diff --git a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java
index 5a6d8cd..301d1bd 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/InsertPipelineExample.java
@@ -44,15 +44,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.IndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.StorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 // This example will insert tuples into the primary and secondary index using an insert pipeline
@@ -144,11 +140,6 @@
         IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[1];
         primaryComparatorFactories[0] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(IntegerPointable.FACTORY);
 
-        // create factories and providers for secondary B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-
         // the B-Tree expects its keyfields to be at the front of its input
         // tuple
         int[] primaryFieldPermutation = { 2, 1, 3, 4 }; // map field 2 of input
@@ -161,7 +152,7 @@
         // create operator descriptor
         TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor primaryInsert = new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(
                 spec, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primarySplitProvider,
-                primaryInteriorFrameFactory, primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories,
                 primaryFieldPermutation, IndexOp.INSERT, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, primaryInsert, splitNCs);
 
@@ -177,12 +168,6 @@
         secondaryComparatorFactories[0] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(UTF8StringPointable.FACTORY);
         secondaryComparatorFactories[1] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(IntegerPointable.FACTORY);
 
-        // create factories and providers for secondary B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory secondaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(secondaryTypeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-                secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-
         // the B-Tree expects its keyfields to be at the front of its input
         // tuple
         int[] secondaryFieldPermutation = { 1, 2 };
@@ -191,7 +176,7 @@
         // create operator descriptor
         TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor secondaryInsert = new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(
                 spec, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondarySplitProvider,
-                secondaryInteriorFrameFactory, secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits,
+                secondaryTypeTraits,
                 secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryFieldPermutation, IndexOp.INSERT, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, secondaryInsert, splitNCs);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java
index 0b1cd6c..9375285 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java
@@ -43,14 +43,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.IndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.StorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 // This example will load a primary index from randomly generated data
@@ -144,10 +140,7 @@
         typeTraits[2] = IntegerPointable.TYPE_TRAITS;
         typeTraits[3] = UTF8StringPointable.TYPE_TRAITS;
 
-        // create factories and providers for B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory tupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(typeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(tupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(tupleWriterFactory);
+        // create providers for B-Tree
         IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider = IndexRegistryProvider.INSTANCE;
         IStorageManagerInterface storageManager = StorageManagerInterface.INSTANCE;
 
@@ -159,7 +152,7 @@
         IFileSplitProvider btreeSplitProvider = JobHelper.createFileSplitProvider(splitNCs, options.btreeName);
         IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor btreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, btreeSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory, leafFrameFactory,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, btreeSplitProvider,
                 typeTraits, comparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, btreeBulkLoad, splitNCs);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexSearchExample.java b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexSearchExample.java
index 9e59cae..76aa660 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexSearchExample.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/PrimaryIndexSearchExample.java
@@ -42,13 +42,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.StorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 // This example will perform an ordered scan on the primary index
@@ -106,10 +102,7 @@
         IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[1];
         comparatorFactories[0] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(IntegerPointable.FACTORY);
 
-        // create factories and providers for B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory tupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(typeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(tupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(tupleWriterFactory);
+        // create roviders for B-Tree
         IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider = IndexRegistryProvider.INSTANCE;
         IStorageManagerInterface storageManager = StorageManagerInterface.INSTANCE;
 
@@ -149,7 +142,7 @@
         IFileSplitProvider btreeSplitProvider = JobHelper.createFileSplitProvider(splitNCs, options.btreeName);
         IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor btreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, recDesc, storageManager,
-                indexRegistryProvider, btreeSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory, leafFrameFactory, typeTraits,
+                indexRegistryProvider, btreeSplitProvider, typeTraits,
                 comparatorFactories, lowKeyFields, highKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, btreeSearchOp, splitNCs);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java
index ad9ad3a..729fae4 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexBulkLoadExample.java
@@ -36,15 +36,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.IndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.StorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 // This example will load a secondary index with <key, primary-index key> pairs
@@ -122,17 +118,12 @@
         comparatorFactories[0] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(UTF8StringPointable.FACTORY);
         comparatorFactories[1] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(IntegerPointable.FACTORY);
 
-        // create factories and providers for primary B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-
         // use a disk-order scan to read primary index
         IFileSplitProvider primarySplitProvider = JobHelper.createFileSplitProvider(splitNCