
             LSMInvertedIndexSearchOperatorDescriptor invIndexSearchOp = new LSMInvertedIndexSearchOperatorDescriptor(
                     jobSpec, queryField, appContext.getStorageManagerInterface(), secondarySplitsAndConstraint.first,
diff --git a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/optimizer/rules/IntroduceDynamicTypeCastRule.java b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/optimizer/rules/IntroduceDynamicTypeCastRule.java
index 5cff07b..1f242b8 100644
--- a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/optimizer/rules/IntroduceDynamicTypeCastRule.java
+++ b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/optimizer/rules/IntroduceDynamicTypeCastRule.java
@@ -109,8 +109,7 @@
             inputRecordVar = usedVariables.get(0);
         }
         IVariableTypeEnvironment env = oldAssignOperator.computeInputTypeEnvironment(context);
-        ARecordType inputRecordType = (ARecordType) env.getVarType(inputRecordVar);
-
+        IAType inputRecordType = (IAType) env.getVarType(inputRecordVar);
         boolean needCast = !requiredRecordType.equals(inputRecordType);
         if (!needCast)
             return false;
diff --git a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AqlExpressionToPlanTranslator.java b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AqlExpressionToPlanTranslator.java
index 09fc2b9..f769db3 100644
--- a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AqlExpressionToPlanTranslator.java
+++ b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AqlExpressionToPlanTranslator.java
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.WriteStatement;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.visitor.IAqlExpressionVisitor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.util.FunctionUtils;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
@@ -288,7 +289,8 @@
         String outputDir = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpDir");
         String filePath = outputDir + System.getProperty("file.separator") + OUTPUT_FILE_PREFIX
                 + outputFileID.incrementAndGet();
-        return new FileSplit(AsterixProperties.INSTANCE.getMetadataNodeName(), new FileReference(new File(filePath)));
+        AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getMetadataProperties();
+        return new FileSplit(metadataProperties.getMetadataNodeName(), new FileReference(new File(filePath)));
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/asterix-app/data/fbu-dml-insert-shuffled.adm b/asterix-app/data/fbu-dml-insert-shuffled.adm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e42fd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/data/fbu-dml-insert-shuffled.adm
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+{"id":11381089,"id-copy":11381089,"alias":"Earlene","name":"EarleneAmmons","user-since":datetime("2010-03-24T05:25:35"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2010-03-24T05:25:35"),"friend-ids":{{25392364,36996951,16110083,9799716,22893553,28551996,7706432,14225386,15633254,39395931,46707062,37226919,8532306,3765988,20939685,31136325,45222021,15355741,8760941,12045616,6890610,13560532,44914868,37744233}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Roundhex","start-date":date("2000-06-10")}]}
+{"id":10495420,"id-copy":10495420,"alias":"Wendy","name":"WendyMcloskey","user-since":datetime("2011-04-26T23:38:24"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2011-04-26T23:38:24"),"friend-ids":{{16762653,46262691,12313140,20481262,347993,23105127,1680519,20880265,45611347,21907223,46615281,17188244,44019800,46943250,28647738,16792673,29406270,42714079}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Qvohouse","start-date":date("2008-08-27")}]}
+{"id":10957867,"id-copy":10957867,"alias":"Zach","name":"ZachOppenheimer","user-since":datetime("2012-01-01T14:40:11"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2012-01-01T14:40:11"),"friend-ids":{{27759480,2112389,8560433,10052851,37714587,16717012,36648956,44803993,36030695,5359496,32302980,27143894,19287706}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Tanzumbam","start-date":date("2003-05-14"),"end-date":date("2004-02-23")}]}
+{"id":9988417,"id-copy":9988417,"alias":"Coline","name":"ColineLane","user-since":datetime("2010-01-01T00:12:39"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2010-01-01T00:12:39"),"friend-ids":{{17656229,42804152}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Fax-fax","start-date":date("2012-05-01")}]}
+{"id":10272571,"id-copy":10272571,"alias":"Jarrett","name":"JarrettGoldvogel","user-since":datetime("2010-04-28T23:24:22"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2010-04-28T23:24:22"),"friend-ids":{{47024505,36647273,32152567,28239957,11739703,47515825,17408763,41224279,41487670,43339913}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Transhigh","start-date":date("2004-04-06"),"end-date":date("2010-02-14")}]}
+{"id":11307946,"id-copy":11307946,"alias":"Helga","name":"HelgaStough","user-since":datetime("2007-01-12T21:50:11"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2007-01-12T21:50:11"),"friend-ids":{{22768365}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"subtam","start-date":date("2007-01-04"),"end-date":date("2009-06-25")}]}
+{"id":11061631,"id-copy":11061631,"alias":"Maxene","name":"MaxeneKellogg","user-since":datetime("2005-11-13T01:09:31"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2005-11-13T01:09:31"),"friend-ids":{{31578394,39466620,35741359,14244925,3000582,39031643,5008430,18315325,30440631,37868108,12014032,32314102,42887702,1853960,28022174,2024670,38864358,42073112,16259942,34693959,25315399,37475597,33599283}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Unijobam","start-date":date("2008-05-13")}]}
+{"id":10874791,"id-copy":10874791,"alias":"Haydee","name":"HaydeeGarratt","user-since":datetime("2007-04-14T00:19:00"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2007-04-14T00:19:00"),"friend-ids":{{12247794,10306863,33161811,43877113,37745696}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Opeelectronics","start-date":date("2008-03-07"),"end-date":date("2011-12-27")}]}
+{"id":11570326,"id-copy":11570326,"alias":"Linden","name":"LindenFilby","user-since":datetime("2007-08-16T03:11:11"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2007-08-16T03:11:11"),"friend-ids":{{6549689,15243636,3147666}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Solfix","start-date":date("2010-02-23"),"end-date":date("2010-04-22")}]}
+{"id":10498285,"id-copy":10498285,"alias":"Kiley","name":"KileyBridger","user-since":datetime("2006-05-14T21:55:34"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2006-05-14T21:55:34"),"friend-ids":{{38780484,46190003,905670,35609390,46621151,5099226,24328595,16340411,13326485,13872400,35896828,9196151,8525875,7461206,28379538,46461267,45270205,35718577,5310596,7080391}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Newcom","start-date":date("2009-11-11"),"end-date":date("2009-06-23")}]}
+{"id":9629395,"id-copy":9629395,"alias":"Julius","name":"JuliusWire","user-since":datetime("2008-03-22T13:36:24"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2008-03-22T13:36:24"),"friend-ids":{{}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Tranzap","start-date":date("2006-11-19")}]}
+{"id":11447332,"id-copy":11447332,"alias":"Sherisse","name":"SherisseMaugham","user-since":datetime("2012-02-09T14:21:08"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2012-02-09T14:21:08"),"friend-ids":{{}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Tripplelane","start-date":date("2011-09-16")}]}
+{"id":10179538,"id-copy":10179538,"alias":"Orlando","name":"OrlandoBaxter","user-since":datetime("2006-02-06T08:33:07"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2006-02-06T08:33:07"),"friend-ids":{{6233497,33888281,44259464,19279042,22534429,13084190,38886041,41675566,3155617}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Ontohothex","start-date":date("2009-07-06")}]}
+{"id":10001080,"id-copy":10001080,"alias":"Garrett","name":"GarrettBode","user-since":datetime("2005-10-25T18:07:35"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2005-10-25T18:07:35"),"friend-ids":{{35858744,16426061,11473961,4769664,29038930,33070686,46271872,42593454,36202882,46642640,22243678,20222041,29014540,7389258,7172909,12787979,146736,21081030,21615179,2936936,44934891}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Tanzimcare","start-date":date("2007-06-24")}]}
+{"id":11675221,"id-copy":11675221,"alias":"Calanthe","name":"CalantheGearhart","user-since":datetime("2007-06-08T02:44:20"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2007-06-08T02:44:20"),"friend-ids":{{19185575}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Vivaace","start-date":date("2010-05-21")}]}
+{"id":11140213,"id-copy":11140213,"alias":"Montgomery","name":"MontgomeryWhittier","user-since":datetime("2007-06-19T17:46:13"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2007-06-19T17:46:13"),"friend-ids":{{32831460,6030454,30437362,21866470,17388602,40815157,20000967,47555494,5818137,40634742,21692148,2365521,33290069,46471164,9192561,35768343,7552168,3577338,5346012,31129868}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Y-geohex","start-date":date("2008-02-24")}]}
+{"id":11954992,"id-copy":11954992,"alias":"Caitlin","name":"CaitlinLangston","user-since":datetime("2007-01-02T01:50:34"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2007-01-02T01:50:34"),"friend-ids":{{23355687,22474136,28513847,32515387,44041844,33706721,10874992,36341753,34431157,16146113,15462591,18188151,29554174,44940738,25888018,42795884,14382632,12734889,11724519,15830341,25725320,37580394,24124411,47984339}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Kanelectrics","start-date":date("2010-05-26"),"end-date":date("2010-03-28")}]}
+{"id":9510451,"id-copy":9510451,"alias":"Chuck","name":"ChuckFinck","user-since":datetime("2011-09-10T08:27:31"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2011-09-10T08:27:31"),"friend-ids":{{5559039,8997599,8311284,20478562,13734713,21511695,30393493}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Inchdox","start-date":date("2001-10-12")}]}
+{"id":11068231,"id-copy":11068231,"alias":"Dinah","name":"DinahSwink","user-since":datetime("2012-05-02T04:24:33"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2012-05-02T04:24:33"),"friend-ids":{{31542440,17451543,32642661,27867264,32718667,43042567,7921827}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"highfax","start-date":date("2003-04-10"),"end-date":date("2003-10-03")}]}
+{"id":10361965,"id-copy":10361965,"alias":"Arlen","name":"ArlenFlick","user-since":datetime("2011-07-14T18:38:37"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2011-07-14T18:38:37"),"friend-ids":{{34249140,2887282,47622716,3897801,33692288,14374380,14183995,41311739,6378075,17721901,20807501,8908974,41080464,26497672}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Medflex","start-date":date("2008-05-18"),"end-date":date("2011-09-18")}]}
+{"id":10423588,"id-copy":10423588,"alias":"Shirlene","name":"ShirleneRuch","user-since":datetime("2006-04-09T05:52:24"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2006-04-09T05:52:24"),"friend-ids":{{15418780,12724265,27282306,13592995,24753166,32824252,40619106,27563604,12337625,45387219,27749581,44912564,37470078,19663516}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Newphase","start-date":date("2003-06-17")}]}
+{"id":11951098,"id-copy":11951098,"alias":"Tera","name":"TeraByers","user-since":datetime("2012-08-03T19:41:26"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2012-08-03T19:41:26"),"friend-ids":{{15537238,13699967,10587728,23542817,12703626,25024772,19223339,5547239,42576945,27351017,22726496,25268071,4361323,24631578,38669047,44781738,34646381}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Sublamdox","start-date":date("2008-01-04"),"end-date":date("2011-01-14")}]}
+{"id":9594523,"id-copy":9594523,"alias":"Tam","name":"TamWillcox","user-since":datetime("2011-12-23T11:41:58"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2011-12-23T11:41:58"),"friend-ids":{{27383896,20745988,10063024,8241427,40299998,32408463,25171835,22380586,15344194,25951348,28733234,45421004,2273747,2229862,6241144,6704115,8659430,47431991,47929530,24393021}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Keytech","start-date":date("2001-07-27")}]}
+{"id":9478720,"id-copy":9478720,"alias":"Angelia","name":"AngeliaKettlewell","user-since":datetime("2005-05-27T06:29:30"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2005-05-27T06:29:30"),"friend-ids":{{42556433,20033025,38112512,19420757,31822717,7116081,39544900,19203395,46787205,32303456,4509345,45558040,42616291,6929369,9272653,37459048,37113569,38942369,47741031,46761451,14163845}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Alphadax","start-date":date("2012-03-28"),"end-date":date("2012-03-04")}]}
+{"id":9142198,"id-copy":9142198,"alias":"Sherry","name":"SherryFea","user-since":datetime("2011-03-28T23:09:22"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2011-03-28T23:09:22"),"friend-ids":{{6835080,34471872,30942941,34858577,5996593,47293442,43097072,44809621,33969893,26410931,6628186,29944391,35957320,20326929,40284077,11681583,43878314,40265961,16871274,28406169,1349311}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Mathtech","start-date":date("2004-07-28")}]}
+{"id":9313492,"id-copy":9313492,"alias":"Tera","name":"TeraWolfe","user-since":datetime("2010-12-20T12:47:25"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2010-12-20T12:47:25"),"friend-ids":{{45424983,18345704,14849759,31638064,38670515,48015953,36114769}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Redelectronics","start-date":date("2001-04-26"),"end-date":date("2004-12-06")}]}
+{"id":10307032,"id-copy":10307032,"alias":"Quentin","name":"QuentinSauter","user-since":datetime("2012-07-11T07:16:43"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2012-07-11T07:16:43"),"friend-ids":{{1926278,42211794,1508832,14973540,6721046,28872485,5047722,7805271,31508326,20891455,38735410,13190567,18209753,44468536,34640135,47290587,25576626}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Zamcorporation","start-date":date("2012-02-13")}]}
+{"id":10733617,"id-copy":10733617,"alias":"Leonardo","name":"LeonardoKight","user-since":datetime("2008-10-20T17:30:29"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2008-10-20T17:30:29"),"friend-ids":{{39687903,7235506,34696496,25995345,18435380,47473591,15710408,44232442,39520147,36384026,25160887,245860,1195579,4587411,536916,47052672,33953823,13203710}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"tresline","start-date":date("2007-07-12"),"end-date":date("2010-03-16")}]}
+{"id":10394488,"id-copy":10394488,"alias":"Oswald","name":"OswaldRay","user-since":datetime("2006-02-12T17:39:23"),"user-since-copy":datetime("2006-02-12T17:39:23"),"friend-ids":{{14370372,14174983,7749259,39375970,1755409,9056913}},"employment":[{"organization-name":"Canline","start-date":date("2011-12-04"),"end-date":date("2011-06-08")}]}
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 862c701..438bc74 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
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.Query;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.visitor.AQLPrintVisitor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.rewrites.AqlRewriter;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixCompilerProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.OptimizationConfUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.common.AqlExpressionTypeComputer;
@@ -258,7 +258,8 @@
             }
         }
 
-        int frameSize = GlobalConfig.getFrameSize();
+        AsterixCompilerProperties compilerProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getCompilerProperties();
+        int frameSize = compilerProperties.getFrameSize();
 
         HeuristicCompilerFactoryBuilder builder = new HeuristicCompilerFactoryBuilder(
                 AqlOptimizationContextFactory.INSTANCE);
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@
 
         IJobletEventListenerFactory jobEventListenerFactory = new JobEventListenerFactory(asterixJobId,
                 isWriteTransaction);
-        JobSpecification spec = compiler.createJob(AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.getInstance(), jobEventListenerFactory);
+        JobSpecification spec = compiler.createJob(AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance(), jobEventListenerFactory);
 
         if (pc.isPrintJob()) {
             switch (pdf) {
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 b9b9524..25a2551 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
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.common.Job;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 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;
@@ -118,14 +120,15 @@
         Pair<IFileSplitProvider, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint> splitsAndConstraint = metadataProvider
                 .splitProviderAndPartitionConstraintsForInternalOrFeedDataset(dataset.getDataverseName(), datasetName,
                         datasetName);
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getStorageProperties();
         IndexDropOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeDrop = new IndexDropOperatorDescriptor(specPrimary,
                 AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER, AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER,
                 splitsAndConstraint.first, new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES));
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
+                        storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()));
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper.setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(specPrimary, primaryBtreeDrop,
                 splitsAndConstraint.second);
 
@@ -163,10 +166,11 @@
         }
         LOGGER.info("CREATING File Splits: " + sb.toString());
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getStorageProperties();
         //prepare a LocalResourceMetadata which will be stored in NC's local resource repository
         ILocalResourceMetadata localResourceMetadata = new LSMBTreeLocalResourceMetadata(typeTraits,
-                comparatorFactories, blooFilterKeyFields, true, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                comparatorFactories, blooFilterKeyFields, true, storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(),
+                storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
         ILocalResourceFactoryProvider localResourceFactoryProvider = new PersistentLocalResourceFactoryProvider(
                 localResourceMetadata, LocalResource.LSMBTreeResource);
 
@@ -176,9 +180,9 @@
                 new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES), localResourceFactoryProvider,
-                NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
+                localResourceFactoryProvider, NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper.setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(spec, indexCreateOp,
                 splitsAndConstraint.second);
         spec.addRoot(indexCreateOp);
@@ -258,15 +262,17 @@
             numElementsHint = Long.parseLong(dataset.getHints().get("CARDINALITY"));
         }
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getStorageProperties();
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor btreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER, AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER,
                 splitsAndConstraint.first, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, blooFilterKeyFields, fieldPermutation,
-                GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_BTREE_FILL_FACTOR, false, numElementsHint, new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(
+                GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_BTREE_FILL_FACTOR, false, numElementsHint,
+                new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES), NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
+                NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper.setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(spec, btreeBulkLoad,
                 splitsAndConstraint.second);
 
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 dbbbe44..cec97ad 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
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.file;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.OptimizationConfUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
@@ -48,14 +49,15 @@
 
         Pair<IFileSplitProvider, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint> splitsAndConstraint = metadataProvider
                 .splitProviderAndPartitionConstraintsForInternalOrFeedDataset(dataverseName, datasetName, indexName);
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getStorageProperties();
         IndexDropOperatorDescriptor btreeDrop = new IndexDropOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER, AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER,
                 splitsAndConstraint.first, new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES));
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
+                        storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()));
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper
                 .setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(spec, btreeDrop, splitsAndConstraint.second);
         spec.addRoot(btreeDrop);
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryBTreeCreator.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryBTreeCreator.java
index 2a1349b..958f8d1 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryBTreeCreator.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryBTreeCreator.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.file;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.resource.ILocalResourceMetadata;
@@ -26,31 +27,33 @@
 
 public class SecondaryBTreeCreator extends SecondaryIndexCreator {
 
-    protected SecondaryBTreeCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf) {
-        super(physOptConf);
+    protected SecondaryBTreeCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf,
+            IAsterixPropertiesProvider propertiesProvider) {
+        super(physOptConf, propertiesProvider);
     }
 
     @Override
     public JobSpecification buildCreationJobSpec() throws AsterixException, AlgebricksException {
         JobSpecification spec = new JobSpecification();
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         //prepare a LocalResourceMetadata which will be stored in NC's local resource repository
         ILocalResourceMetadata localResourceMetadata = new LSMBTreeLocalResourceMetadata(
                 secondaryRecDesc.getTypeTraits(), secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryBloomFilterKeyFields, false,
-                GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
         ILocalResourceFactoryProvider localResourceFactoryProvider = new PersistentLocalResourceFactoryProvider(
                 localResourceMetadata, LocalResource.LSMBTreeResource);
 
         TreeIndexCreateOperatorDescriptor secondaryIndexCreateOp = new TreeIndexCreateOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER, AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER,
                 secondaryFileSplitProvider, secondaryRecDesc.getTypeTraits(), secondaryComparatorFactories,
-                secondaryBloomFilterKeyFields, new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(
+                secondaryBloomFilterKeyFields,
+                new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES), localResourceFactoryProvider,
-                NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
+                localResourceFactoryProvider, NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper.setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(spec, secondaryIndexCreateOp,
                 secondaryPartitionConstraint);
         spec.addRoot(secondaryIndexCreateOp);
@@ -80,13 +83,17 @@
         // Sort by secondary keys.
         ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor sortOp = createSortOp(spec, secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryRecDesc);
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         // Create secondary BTree bulk load op.
-        TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor secondaryBulkLoadOp = createTreeIndexBulkLoadOp(spec, numSecondaryKeys,
+        TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor secondaryBulkLoadOp = createTreeIndexBulkLoadOp(
+                spec,
+                numSecondaryKeys,
                 new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES), BTree.DEFAULT_FILL_FACTOR);
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
+                BTree.DEFAULT_FILL_FACTOR);
 
         // Connect the operators.
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), keyProviderOp, 0, primaryScanOp, 0);
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryIndexCreator.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryIndexCreator.java
index e7c2e3e..83c9393 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryIndexCreator.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryIndexCreator.java
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlBinaryBooleanInspectorImpl;
@@ -103,29 +105,34 @@
     protected RecordDescriptor secondaryRecDesc;
     protected ICopyEvaluatorFactory[] secondaryFieldAccessEvalFactories;
 
+    protected IAsterixPropertiesProvider propertiesProvider;
+
     // Prevent public construction. Should be created via createIndexCreator().
-    protected SecondaryIndexCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf) {
+    protected SecondaryIndexCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf,
+            IAsterixPropertiesProvider propertiesProvider) {
         this.physOptConf = physOptConf;
+        this.propertiesProvider = propertiesProvider;
     }
 
     public static SecondaryIndexCreator createIndexCreator(CompiledCreateIndexStatement createIndexStmt,
             AqlMetadataProvider metadataProvider, PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf) throws AsterixException,
             AlgebricksException {
+        IAsterixPropertiesProvider asterixPropertiesProvider = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance();
         SecondaryIndexCreator indexCreator = null;
         switch (createIndexStmt.getIndexType()) {
             case BTREE: {
-                indexCreator = new SecondaryBTreeCreator(physOptConf);
+                indexCreator = new SecondaryBTreeCreator(physOptConf, asterixPropertiesProvider);
                 break;
             }
             case RTREE: {
-                indexCreator = new SecondaryRTreeCreator(physOptConf);
+                indexCreator = new SecondaryRTreeCreator(physOptConf, asterixPropertiesProvider);
                 break;
             }
             case WORD_INVIX:
             case NGRAM_INVIX:
             case FUZZY_WORD_INVIX:
             case FUZZY_NGRAM_INVIX: {
-                indexCreator = new SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator(physOptConf);
+                indexCreator = new SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator(physOptConf, asterixPropertiesProvider);
                 break;
             }
             default: {
@@ -266,6 +273,7 @@
         int[] lowKeyFields = null;
         // +Infinity
         int[] highKeyFields = null;
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primarySearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
                 AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER, AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER,
                 primaryFileSplitProvider, primaryRecDesc.getTypeTraits(), primaryComparatorFactories,
@@ -273,8 +281,9 @@
                 new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES), false, NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
+                        AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()), false,
+                NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper.setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(spec, primarySearchOp,
                 primaryPartitionConstraint);
         return primarySearchOp;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator.java
index 0bf379d..7b53a28 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator.java
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.IndexType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.declared.AqlMetadataProvider;
@@ -60,8 +61,9 @@
     private RecordDescriptor tokenKeyPairRecDesc;
     private boolean isPartitioned;
 
-    protected SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf) {
-        super(physOptConf);
+    protected SecondaryInvertedIndexCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf,
+            IAsterixPropertiesProvider propertiesProvider) {
+        super(physOptConf, propertiesProvider);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -150,10 +152,12 @@
     public JobSpecification buildCreationJobSpec() throws AsterixException, AlgebricksException {
         JobSpecification spec = new JobSpecification();
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         //prepare a LocalResourceMetadata which will be stored in NC's local resource repository
         ILocalResourceMetadata localResourceMetadata = new LSMInvertedIndexLocalResourceMetadata(invListsTypeTraits,
                 primaryComparatorFactories, tokenTypeTraits, tokenComparatorFactories, tokenizerFactory,
-                GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES, isPartitioned);
+                storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages(),
+                isPartitioned);
         ILocalResourceFactoryProvider localResourceFactoryProvider = new PersistentLocalResourceFactoryProvider(
                 localResourceMetadata, LocalResource.LSMInvertedIndexResource);
 
@@ -259,20 +263,21 @@
     }
 
     private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory createDataflowHelperFactory() {
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         if (!isPartitioned) {
             return new LSMInvertedIndexDataflowHelperFactory(
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
-                    GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                    storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
         } else {
             return new PartitionedLSMInvertedIndexDataflowHelperFactory(
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                     AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
-                    GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                    storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryRTreeCreator.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryRTreeCreator.java
index 6f400f9..1a5e0da 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryRTreeCreator.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/file/SecondaryRTreeCreator.java
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 
 import java.util.List;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.valueproviders.AqlPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
@@ -49,20 +50,22 @@
     protected int numNestedSecondaryKeyFields;
     protected ATypeTag keyType;
 
-    protected SecondaryRTreeCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf) {
-        super(physOptConf);
+    protected SecondaryRTreeCreator(PhysicalOptimizationConfig physOptConf,
+            IAsterixPropertiesProvider propertiesProvider) {
+        super(physOptConf, propertiesProvider);
     }
 
     @Override
     public JobSpecification buildCreationJobSpec() throws AsterixException, AlgebricksException {
         JobSpecification spec = new JobSpecification();
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         //prepare a LocalResourceMetadata which will be stored in NC's local resource repository
         ILocalResourceMetadata localResourceMetadata = new LSMRTreeLocalResourceMetadata(
                 secondaryRecDesc.getTypeTraits(), secondaryComparatorFactories, primaryComparatorFactories,
                 valueProviderFactories, RTreePolicyType.RTREE, AqlMetadataProvider.proposeLinearizer(keyType,
-                        secondaryComparatorFactories.length), GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
-                GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                        secondaryComparatorFactories.length), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(),
+                storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
         ILocalResourceFactoryProvider localResourceFactoryProvider = new PersistentLocalResourceFactoryProvider(
                 localResourceMetadata, LocalResource.LSMRTreeResource);
 
@@ -74,8 +77,8 @@
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER, AqlMetadataProvider.proposeLinearizer(
-                                keyType, secondaryComparatorFactories.length),
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
+                                keyType, secondaryComparatorFactories.length), storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
                 localResourceFactoryProvider, NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         AlgebricksPartitionConstraintHelper.setPartitionConstraintInJobSpec(spec, secondaryIndexCreateOp,
                 secondaryPartitionConstraint);
@@ -149,6 +152,7 @@
             selectOp = createFilterNullsSelectOp(spec, numNestedSecondaryKeyFields);
         }
 
+        AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
         // Create secondary RTree bulk load op.
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor secondaryBulkLoadOp = createTreeIndexBulkLoadOp(
                 spec,
@@ -158,8 +162,8 @@
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER,
                         AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER, AqlMetadataProvider.proposeLinearizer(
-                                keyType, secondaryComparatorFactories.length),
-                        GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
+                                keyType, secondaryComparatorFactories.length), storageProperties
+                                .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
                 BTree.DEFAULT_FILL_FACTOR);
 
         // Connect the operators.
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplicationEntryPoint.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplicationEntryPoint.java
index 1b8990b..01cbca0 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplicationEntryPoint.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplicationEntryPoint.java
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.http.servlet.QueryResultAPIServlet;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.http.servlet.QueryStatusAPIServlet;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.http.servlet.UpdateAPIServlet;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixExternalProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IAsterixStateProxy;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.bootstrap.AsterixStateProxy;
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@
 
     private static final String HYRACKS_CONNECTION_ATTR = "edu.uci.ics.asterix.HYRACKS_CONNECTION";
 
-    private static final int DEFAULT_WEB_SERVER_PORT = 19001;
-
-    private static final int DEFAULT_JSON_API_SERVER_PORT = 19101;
-
     private Server webServer;
     private Server jsonAPIServer;
     private static IAsterixStateProxy proxy;
@@ -45,20 +41,19 @@
             LOGGER.info("Starting Asterix cluster controller");
         }
 
+        AsterixAppContextInfo.initialize(appCtx);
+
         proxy = AsterixStateProxy.registerRemoteObject();
-        proxy.setAsterixProperties(AsterixProperties.INSTANCE);
         appCtx.setDistributedState(proxy);
 
-        MetadataManager.INSTANCE = new MetadataManager(proxy);
+        AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getMetadataProperties();
+        MetadataManager.INSTANCE = new MetadataManager(proxy, metadataProperties);
 
-        setupWebServer();
+        AsterixExternalProperties externalProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getExternalProperties();
+        setupWebServer(externalProperties);
         webServer.start();
-
-        // Setup and start the web interface
-        setupJSONAPIServer();
+        setupJSONAPIServer(externalProperties);
         jsonAPIServer.start();
-
-        AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.initialize(appCtx);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -78,10 +73,9 @@
         return new HyracksConnection(strIP, port);
     }
 
-    private void setupWebServer() throws Exception {
-        int port = Integer.parseInt((String) AsterixProperties.INSTANCE
-                .getProperty(AsterixProperties.AsterixConfigurationKeys.WEB_INTERFACE_PORT));
-        webServer = new Server(port);
+    private void setupWebServer(AsterixExternalProperties externalProperties) throws Exception {
+
+        webServer = new Server(externalProperties.getWebInterfacePort());
 
         ServletContextHandler context = new ServletContextHandler(ServletContextHandler.SESSIONS);
         context.setContextPath("/");
@@ -93,13 +87,8 @@
         context.addServlet(new ServletHolder(new APIServlet()), "/*");
     }
 
-    private void setupJSONAPIServer() throws Exception {
-        String portStr = System.getProperty(GlobalConfig.JSON_API_SERVER_PORT_PROPERTY);
-        int port = DEFAULT_JSON_API_SERVER_PORT;
-        if (portStr != null) {
-            port = Integer.parseInt(portStr);
-        }
-        jsonAPIServer = new Server(port);
+    private void setupJSONAPIServer(AsterixExternalProperties externalProperties) throws Exception {
+        jsonAPIServer = new Server(externalProperties.getAPIServerPort());
 
         ServletContextHandler context = new ServletContextHandler(ServletContextHandler.SESSIONS);
         context.setContextPath("/");
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplicationEntryPoint.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplicationEntryPoint.java
index 8ad8c67..7dad984 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplicationEntryPoint.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplicationEntryPoint.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixAppRuntimeContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.MetadataNode;
@@ -86,32 +87,31 @@
     @Override
     public void notifyStartupComplete() throws Exception {
         IAsterixStateProxy proxy = (IAsterixStateProxy) ncApplicationContext.getDistributedState();
+        AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties = runtimeContext.getMetadataProperties();
 
         if (systemState == SystemState.NEW_UNIVERSE) {
-            PersistentLocalResourceRepository localResourceRepository = (PersistentLocalResourceRepository) runtimeContext
-                    .getLocalResourceRepository();
-
             if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-                LOGGER.info("nodeid" + nodeId);
-                LOGGER.info("proxy" + proxy);
-                LOGGER.info("stores" + proxy.getAsterixProperties().getStores());
-                LOGGER.info("store" + proxy.getAsterixProperties().getStores().get(nodeId)[0]);
+                LOGGER.info("System state: " + SystemState.NEW_UNIVERSE);
+                LOGGER.info("Node ID: " + nodeId);
+                LOGGER.info("Stores: " + metadataProperties.getStores());
+                LOGGER.info("Root Metadata Store: " + metadataProperties.getStores().get(nodeId)[0]);
             }
 
-            localResourceRepository.initialize(nodeId, proxy.getAsterixProperties().getStores().get(nodeId)[0], true,
-                    null);
+            PersistentLocalResourceRepository localResourceRepository = (PersistentLocalResourceRepository) runtimeContext
+                    .getLocalResourceRepository();
+            localResourceRepository.initialize(nodeId, metadataProperties.getStores().get(nodeId)[0], true, null);
         }
 
-        isMetadataNode = nodeId.equals(proxy.getAsterixProperties().getMetadataNodeName());
+        isMetadataNode = nodeId.equals(metadataProperties.getMetadataNodeName());
         if (isMetadataNode) {
             registerRemoteMetadataNode(proxy);
 
             if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
                 LOGGER.info("Bootstrapping metadata");
             }
-            MetadataManager.INSTANCE = new MetadataManager(proxy);
+            MetadataManager.INSTANCE = new MetadataManager(proxy, metadataProperties);
             MetadataManager.INSTANCE.init();
-            MetadataBootstrap.startUniverse(proxy.getAsterixProperties(), ncApplicationContext,
+            MetadataBootstrap.startUniverse(runtimeContext, ncApplicationContext,
                     systemState == SystemState.NEW_UNIVERSE);
             MetadataBootstrap.startDDLRecovery();
         }
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.1.ddl.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.1.ddl.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.1.ddl.aql
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.2.update.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.2.update.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.2.update.aql
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.3.query.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.3.query.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9819455
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.3.query.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/*
+ * Description  : This test case is to verify the fix for issue400
+ 				: https://code.google.com/p/asterixdb/issues/detail?id=400
+ * Expected Res : Success
+ * Date         : 8th May 2013
+ */
+ 
+let $l := [[1,2,3,4,5],[6,7,8,9]]
+return count(for $i in $l return $i)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.1.ddl.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.1.ddl.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d09e16d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.1.ddl.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+create dataverse SocialNetworkData;
+
+use dataverse SocialNetworkData;
+
+create type EmploymentType as closed {
+organization-name: string,
+start-date: date,
+end-date: date?
+}
+
+create type FacebookUserType as closed {
+id: int32,
+id-copy: int32,
+alias: string,
+name: string,
+user-since: datetime,
+user-since-copy: datetime,
+friend-ids: {{ int32 }},
+employment: [EmploymentType]
+}
+
+create dataset FacebookUsers(FacebookUserType)
+primary key id;
+
+create dataset HandbookUsers(FacebookUserType)
+primary key id;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.2.update.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.2.update.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72f89e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.2.update.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+use dataverse SocialNetworkData;
+
+load dataset FacebookUsers using "edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.dataset.adapter.NCFileSystemAdapter"
+(("path"="nc1://data/fbu-dml-insert-shuffled.adm"),("format"="adm"));
+
+insert into dataset HandbookUsers (
+for $x in dataset FacebookUsers
+where $x.id < 10307032
+return $x
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.3.query.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.3.query.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a2f1ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.3.query.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+use dataverse SocialNetworkData;
+
+count(for $h in dataset HandbookUsers return $h);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.1.ddl.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.1.ddl.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7ab9e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.1.ddl.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*
+ * Description  : This test case is to verify the fix for issue433
+ 				: https://code.google.com/p/asterixdb/issues/detail?id=433
+ * Expected Res : Success
+ * Date         : 3th April 2013
+ */
+
+create dataverse insertIssue;
+use dataverse insertIssue;
+
+create type subElem as closed {
+n: string,
+e: int32?
+}
+
+create type elem as closed {
+id: int32,
+name: string,
+sub: [subElem]
+}
+
+create dataset myDataset(elem)
+primary key id;
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.2.update.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.2.update.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d06b4f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.2.update.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * Description  : This test case is to verify the fix for issue433
+ 				: https://code.google.com/p/asterixdb/issues/detail?id=433
+ * Expected Res : Success
+ * Date         : 3th April 2013
+ */
+
+use dataverse insertIssue;
+
+insert into dataset myDataset (
+for $t in [ {"id":1, "name":"u1","sub":[{"n":"se1","e":100}]}, {"id":2, "name":"u2","sub":[{"n":"se2","e":200}]} ]
+return $t
+);
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.3.query.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.3.query.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b863cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.3.query.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/*
+ * Description  : This test case is to verify the fix for issue433
+ 				: https://code.google.com/p/asterixdb/issues/detail?id=433
+ * Expected Res : Success
+ * Date         : 3th April 2013
+ */
+
+use dataverse insertIssue;
+
+for $d in dataset myDataset
+order by $d.id
+return $d;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.1.ddl.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.1.ddl.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.1.ddl.aql
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.2.update.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.2.update.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.2.update.aql
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.3.query.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.3.query.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa6bf88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/queries/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.3.query.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+/*
+ * Description  : This test case is to verify the fix for issue400
+ 				: https://code.google.com/p/asterixdb/issues/detail?id=400
+ * Expected Res : Success
+ * Date         : 8th May 2013
+ */
+
+for $a in [[1,2],[3,4,5]]
+for $b in [[6,7],[8,9,10]]
+return some $a1 in $a,$b1 in $b satisfies $a1 < $b1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.1.adm b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.1.adm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8263ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/aggregate/query-issue400/query-issue400.1.adm
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.1.adm b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.1.adm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a03714
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/dml/query-issue382/query-issue382.1.adm
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+10
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.1.adm b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.1.adm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce89449
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/dml/query-issue433/query-issue433.1.adm
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+{ "id": 1, "name": "u1", "sub": [ { "n": "se1", "e": 100 } ] }
+{ "id": 2, "name": "u2", "sub": [ { "n": "se2", "e": 200 } ] }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.1.adm b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.1.adm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1140ff5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/results/list/query-issue428/query-issue428.1.adm
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+true
+true
+true
+true
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/testsuite.xml b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/testsuite.xml
index 6cb0ecc..5842563 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/testsuite.xml
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/runtimets/testsuite.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 <test-suite xmlns="urn:xml.testframework.asterix.ics.uci.edu" ResultOffsetPath="results" QueryOffsetPath="queries" QueryFileExtension=".aql">
   <test-group name="aggregate">
     <test-case FilePath="aggregate">
+      <compilation-unit name="query-issue400">
+        <output-dir compare="Text">query-issue400</output-dir>
+      </compilation-unit>
+    </test-case>
+    <test-case FilePath="aggregate">
       <compilation-unit name="issue395">
         <output-dir compare="Text">issue395</output-dir>
       </compilation-unit>
@@ -768,6 +773,16 @@
   </test-group>
   <test-group name="dml">
      <test-case FilePath="dml">
+      <compilation-unit name="query-issue382">
+        <output-dir compare="Text">query-issue382</output-dir>
+      </compilation-unit>
+     </test-case>
+     <test-case FilePath="dml">
+      <compilation-unit name="query-issue433">
+        <output-dir compare="Text">query-issue433</output-dir>
+      </compilation-unit>
+     </test-case>
+     <test-case FilePath="dml">
       <compilation-unit name="query-issue288">
         <output-dir compare="Text">query-issue288</output-dir>
       </compilation-unit>
@@ -2109,6 +2124,11 @@
         <output-dir compare="Text">unordered-list-constructor_03</output-dir>
       </compilation-unit>
     </test-case>
+    <test-case FilePath="list">
+      <compilation-unit name="query-issue428">
+        <output-dir compare="Text">query-issue428</output-dir>
+      </compilation-unit>
+    </test-case>
   </test-group>
   <test-group name="misc">
   <test-case FilePath="misc">
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfo.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfo.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06a1c1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfo.java
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 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.common.api;
+
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixCompilerProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixExternalProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixPropertiesAccessor;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixTransactionProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.application.ICCApplicationContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexLifecycleManagerProvider;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
+
+/*
+ * Acts as an holder class for IndexRegistryProvider, AsterixStorageManager
+ * instances that are accessed from the NCs. In addition an instance of ICCApplicationContext 
+ * is stored for access by the CC.
+ */
+public class AsterixAppContextInfo implements IAsterixApplicationContextInfo, IAsterixPropertiesProvider {
+
+    private static AsterixAppContextInfo INSTANCE;
+
+    private final ICCApplicationContext appCtx;
+
+    private AsterixCompilerProperties compilerProperties;
+    private AsterixExternalProperties externalProperties;
+    private AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties;
+    private AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties;
+    private AsterixTransactionProperties txnProperties;
+
+    public static void initialize(ICCApplicationContext ccAppCtx) throws AsterixException {
+        if (INSTANCE == null) {
+            INSTANCE = new AsterixAppContextInfo(ccAppCtx);
+        }
+        AsterixPropertiesAccessor propertiesAccessor = new AsterixPropertiesAccessor();
+        INSTANCE.compilerProperties = new AsterixCompilerProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        INSTANCE.externalProperties = new AsterixExternalProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        INSTANCE.metadataProperties = new AsterixMetadataProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        INSTANCE.storageProperties = new AsterixStorageProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        INSTANCE.txnProperties = new AsterixTransactionProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+
+        Logger.getLogger("edu.uci.ics").setLevel(INSTANCE.externalProperties.getLogLevel());
+    }
+
+    private AsterixAppContextInfo(ICCApplicationContext ccAppCtx) {
+        this.appCtx = ccAppCtx;
+    }
+
+    public static AsterixAppContextInfo getInstance() {
+        return INSTANCE;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public IStorageManagerInterface getStorageManagerInterface() {
+        return AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ICCApplicationContext getCCApplicationContext() {
+        return appCtx;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public IIndexLifecycleManagerProvider getIndexLifecycleManagerProvider() {
+        return AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixStorageProperties getStorageProperties() {
+        return storageProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixTransactionProperties getTransactionProperties() {
+        return txnProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixCompilerProperties getCompilerProperties() {
+        return compilerProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixMetadataProperties getMetadataProperties() {
+        return metadataProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixExternalProperties getExternalProperties() {
+        return externalProperties;
+    }
+}
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
deleted file mode 100644
index 0f1de56..0000000
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/api/AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2009-2012 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.common.api;
-
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.dataflow.IAsterixApplicationContextInfo;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.application.ICCApplicationContext;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexLifecycleManagerProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
-
-/*
- * Acts as an holder class for IndexRegistryProvider, AsterixStorageManager
- * instances that are accessed from the NCs. In addition an instance of ICCApplicationContext 
- * is stored for access by the CC.
- */
-public class AsterixAppContextInfoImpl implements IAsterixApplicationContextInfo {
-
-    private static AsterixAppContextInfoImpl INSTANCE;
-
-    private final ICCApplicationContext appCtx;
-
-    public static void initialize(ICCApplicationContext ccAppCtx) {
-        if (INSTANCE == null) {
-            INSTANCE = new AsterixAppContextInfoImpl(ccAppCtx);
-        }
-    }
-
-    private AsterixAppContextInfoImpl(ICCApplicationContext ccAppCtx) {
-        this.appCtx = ccAppCtx;
-    }
-
-    public static IAsterixApplicationContextInfo getInstance() {
-        return INSTANCE;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public IStorageManagerInterface getStorageManagerInterface() {
-        return AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public ICCApplicationContext getCCApplicationContext() {
-        return appCtx;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public IIndexLifecycleManagerProvider getIndexLifecycleManagerProvider() {
-        return AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.NOINDEX_PROVIDER;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AbstractAsterixProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AbstractAsterixProperties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4968f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AbstractAsterixProperties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+public abstract class AbstractAsterixProperties {
+    protected final AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor;
+
+    public AbstractAsterixProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
+        this.accessor = accessor;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixCompilerProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixCompilerProperties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1767b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixCompilerProperties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+public class AsterixCompilerProperties extends AbstractAsterixProperties {
+    private static final String COMPILER_SORTMEMORY_KEY = "compiler.sortmemory";
+    private static final long COMPILER_SORTMEMORY_DEFAULT = (512 << 20); // 512MB
+
+    private static final String COMPILER_JOINMEMORY_KEY = "compiler.joinmemory";
+    private static final long COMPILER_JOINMEMORY_DEFAULT = (512 << 20); // 512MB
+
+    private static final String COMPILER_FRAMESIZE_KEY = "compiler.framesize";
+    private static int COMPILER_FRAMESIZE_DEFAULT = (32 << 10); // 32KB
+
+    public AsterixCompilerProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
+        super(accessor);
+    }
+
+    public long getSortMemorySize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(COMPILER_SORTMEMORY_KEY, COMPILER_SORTMEMORY_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getLongPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public long getJoinMemorySize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(COMPILER_JOINMEMORY_KEY, COMPILER_JOINMEMORY_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getLongPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getFrameSize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(COMPILER_FRAMESIZE_KEY, COMPILER_FRAMESIZE_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf38932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+
+public class AsterixExternalProperties extends AbstractAsterixProperties {
+
+    private static final String EXTERNAL_WEBPORT_KEY = "web.port";
+    private static int EXTERNAL_WEBPORT_DEFAULT = 19001;
+
+    private static final String EXTERNAL_LOGLEVEL_KEY = "log.level";
+    private static Level EXTERNAL_LOGLEVEL_DEFAULT = Level.INFO;
+
+    private static final String EXTERNAL_APISERVER_KEY = "api.port";
+    private static int EXTERNAL_APISERVER_DEFAULT = 19101;
+
+    public AsterixExternalProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
+        super(accessor);
+    }
+
+    public int getWebInterfacePort() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_WEBPORT_KEY, EXTERNAL_WEBPORT_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getAPIServerPort() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_APISERVER_KEY, EXTERNAL_APISERVER_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public Level getLogLevel() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_LOGLEVEL_KEY, EXTERNAL_LOGLEVEL_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getLevelPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixMetadataProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixMetadataProperties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d47e78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixMetadataProperties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+public class AsterixMetadataProperties extends AbstractAsterixProperties {
+
+    public AsterixMetadataProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
+        super(accessor);
+    }
+
+    public String getMetadataNodeName() {
+        return accessor.getMetadataNodeName();
+    }
+
+    public String getMetadataStore() {
+        return accessor.getMetadataStore();
+    }
+
+    public Map<String, String[]> getStores() {
+        return accessor.getStores();
+    }
+
+    public Set<String> getNodeNames() {
+        return accessor.getNodeNames();
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixProperties.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 41ef67c..0000000
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixProperties.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,252 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2009-2010 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.common.config;
-
-import java.io.FileInputStream;
-import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
-import java.io.InputStream;
-import java.io.Serializable;
-import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.HashSet;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
-
-import javax.xml.bind.JAXBContext;
-import javax.xml.bind.Unmarshaller;
-
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.AsterixConfiguration;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.Property;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.Store;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
-
-/**
- * Holder for Asterix properties values typically set as Java Properties.
- * Intended to live in the AsterixStateProxy so it can be accessed remotely.
- */
-public class AsterixProperties implements Serializable {
-
-    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    private static String metadataNodeName;
-    private static HashSet<String> nodeNames;
-    private static Map<String, String[]> stores;
-    private static Map<String, String> asterixConfigurationParams;
-
-    public static AsterixProperties INSTANCE = new AsterixProperties();
-
-    public static class AsterixConfigurationKeys {
-
-        // JVM parameters for each Node Contoller (NC)
-        public static final String NC_JAVA_OPTS = "nc.java.opts";
-        public static final String NC_JAVA_OPTS_DEFAULT = "-Xmx1024m";
-
-        // JVM parameters for the Cluster Contoller (CC)
-        public static final String CC_JAVA_OPTS = "cc.java.opts";
-        public static final String CC_JAVA_OPTS_DEFAULT = "-Xmx1024m";
-
-        public static final String SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT = "size.memory.component";
-        public static final String SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT_DEFAULT = "512m";
-
-        public static final String TOTAL_SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT = "total.size.memory.component";
-        public static final String TOTAL_SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT_DEFAULT = "512m";
-
-        public static final String LOG_BUFFER_NUM_PAGES = "log.buffer.num.pages";
-        public static final String LOG_BUFFER_NUM_PAGES_DEFAULT = "8";
-
-        public static final String LOG_BUFFER_PAGE_SIZE = "log.buffer.page.size";
-        public static final String LOG_BUFFER_PAGE_SIZE_DEFAULT = "131072";
-
-        public static final String LOG_PARTITION_SIZE = "log.partition.size";
-        public static final String LOG_PARTITION_SIZE_DEFAULT = "2147483648";
-
-        public static final String GROUP_COMMIT_INTERVAL = "group.commit.interval";
-        public static final String GROUP_COMMIT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT = "200ms";
-
-        public static final String SORT_OP_MEMORY = "sort.op.memory";
-        public static final String SORT_OP_MEMORY_DEFAULT = "512m";
-
-        public static final String JOIN_OP_MEMORY = "join.op.memory";
-        public static final String JOIN_OP_MEMORY_DEFAULT = "512m";
-
-        public static final String WEB_INTERFACE_PORT = "web.interface.port";
-        public static final String WEB_INTERFACE_PORT_DEFAULT = "19001";
-
-        public static final String NUM_PAGES_BUFFER_CACHE = "num.pages.buffer.cache";
-        public static final String NUM_PAGES_BUFFER_CACHE_DEFAULT = "1000";
-
-        public static final String LOG_LEVEL = "log.level";
-        public static final String LOG_LEVEL_DEFAULT = "INFO";
-
-        public static final String LSN_THRESHOLD = "lsn.threshold";
-        public static final String LSN_THRESHOLD_DEFAULT = "64m";
-
-        public static final String CHECKPOINT_TERMS_IN_SECS = "checkpoint.terms.in.secs";
-        public static final String CHECKPOINT_TERMS_IN_SECS_DEFAULT = "120";
-
-        public static final String ESCALATE_THRSHOLD_ENTITY_TO_DATASET = "escalate.threshold.entity.to.dataset";
-        public static final String ESCALATE_THRSHOLD_ENTITY_TO_DATASET_DEFAULT = "8";
-
-        public static final String SHRINK_TIMER_THRESHOLD = "shrink.timer.threshold";
-        public static final String SHRINK_TIMER_THRESHOLD_DEFAULT = "120000";
-
-    }
-
-    private AsterixProperties() {
-        try {
-            String fileName = System.getProperty(GlobalConfig.CONFIG_FILE_PROPERTY);
-            if (fileName == null) {
-                fileName = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_NAME;
-            }
-            InputStream is = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream(fileName);
-            if (is == null) {
-                try {
-                    fileName = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_NAME;
-                    is = new FileInputStream(fileName);
-                } catch (FileNotFoundException fnf) {
-                    throw new AlgebricksException("Could not find the configuration file " + fileName);
-                }
-            }
-
-            JAXBContext ctx = JAXBContext.newInstance(AsterixConfiguration.class);
-            Unmarshaller unmarshaller = ctx.createUnmarshaller();
-            AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration = (AsterixConfiguration) unmarshaller.unmarshal(is);
-            metadataNodeName = asterixConfiguration.getMetadataNode();
-            stores = new HashMap<String, String[]>();
-            List<Store> configuredStores = asterixConfiguration.getStore();
-            nodeNames = new HashSet<String>();
-            for (Store store : configuredStores) {
-                String trimmedStoreDirs = store.getStoreDirs().trim();
-                stores.put(store.getNcId(), trimmedStoreDirs.split(","));
-                nodeNames.add(store.getNcId());
-            }
-            asterixConfigurationParams = new HashMap<String, String>();
-            for (Property p : asterixConfiguration.getProperty()) {
-                asterixConfigurationParams.put(p.getName(), p.getValue());
-            }
-
-            initializeLogLevel(getProperty(AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_LEVEL));
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            throw new IllegalStateException(e);
-        }
-    }
-
-    public String getMetadataNodeName() {
-        return metadataNodeName;
-    }
-
-    public String getMetadataStore() {
-        return stores.get(metadataNodeName)[0];
-    }
-
-    public Map<String, String[]> getStores() {
-        return stores;
-    }
-
-    public HashSet<String> getNodeNames() {
-        return nodeNames;
-    }
-
-    public String getProperty(String property) {
-        String propValue = asterixConfigurationParams.get(property);
-        if (propValue == null) {
-            switch (property) {
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.NC_JAVA_OPTS:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.NC_JAVA_OPTS_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.CC_JAVA_OPTS:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.CC_JAVA_OPTS_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.TOTAL_SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.TOTAL_SIZE_MEMORY_COMPONENT_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_BUFFER_NUM_PAGES:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_BUFFER_NUM_PAGES_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_BUFFER_PAGE_SIZE:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_BUFFER_PAGE_SIZE_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_PARTITION_SIZE:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_PARTITION_SIZE_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.GROUP_COMMIT_INTERVAL:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.GROUP_COMMIT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.SORT_OP_MEMORY:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.SORT_OP_MEMORY_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.JOIN_OP_MEMORY:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.JOIN_OP_MEMORY_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.WEB_INTERFACE_PORT:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.WEB_INTERFACE_PORT_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.NUM_PAGES_BUFFER_CACHE:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.NUM_PAGES_BUFFER_CACHE_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_LEVEL:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.LOG_LEVEL_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.LSN_THRESHOLD:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.LSN_THRESHOLD_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.CHECKPOINT_TERMS_IN_SECS:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.CHECKPOINT_TERMS_IN_SECS_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.ESCALATE_THRSHOLD_ENTITY_TO_DATASET:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.ESCALATE_THRSHOLD_ENTITY_TO_DATASET_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-                case AsterixConfigurationKeys.SHRINK_TIMER_THRESHOLD:
-                    propValue = AsterixConfigurationKeys.SHRINK_TIMER_THRESHOLD_DEFAULT;
-                    break;
-            }
-        }
-        return propValue;
-    }
-
-    private void initializeLogLevel(String configuredLogLevel) {
-        Level level = null;
-        switch (configuredLogLevel.toLowerCase()) {
-            case "info":
-                level = Level.INFO;
-                break;
-            case "fine":
-                level = Level.FINE;
-                break;
-            case "finer":
-                level = Level.FINER;
-                break;
-            case "finest":
-                level = Level.FINEST;
-                break;
-            case "severe":
-                level = Level.SEVERE;
-                break;
-            case "off":
-                level = Level.OFF;
-                break;
-            case "warning":
-                level = Level.WARNING;
-                break;
-            default:
-                level = Level.ALL;
-        }
-        Logger.getLogger("edu.uci.ics").setLevel(level);
-    }
-}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b2f2a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
+import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+import javax.xml.bind.JAXBContext;
+import javax.xml.bind.JAXBException;
+import javax.xml.bind.Unmarshaller;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.AsterixConfiguration;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.Property;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.Store;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+
+public class AsterixPropertiesAccessor {
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(AsterixPropertiesAccessor.class.getName());
+
+    private final String metadataNodeName;
+    private final Set<String> nodeNames;
+    private final Map<String, String[]> stores;
+    private final Map<String, Property> asterixConfigurationParams;
+
+    public AsterixPropertiesAccessor() throws AsterixException {
+        String fileName = System.getProperty(GlobalConfig.CONFIG_FILE_PROPERTY);
+        if (fileName == null) {
+            fileName = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_NAME;
+        }
+        InputStream is = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream(fileName);
+        if (is == null) {
+            try {
+                fileName = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_NAME;
+                is = new FileInputStream(fileName);
+            } catch (FileNotFoundException fnf) {
+                throw new AsterixException("Could not find configuration file " + fileName);
+            }
+        }
+
+        AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration = null;
+        try {
+            JAXBContext ctx = JAXBContext.newInstance(AsterixConfiguration.class);
+            Unmarshaller unmarshaller = ctx.createUnmarshaller();
+            asterixConfiguration = (AsterixConfiguration) unmarshaller.unmarshal(is);
+        } catch (JAXBException e) {
+            throw new AsterixException("Failed to read configuration file " + fileName);
+        }
+        metadataNodeName = asterixConfiguration.getMetadataNode();
+        stores = new HashMap<String, String[]>();
+        List<Store> configuredStores = asterixConfiguration.getStore();
+        nodeNames = new HashSet<String>();
+        for (Store store : configuredStores) {
+            String trimmedStoreDirs = store.getStoreDirs().trim();
+            stores.put(store.getNcId(), trimmedStoreDirs.split(","));
+            nodeNames.add(store.getNcId());
+        }
+        asterixConfigurationParams = new HashMap<String, Property>();
+        for (Property p : asterixConfiguration.getProperty()) {
+            asterixConfigurationParams.put(p.getName(), p);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public String getMetadataNodeName() {
+        return metadataNodeName;
+    }
+
+    public String getMetadataStore() {
+        return stores.get(metadataNodeName)[0];
+    }
+
+    public Map<String, String[]> getStores() {
+        return stores;
+    }
+
+    public Set<String> getNodeNames() {
+        return nodeNames;
+    }
+
+    public <T> T getProperty(String property, T defaultValue, IPropertyInterpreter<T> interpreter) {
+        Property p = asterixConfigurationParams.get(property);
+        if (p == null) {
+            return defaultValue;
+        }
+
+        try {
+            return interpreter.interpret(p);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+            logConfigurationError(p, defaultValue);
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private <T> void logConfigurationError(Property p, T defaultValue) {
+        if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.SEVERE)) {
+            LOGGER.severe("Invalid property value '" + p.getValue() + "' for property '" + p.getName()
+                    + "'.\n See the description: \n" + p.getDescription() + "\nDefault = " + defaultValue);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixStorageProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixStorageProperties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d34e4ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixStorageProperties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+public class AsterixStorageProperties extends AbstractAsterixProperties {
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_PAGESIZE_KEY = "storage.buffercache.pagesize";
+    private static int STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT = (32 << 10); // 32KB
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_NUMPAGES_KEY = "storage.buffercache.numpages";
+    private static final int STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_NUMPAGES_DEFAULT = 1024;
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_MAXOPENFILES_KEY = "storage.buffercache.maxopenfiles";
+    private static int STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_MAXOPENFILES_DEFAULT = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_PAGESIZE_KEY = "storage.memorycomponent.pagesize";
+    private static final int STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT = (32 << 10); // 32KB
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_NUMPAGES_KEY = "storage.memorycomponent.numpages";
+    private static final int STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_NUMPAGES_DEFAULT = 4096; // ... so 128MB components
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_GLOBALBUDGET_KEY = "storage.memorycomponent.globalbudget";
+    private static final long STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_GLOBALBUDGET_DEFAULT = (1 << 30); // 1GB
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_LSM_MERGETHRESHOLD_KEY = "storage.lsm.mergethreshold";
+    private static int STORAGE_LSM_MERGETHRESHOLD_DEFAULT = 3;
+
+    private static final String STORAGE_LSM_BLOOMFILTER_FALSEPOSITIVERATE_KEY = "storage.lsm.bloomfilter.falsepositiverate";
+    private static double STORAGE_LSM_BLOOMFILTER_FALSEPOSITIVERATE_DEFAULT = 0.01;
+
+    public AsterixStorageProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
+        super(accessor);
+    }
+
+    public int getBufferCachePageSize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_PAGESIZE_KEY, STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getBufferCacheNumPages() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_NUMPAGES_KEY, STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_NUMPAGES_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getBufferCacheMaxOpenFiles() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_MAXOPENFILES_KEY, STORAGE_BUFFERCACHE_MAXOPENFILES_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getMemoryComponentPageSize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_PAGESIZE_KEY, STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getMemoryComponentNumPages() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_NUMPAGES_KEY, STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_NUMPAGES_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public long getMemoryComponentGlobalBudget() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_GLOBALBUDGET_KEY,
+                STORAGE_MEMORYCOMPONENT_GLOBALBUDGET_DEFAULT, PropertyInterpreters.getLongPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getLSMIndexMergeThreshold() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_LSM_MERGETHRESHOLD_KEY, STORAGE_LSM_MERGETHRESHOLD_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public double getBloomFilterFalsePositiveRate() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(STORAGE_LSM_BLOOMFILTER_FALSEPOSITIVERATE_KEY,
+                STORAGE_LSM_BLOOMFILTER_FALSEPOSITIVERATE_DEFAULT, PropertyInterpreters.getDoublePropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d97e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+public class AsterixTransactionProperties extends AbstractAsterixProperties {
+    private static final String TXN_LOG_BUFFER_NUMPAGES_KEY = "txn.log.buffer.numpages";
+    private static int TXN_LOG_BUFFER_NUMPAGES_DEFAULT = 8;
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOG_BUFFER_PAGESIZE_KEY = "txn.log.buffer.pagesize";
+    private static final int TXN_LOG_BUFFER_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT = (128 << 10); // 128KB
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_KEY = "txn.log.partitionsize";
+    private static final long TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_DEFAULT = (2 << 30); // 2GB
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOG_GROUPCOMMITINTERVAL_KEY = "txn.log.groupcommitinterval";
+    private static int TXN_LOG_GROUPCOMMITINTERVAL_DEFAULT = 200; // 200ms
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_LSNTHRESHOLD_KEY = "txn.log.checkpoint.lsnthreshold";
+    private static final int TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_LSNTHRESHOLD_DEFAULT = (64 << 20); // 64M
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_POLLFREQUENCY_KEY = "txn.log.checkpoint.pollfrequency";
+    private static int TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_POLLFREQUENCY_DEFAULT = 120; // 120s
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOCK_ESCALATIONTHRESHOLD_KEY = "txn.lock.escalationthreshold";
+    private static int TXN_LOCK_ESCALATIONTHRESHOLD_DEFAULT = 1000;
+
+    private static final String TXN_LOCK_SHRINKTIMER_KEY = "txn.lock.shrinktimer";
+    private static int TXN_LOCK_SHRINKTIMER_DEFAULT = 120000; // 2m
+
+    public AsterixTransactionProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
+        super(accessor);
+    }
+
+    public int getLogBufferNumPages() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOG_BUFFER_NUMPAGES_KEY, TXN_LOG_BUFFER_NUMPAGES_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getLogBufferPageSize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOG_BUFFER_PAGESIZE_KEY, TXN_LOG_BUFFER_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public long getLogPartitionSize() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_KEY, TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getLongPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getGroupCommitInterval() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOG_GROUPCOMMITINTERVAL_KEY, TXN_LOG_GROUPCOMMITINTERVAL_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getCheckpointLSNThreshold() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_LSNTHRESHOLD_KEY, TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_LSNTHRESHOLD_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getCheckpointPollFrequency() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_POLLFREQUENCY_KEY, TXN_LOG_CHECKPOINT_POLLFREQUENCY_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getEntityToDatasetLockEscalationThreshold() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOCK_ESCALATIONTHRESHOLD_KEY, TXN_LOCK_ESCALATIONTHRESHOLD_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+    public int getLockManagerShrinkTimer() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(TXN_LOCK_SHRINKTIMER_KEY, TXN_LOCK_SHRINKTIMER_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/GlobalConfig.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/GlobalConfig.java
index ebce6fe..3948e69 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/GlobalConfig.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/GlobalConfig.java
@@ -3,61 +3,43 @@
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 public class GlobalConfig {
-	public static final boolean DEBUG = true;
+    public static final boolean DEBUG = true;
 
-	public static final String ASTERIX_LOGGER_NAME = "edu.uci.ics.asterix";
+    public static final String ASTERIX_LOGGER_NAME = "edu.uci.ics.asterix";
 
-	public static final Logger ASTERIX_LOGGER = Logger
-			.getLogger(ASTERIX_LOGGER_NAME);
+    public static final Logger ASTERIX_LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(ASTERIX_LOGGER_NAME);
 
-	public static final String ASTERIX_LOGFILE_PATTERN = "%t/asterix.log";
+    public static final String DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_NAME = "asterix-configuration.xml";
 
-	public static final String DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_NAME = "asterix-configuration.xml";
+    public static final String CONFIG_FILE_PROPERTY = "AsterixConfigFileName";
 
-	public static final String TEST_CONFIG_FILE_NAME = "src/main/resources/asterix-configuration.xml";
+    public static final String WEB_SERVER_PORT_PROPERTY = "AsterixWebServerPort";
 
-	public static final String CONFIG_FILE_PROPERTY = "AsterixConfigFileName";
+    public static final String JSON_API_SERVER_PORT_PROPERTY = "AsterixJSONAPIServerPort";
 
-	public static final String WEB_SERVER_PORT_PROPERTY = "AsterixWebServerPort";
+    public static final int DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE = 32768;
 
-	public static final String JSON_API_SERVER_PORT_PROPERTY = "AsterixJSONAPIServerPort";
+    public static final String FRAME_SIZE_PROPERTY = "FrameSize";
 
-	public static final String BUFFER_CACHE_PAGE_SIZE_PROPERTY = "BufferCachePageSize";
+    public static final float DEFAULT_BTREE_FILL_FACTOR = 1.00f;
 
-	public static final String BUFFER_CACHE_NUM_PAGES_PROPERTY = "BufferCacheNumPages";
+    public static int DEFAULT_INPUT_DATA_COLUMN = 0;
 
-	public static final int DEFAULT_BUFFER_CACHE_NUM_PAGES = 4096;
-
-	public static final int DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE = 32768;
-
-	public static final String FRAME_SIZE_PROPERTY = "FrameSize";
-
-	public static final float DEFAULT_BTREE_FILL_FACTOR = 1.00f;
-
-	public static int DEFAULT_INPUT_DATA_COLUMN = 0;
-
-	public static int DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE = 32768;
-
-	public static int DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES = 1000;
-
-	public static int getFrameSize() {
-		int frameSize = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE;
-		String frameSizeStr = System
-				.getProperty(GlobalConfig.FRAME_SIZE_PROPERTY);
-		if (frameSizeStr != null) {
-			int fz = -1;
-			try {
-				fz = Integer.parseInt(frameSizeStr);
-			} catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
-				GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER
-						.warning("Wrong frame size size argument. Picking default value ("
-								+ GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE
-								+ ") instead.\n");
-			}
-			if (fz >= 0) {
-				frameSize = fz;
-			}
-		}
-		return frameSize;
-	}
+    public static int getFrameSize() {
+        int frameSize = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE;
+        String frameSizeStr = System.getProperty(GlobalConfig.FRAME_SIZE_PROPERTY);
+        if (frameSizeStr != null) {
+            int fz = -1;
+            try {
+                fz = Integer.parseInt(frameSizeStr);
+            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
+                GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.warning("Wrong frame size size argument. Picking default value ("
+                        + GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE + ") instead.\n");
+            }
+            if (fz >= 0) {
+                frameSize = fz;
+            }
+        }
+        return frameSize;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/IAsterixPropertiesProvider.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/IAsterixPropertiesProvider.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e42c827
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/IAsterixPropertiesProvider.java
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+
+public interface IAsterixPropertiesProvider {
+    public AsterixStorageProperties getStorageProperties();
+
+    public AsterixTransactionProperties getTransactionProperties();
+
+    public AsterixCompilerProperties getCompilerProperties();
+
+    public AsterixMetadataProperties getMetadataProperties();
+
+    public AsterixExternalProperties getExternalProperties();
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/IPropertyInterpreter.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/IPropertyInterpreter.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cabbe5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/IPropertyInterpreter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.Property;
+
+public interface IPropertyInterpreter<T> {
+    public T interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException;
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ff5dee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config;
+
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.configuration.Property;
+
+public class PropertyInterpreters {
+
+    public static IPropertyInterpreter<Integer> getIntegerPropertyInterpreter() {
+        return new IPropertyInterpreter<Integer>() {
+
+            @Override
+            public Integer interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException {
+                try {
+                    return Integer.parseInt(p.getValue());
+                } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException(e);
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    public static IPropertyInterpreter<Long> getLongPropertyInterpreter() {
+        return new IPropertyInterpreter<Long>() {
+
+            @Override
+            public Long interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException {
+                try {
+                    return Long.parseLong(p.getValue());
+                } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException(e);
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    public static IPropertyInterpreter<Level> getLevelPropertyInterpreter() {
+        return new IPropertyInterpreter<Level>() {
+
+            @Override
+            public Level interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException {
+                return Level.parse(p.getValue());
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    public static IPropertyInterpreter<String> getStringPropertyInterpreter() {
+        return new IPropertyInterpreter<String>() {
+
+            @Override
+            public String interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException {
+                return p.getValue();
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    public static IPropertyInterpreter<Double> getDoublePropertyInterpreter() {
+        return new IPropertyInterpreter<Double>() {
+
+            @Override
+            public Double interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException {
+                try {
+                    return Double.parseDouble(p.getValue());
+                } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException(e);
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
index 5070938..03e84ef 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixCompilerProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixExternalProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixPropertiesAccessor;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixTransactionProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.exception.ACIDException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.ioopcallbacks.LSMBTreeIOOperationCallbackFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.ioopcallbacks.LSMInvertedIndexIOOperationCallbackFactory;
@@ -39,12 +46,15 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.ResourceIdFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.ResourceIdFactoryProvider;
 
-public class AsterixAppRuntimeContext {
-    private static final int DEFAULT_BUFFER_CACHE_PAGE_SIZE = 32768;
-    private static final int DEFAULT_LIFECYCLEMANAGER_MEMORY_BUDGET = 1024 * 1024 * 1024; // 1GB
-    private static final int DEFAULT_MAX_OPEN_FILES = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
+public class AsterixAppRuntimeContext implements IAsterixPropertiesProvider {
     private final INCApplicationContext ncApplicationContext;
 
+    private AsterixCompilerProperties compilerProperties;
+    private AsterixExternalProperties externalProperties;
+    private AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties;
+    private AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties;
+    private AsterixTransactionProperties txnProperties;
+
     private IIndexLifecycleManager indexLifecycleManager;
     private IFileMapManager fileMapManager;
     private IBufferCache bufferCache;
@@ -64,24 +74,29 @@
         this.ncApplicationContext = ncApplicationContext;
     }
 
-    public void initialize() throws IOException, ACIDException {
-        int pageSize = getBufferCachePageSize();
-        int numPages = getBufferCacheNumPages();
+    public void initialize() throws IOException, ACIDException, AsterixException {
+        AsterixPropertiesAccessor propertiesAccessor = new AsterixPropertiesAccessor();
+        compilerProperties = new AsterixCompilerProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        externalProperties = new AsterixExternalProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        metadataProperties = new AsterixMetadataProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        storageProperties = new AsterixStorageProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+        txnProperties = new AsterixTransactionProperties(propertiesAccessor);
+
+        Logger.getLogger("edu.uci.ics").setLevel(externalProperties.getLogLevel());
 
         fileMapManager = new AsterixFileMapManager();
         ICacheMemoryAllocator allocator = new HeapBufferAllocator();
         IPageReplacementStrategy prs = new ClockPageReplacementStrategy();
-        ioManager = ncApplicationContext.getRootContext().getIOManager();
-        indexLifecycleManager = new IndexLifecycleManager(DEFAULT_LIFECYCLEMANAGER_MEMORY_BUDGET);
-        IAsterixAppRuntimeContextProvider asterixAppRuntimeContextProvider = new AsterixAppRuntimeContextProviderForRecovery(
-                this);
-        txnSubsystem = new TransactionSubsystem(ncApplicationContext.getNodeId(), asterixAppRuntimeContextProvider);
         IPageCleanerPolicy pcp = new DelayPageCleanerPolicy(600000);
-        bufferCache = new BufferCache(ioManager, allocator, prs, pcp, fileMapManager, pageSize, numPages,
-                DEFAULT_MAX_OPEN_FILES);
+        ioManager = ncApplicationContext.getRootContext().getIOManager();
+        bufferCache = new BufferCache(ioManager, allocator, prs, pcp, fileMapManager,
+                storageProperties.getBufferCachePageSize(), storageProperties.getBufferCacheNumPages(),
+                storageProperties.getBufferCacheMaxOpenFiles());
+
+        indexLifecycleManager = new IndexLifecycleManager(storageProperties.getMemoryComponentGlobalBudget());
 
         lsmIOScheduler = SynchronousScheduler.INSTANCE;
-        mergePolicy = new ConstantMergePolicy(3, this);
+        mergePolicy = new ConstantMergePolicy(storageProperties.getLSMIndexMergeThreshold(), this);
         lsmBTreeOpTrackerFactory = new IndexOperationTrackerFactory(LSMBTreeIOOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         lsmRTreeOpTrackerFactory = new IndexOperationTrackerFactory(LSMRTreeIOOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
         lsmInvertedIndexOpTrackerFactory = new IndexOperationTrackerFactory(
@@ -92,6 +107,10 @@
         localResourceRepository = (PersistentLocalResourceRepository) persistentLocalResourceRepositoryFactory
                 .createRepository();
         resourceIdFactory = (new ResourceIdFactoryProvider(localResourceRepository)).createResourceIdFactory();
+
+        IAsterixAppRuntimeContextProvider asterixAppRuntimeContextProvider = new AsterixAppRuntimeContextProviderForRecovery(
+                this);
+        txnSubsystem = new TransactionSubsystem(ncApplicationContext.getNodeId(), asterixAppRuntimeContextProvider);
         isShuttingdown = false;
     }
 
@@ -103,49 +122,6 @@
         this.isShuttingdown = isShuttingdown;
     }
 
-    private int getBufferCachePageSize() {
-        int pageSize = DEFAULT_BUFFER_CACHE_PAGE_SIZE;
-        String pageSizeStr = System.getProperty(GlobalConfig.BUFFER_CACHE_PAGE_SIZE_PROPERTY, null);
-        if (pageSizeStr != null) {
-            try {
-                pageSize = Integer.parseInt(pageSizeStr);
-            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
-                if (GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.WARNING)) {
-                    GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.warning("Wrong buffer cache page size argument. "
-                            + "Using default value: " + pageSize);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-            GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.info("Buffer cache page size: " + pageSize);
-        }
-
-        return pageSize;
-    }
-
-    private int getBufferCacheNumPages() {
-        int numPages = GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_BUFFER_CACHE_NUM_PAGES;
-        String numPagesStr = System.getProperty(GlobalConfig.BUFFER_CACHE_NUM_PAGES_PROPERTY, null);
-        if (numPagesStr != null) {
-            try {
-                numPages = Integer.parseInt(numPagesStr);
-            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
-                if (GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.WARNING)) {
-                    GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.warning("Wrong buffer cache size argument. " + "Using default value: "
-                            + numPages);
-                }
-                return numPages;
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-            GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER.info("Buffer cache size (number of pages): " + numPages);
-        }
-
-        return numPages;
-    }
-
     public void deinitialize() throws HyracksDataException {
         bufferCache.close();
         for (IIndex index : indexLifecycleManager.getOpenIndexes()) {
@@ -216,4 +192,29 @@
     public IIOManager getIOManager() {
         return ioManager;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixStorageProperties getStorageProperties() {
+        return storageProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixTransactionProperties getTransactionProperties() {
+        return txnProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixCompilerProperties getCompilerProperties() {
+        return compilerProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixMetadataProperties getMetadataProperties() {
+        return metadataProperties;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public AsterixExternalProperties getExternalProperties() {
+        return externalProperties;
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
index 56a88ee..b6958c5 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
@@ -3,114 +3,188 @@
 	<property>
 		<name>nc.java.opts</name>
 		<value>-Xmx1024m</value>
-                <description>JVM parameters for each Node Contoller (NC)</description>
+		<description>JVM parameters for each Node Contoller (NC)</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
 		<name>cc.java.opts</name>
 		<value>-Xmx1024m</value>
-                <description>JVM parameters for each Cluster Contoller (CC)</description>
+		<description>JVM parameters for each Cluster Contoller (CC)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>size.memory.component</name>
-		<value>512m</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<name>storage.buffercache.pagesize</name>
+		<value>32768</value>
+		<description>The page size in bytes for pages in the buffer cache.
+			(Default = "32768" // 32KB)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>total.size.memory.component</name>
-		<value>512m</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<name>storage.buffercache.numpages</name>
+		<value>1024</value>
+		<description>The number of pages allocated to the disk buffer cache.
+			(Default = "1024")
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>log.buffer.num.pages</name>
+		<name>storage.buffercache.maxopenfiles</name>
+		<value>214748364</value>
+		<description>The maximum number of open files in the buffer cache.
+			(Default = "214748364")
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>storage.memorycomponent.pagesize</name>
+		<value>32768</value>
+		<description>The page size in bytes for pages allocated to memory
+			components. (Default = "32768" // 32KB)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>storage.memorycomponent.numpages</name>
+		<value>4096</value>
+		<description>The number of pages to allocate for a memory component.
+			(Default = 4096)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>storage.memorycomponent.globalbudget</name>
+		<value>1073741824</value>
+		<description>The total size of memory in bytes that the sum of all
+			open memory
+			components cannot exceed. (Default = "1073741824" // 1GB)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>storage.lsm.mergethreshold</name>
+		<value>3</value>
+		<description>The number of on-disk components an LSM index can have
+			before a merge is triggered. (Default = 3)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>storage.lsm.bloomfilter.falsepositiverate</name>
+		<value>0.01</value>
+		<description>The maximum acceptable false positive rate for bloom
+			filters associated with LSM indexes. (Default = "0.01" // 1%)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>txn.log.buffer.numpages</name>
 		<value>8</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<description>The number of in-memory log buffer pages. (Default = "8")
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>group.commit.interval</name>
-		<value>200ms</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<name>txn.log.buffer.pagesize</name>
+		<value>131072</value>
+		<description>The size of pages in the in-memory log buffer. (Default =
+			"131072" // 128KB)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>sort.op.memory</name>
-		<value>200m</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<name>txn.log.partitionsize</name>
+		<value>2147483648</value>
+		<description>The maximum size of a log file partition allowed before
+			rotating the log to the next partition. (Default = "2147483648" //
+			2GB)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>join.op.memory</name>
-		<value>200m</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<name>txn.log.groupcommitinterval</name>
+		<value>200</value>
+		<description>The group commit wait time in milliseconds. (Default =
+			"200" // 2ms)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>web.interface.port</name>
+		<name>txn.log.checkpoint.lsnthreshold</name>
+		<value>67108864</value>
+		<description>The size of the window that the maximum LSN is allowed to
+			be ahead of the checkpoint LSN by. (Default = ""67108864" // 64M)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>txn.log.checkpoint.pollfrequency</name>
+		<value>120</value>
+		<description>The time in seconds between that the checkpoint thread
+			waits between polls. (Default = "120" // 120s)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>txn.lock.escalationthreshold</name>
+		<value>1000</value>
+		<description>The number of entity level locks that need to be acquired
+			before the locks are coalesced and escalated into a dataset level
+			lock. (Default = "1000")
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>txn.lock.shrinktimer</name>
+		<value>120000</value>
+		<description>The time in milliseconds to wait before deallocating
+			unused lock manager memory. (Default = "120000" // 120s)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>compiler.sortmemory</name>
+		<value>536870912</value>
+		<description>The amount of memory in bytes given to sort operations.
+			(Default = "536870912" // 512mb)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>compiler.joinmemory</name>
+		<value>536870912</value>
+		<description>The amount of memory in bytes given to join operations.
+			(Default = "536870912" // 512mb)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>compiler.framesize</name>
+		<value>32768</value>
+		<description>The Hyracks frame size that the compiler configures per
+			job. (Default = "32768" // 32KB)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>web.port</name>
 		<value>19001</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<description>The port for the ASTERIX web interface. (Default = 19001)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
-		<name>num.pages.buffer.cache</name>
-		<value>8</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<name>api.port</name>
+		<value>19101</value>
+		<description>The port for the ASTERIX API server. (Default = 19101)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 
 	<property>
 		<name>log.level</name>
 		<value>INFO</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>lsn.threshold</name>
-		<value>64m</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>checkpoint.terms.in.secs</name>
-		<value>120</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>escalate.threshold.entity.to.dataset</name>
-		<value>8</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>num.pages.buffer.cache</name>
-		<value>1000</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>log.buffer.page.size</name>
-		<value>128k</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>log.partition.size</name>
-		<value>2147483648</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>shrink.timer.threshold</name>
-		<value>120000</value>
-                <description></description>
-	</property>
-
-	<property>
-		<name>log.buffer.num.pages</name>
-		<value>8</value>
-                <description></description>
+		<description>The minimum log level to be displayed. (Default = INFO)
+		</description>
 	</property>
 </asterixConfiguration>
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java
index 994262d..09ec2f7 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReadWriteLock;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantReadWriteLock;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionSignature;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IAsterixStateProxy;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataNode;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.bootstrap.MetadataConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.entities.Dataset;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.entities.DatasourceAdapter;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.entities.Datatype;
@@ -85,12 +85,14 @@
     private IAsterixStateProxy proxy;
     private IMetadataNode metadataNode;
     private final ReadWriteLock metadataLatch;
+    private final AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties;
 
-    public MetadataManager(IAsterixStateProxy proxy) {
+    public MetadataManager(IAsterixStateProxy proxy, AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties) {
         if (proxy == null) {
             throw new Error("Null proxy given to MetadataManager.");
         }
         this.proxy = proxy;
+        this.metadataProperties = metadataProperties;
         this.metadataNode = null;
         this.metadataLatch = new ReentrantReadWriteLock(true);
     }
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@
             metadataNode = proxy.getMetadataNode();
             if (metadataNode == null) {
                 throw new Error("Failed to get the MetadataNode.\n" + "The MetadataNode was configured to run on NC: "
-                        + proxy.getAsterixProperties().getMetadataNodeName());
+                        + metadataProperties.getMetadataNodeName());
             }
         }
     }
@@ -544,10 +546,10 @@
             throw new MetadataException(e);
         }
     }
-    
+
     @Override
     public int getMostRecentDatasetId() throws MetadataException {
-        try { 
+        try {
             return metadataNode.getMostRecentDatasetId();
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw new MetadataException(e);
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/api/IAsterixStateProxy.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/api/IAsterixStateProxy.java
index d67cd27..7f06c30 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/api/IAsterixStateProxy.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/api/IAsterixStateProxy.java
@@ -19,17 +19,11 @@
 import java.rmi.Remote;
 import java.rmi.RemoteException;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
-
 /**
  * Interface for setting/getting distributed state of Asterix.
  */
 public interface IAsterixStateProxy extends Remote, Serializable {
     public void setMetadataNode(IMetadataNode metadataNode) throws RemoteException;
 
-    public void setAsterixProperties(AsterixProperties asterixProperties) throws RemoteException;
-
     public IMetadataNode getMetadataNode() throws RemoteException;
-
-    public AsterixProperties getAsterixProperties() throws RemoteException;
 }
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/AsterixStateProxy.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/AsterixStateProxy.java
index 55aaf33..33f6994 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/AsterixStateProxy.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/bootstrap/AsterixStateProxy.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 import java.rmi.server.UnicastRemoteObject;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IAsterixStateProxy;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataNode;
 
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@
     private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(AsterixStateProxy.class.getName());
 
     private IMetadataNode metadataNode;
-    private AsterixProperties asterixProperties;
     private static final IAsterixStateProxy cc = new AsterixStateProxy();
 
     public static IAsterixStateProxy registerRemoteObject() throws RemoteException {
@@ -54,14 +52,4 @@
     public IMetadataNode getMetadataNode() throws RemoteException {
         return this.metadataNode;
     }
-
-    @Override
-    public void setAsterixProperties(AsterixProperties asterixProperity) throws RemoteException {
-        this.asterixProperties = asterixProperity;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public AsterixProperties getAsterixProperties() throws RemoteException {
-        return this.asterixProperties;
-    }
 }
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 d978f8a..8d5d13b 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
@@ -20,16 +20,17 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.IndexType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.IAsterixPropertiesProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixAppRuntimeContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.context.AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.adapter.factory.IAdapterFactory;
@@ -110,12 +111,14 @@
 
     private static String metadataNodeName;
     private static String metadataStore;
-    private static HashSet<String> nodeNames;
+    private static Set<String> nodeNames;
     private static String outputDir;
 
     private static IMetadataIndex[] primaryIndexes;
     private static IMetadataIndex[] secondaryIndexes;
 
+    private static IAsterixPropertiesProvider propertiesProvider;
+
     private static void initLocalIndexArrays() {
         primaryIndexes = new IMetadataIndex[] { MetadataPrimaryIndexes.DATAVERSE_DATASET,
                 MetadataPrimaryIndexes.DATASET_DATASET, MetadataPrimaryIndexes.DATATYPE_DATASET,
@@ -127,9 +130,10 @@
                 MetadataSecondaryIndexes.DATATYPENAME_ON_DATATYPE_INDEX };
     }
 
-    public static void startUniverse(AsterixProperties asterixProperties, INCApplicationContext ncApplicationContext,
-            boolean isNewUniverse) throws Exception {
+    public static void startUniverse(IAsterixPropertiesProvider asterixPropertiesProvider,
+            INCApplicationContext ncApplicationContext, boolean isNewUniverse) throws Exception {
         runtimeContext = (AsterixAppRuntimeContext) ncApplicationContext.getApplicationObject();
+        propertiesProvider = asterixPropertiesProvider;
 
         // Initialize static metadata objects, such as record types and metadata
         // index descriptors.
@@ -149,9 +153,10 @@
         resourceRepository.registerTransactionalResourceManager(ResourceType.LSM_INVERTED_INDEX,
                 new IndexResourceManager(ResourceType.LSM_INVERTED_INDEX, runtimeContext.getTransactionSubsystem()));
 
-        metadataNodeName = asterixProperties.getMetadataNodeName();
-        metadataStore = asterixProperties.getMetadataStore();
-        nodeNames = asterixProperties.getNodeNames();
+        AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties = propertiesProvider.getMetadataProperties();
+        metadataNodeName = metadataProperties.getMetadataNodeName();
+        metadataStore = metadataProperties.getMetadataStore();
+        nodeNames = metadataProperties.getNodeNames();
         // nodeStores = asterixProperity.getStores();
 
         indexLifecycleManager = runtimeContext.getIndexLifecycleManager();
@@ -165,7 +170,7 @@
             // Begin a transaction against the metadata.
             // Lock the metadata in X mode.
             MetadataManager.INSTANCE.lock(mdTxnCtx, LockMode.X);
-            
+
             if (isNewUniverse) {
                 for (int i = 0; i < primaryIndexes.length; i++) {
                     enlistMetadataDataset(primaryIndexes[i], true);
@@ -196,7 +201,7 @@
                     LOGGER.info("Finished enlistment of metadata B-trees.");
                 }
             }
-            
+
             //#. initialize datasetIdFactory
             MetadataManager.INSTANCE.initializeDatasetIdFactory(mdTxnCtx);
             MetadataManager.INSTANCE.commitTransaction(mdTxnCtx);
@@ -327,7 +332,7 @@
                 adapterFactoryClassName, DatasourceAdapter.AdapterType.INTERNAL);
     }
 
-    public static void enlistMetadataDataset(IMetadataIndex index, boolean create) throws Exception {
+    private static void enlistMetadataDataset(IMetadataIndex index, boolean create) throws Exception {
         String filePath = metadataStore + File.separator + index.getFileNameRelativePath();
         FileReference file = new FileReference(new File(filePath));
         IInMemoryBufferCache memBufferCache = new InMemoryBufferCache(new HeapBufferAllocator(), DEFAULT_MEM_PAGE_SIZE,
@@ -349,9 +354,10 @@
             resourceID = runtimeContext.getResourceIdFactory().createId();
             indexLifecycleManager.register(resourceID, lsmBtree);
 
+            AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties = propertiesProvider.getStorageProperties();
             ILocalResourceMetadata localResourceMetadata = new LSMBTreeLocalResourceMetadata(typeTraits,
                     comparatorFactories, bloomFilterKeyFields, index.isPrimaryIndex(),
-                    GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES);
+                    storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages());
             ILocalResourceFactoryProvider localResourceFactoryProvider = new PersistentLocalResourceFactoryProvider(
                     localResourceMetadata, LocalResource.LSMBTreeResource);
             ILocalResourceFactory localResourceFactory = localResourceFactoryProvider.getLocalResourceFactory();
diff --git a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlCompiledMetadataDeclarations.java b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlCompiledMetadataDeclarations.java
index 70383f9..f79b9b7 100644
--- a/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlCompiledMetadataDeclarations.java
+++ b/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/metadata/declared/AqlCompiledMetadataDeclarations.java
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.annotations.TypeDataGen;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixMetadataProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.base.IDataFormat;
@@ -73,8 +74,9 @@
         this.dataverseName = dataverseName;
         this.outputFile = outputFile;
         this.config = config;
+        AsterixMetadataProperties metadataProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getMetadataProperties();
         if (stores == null && online) {
-            this.stores = AsterixProperties.INSTANCE.getStores();
+            this.stores = metadataProperties.getStores();
         } else {
             this.stores = stores;
         }
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 8bbddec..fa42aed 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
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixStorageProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.DatasetType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.DatasetConfig.IndexType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
@@ -151,6 +152,8 @@
     private final Dataverse defaultDataverse;
     private JobId jobId;
 
+    private final AsterixStorageProperties storageProperties;
+
     private static final Map<String, String> adapterFactoryMapping = initializeAdapterFactoryMapping();
 
     public String getPropertyValue(String propertyName) {
@@ -171,7 +174,8 @@
 
     public AqlMetadataProvider(Dataverse defaultDataverse) {
         this.defaultDataverse = defaultDataverse;
-        this.stores = AsterixProperties.INSTANCE.getStores();
+        this.stores = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getMetadataProperties().getStores();
+        this.storageProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getStorageProperties();
     }
 
     public void setJobId(JobId jobId) {
@@ -543,8 +547,8 @@
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
-                    retainInput, searchCallbackFactory);
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(),
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()), retainInput, searchCallbackFactory);
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(btreeSearchOp, spPc.second);
 
         } catch (MetadataException me) {
@@ -612,8 +616,8 @@
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER, proposeLinearizer(
                                     nestedKeyType.getTypeTag(), comparatorFactories.length),
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
-                    retainInput, searchCallbackFactory);
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(),
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()), retainInput, searchCallbackFactory);
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(rtreeSearchOp, spPc.second);
 
         } catch (MetadataException me) {
@@ -772,8 +776,8 @@
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
-                    NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(),
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()), NoOpOperationCallbackFactory.INSTANCE);
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(btreeBulkLoad,
                     splitsAndConstraint.second);
         } catch (MetadataException me) {
@@ -839,9 +843,9 @@
                     new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                            AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES), null,
-                    modificationCallbackFactory);
+                            AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                    .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
+                    null, modificationCallbackFactory);
 
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(btreeBulkLoad,
                     splitsAndConstraint.second);
@@ -1035,8 +1039,8 @@
                     new LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory(AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                            AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER,
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
+                            AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMBTREE_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                    .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
                     filterFactory, modificationCallbackFactory);
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(btreeBulkLoad,
                     splitsAndConstraint.second);
@@ -1161,8 +1165,8 @@
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
-                            AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER,
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
+                            AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMINVERTEDINDEX_PROVIDER, storageProperties
+                                    .getMemoryComponentPageSize(), storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()),
                     filterFactory, modificationCallbackFactory);
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(insertDeleteOp,
                     splitsAndConstraint.second);
@@ -1257,8 +1261,8 @@
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER,
                             AsterixRuntimeComponentsProvider.LSMRTREE_PROVIDER, proposeLinearizer(
                                     nestedKeyType.getTypeTag(), comparatorFactories.length),
-                            GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_PAGE_SIZE, GlobalConfig.DEFAULT_INDEX_MEM_NUM_PAGES),
-                    filterFactory, modificationCallbackFactory);
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentPageSize(),
+                            storageProperties.getMemoryComponentNumPages()), filterFactory, modificationCallbackFactory);
             return new Pair<IOperatorDescriptor, AlgebricksPartitionConstraint>(rtreeUpdate, splitsAndConstraint.second);
         } catch (MetadataException | IOException e) {
             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
diff --git a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/functions/AsterixBuiltinFunctions.java b/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/functions/AsterixBuiltinFunctions.java
index 2be7fbd1..bea62dc 100644
--- a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/functions/AsterixBuiltinFunctions.java
+++ b/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/functions/AsterixBuiltinFunctions.java
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@
         add(RECTANGLE_CONSTRUCTOR, OptionalARectangleTypeComputer.INSTANCE);
         // add(RECORD_TYPE_CONSTRUCTOR, null);
         add(SCALAR_AVG, ScalarVersionOfAggregateResultType.INSTANCE);
-        add(SCALAR_COUNT, ScalarVersionOfAggregateResultType.INSTANCE);
+        add(SCALAR_COUNT, AInt32TypeComputer.INSTANCE);
         add(SCALAR_GLOBAL_AVG, ScalarVersionOfAggregateResultType.INSTANCE);
         add(SCALAR_LOCAL_AVG, ScalarVersionOfAggregateResultType.INSTANCE);
         add(SCALAR_MAX, ScalarVersionOfAggregateResultType.INSTANCE);
diff --git a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java b/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java
index 76f3301..e280b2e 100644
--- a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java
+++ b/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/util/AsterixRuntimeUtil.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfoImpl;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.api.AsterixAppContextInfo;
 
 /**
  * Utility class for obtaining information on the set of Hyracks NodeController
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 	public static Map<String, Set<String>> getNodeControllerMap()
 			throws Exception {
 		Map<String, Set<String>> map = new HashMap<String, Set<String>>();
-		AsterixAppContextInfoImpl.getInstance().getCCApplicationContext()
+		AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getCCApplicationContext()
 				.getCCContext().getIPAddressNodeMap(map);
 		return map;
 	}
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/formats/NonTaggedDataFormat.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/formats/NonTaggedDataFormat.java
index 20d70d6..8bc792c 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/formats/NonTaggedDataFormat.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/formats/NonTaggedDataFormat.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.pointables.base.DefaultOpenFieldType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.typecomputer.base.TypeComputerUtilities;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.AOrderedListType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ARecordType;
@@ -694,14 +695,20 @@
         if (fd.getIdentifier().equals(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CAST_RECORD)) {
             AbstractFunctionCallExpression funcExpr = (AbstractFunctionCallExpression) expr;
             ARecordType rt = (ARecordType) TypeComputerUtilities.getRequiredType(funcExpr);
-            ARecordType it = (ARecordType) context.getType(funcExpr.getArguments().get(0).getValue());
-            ((CastRecordDescriptor) fd).reset(rt, it);
+            IAType it = (IAType) context.getType(funcExpr.getArguments().get(0).getValue());
+            if (it.getTypeTag().equals(ATypeTag.ANY)) {
+                it = DefaultOpenFieldType.NESTED_OPEN_RECORD_TYPE;
+            }
+            ((CastRecordDescriptor) fd).reset(rt, (ARecordType) it);
         }
         if (fd.getIdentifier().equals(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CAST_LIST)) {
             AbstractFunctionCallExpression funcExpr = (AbstractFunctionCallExpression) expr;
             AbstractCollectionType rt = (AbstractCollectionType) TypeComputerUtilities.getRequiredType(funcExpr);
-            AbstractCollectionType it = (AbstractCollectionType) context.getType(funcExpr.getArguments().get(0).getValue());
-            ((CastListDescriptor) fd).reset(rt, it);
+            IAType it = (IAType) context.getType(funcExpr.getArguments().get(0).getValue());
+            if (it.getTypeTag().equals(ATypeTag.ANY)) {
+                it = DefaultOpenFieldType.NESTED_OPEN_AORDERED_LIST_TYPE;
+            }
+            ((CastListDescriptor) fd).reset(rt, (AbstractCollectionType) it);
         }
         if (fd.getIdentifier().equals(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.OPEN_RECORD_CONSTRUCTOR)) {
             ARecordType rt = (ARecordType) context.getType(expr);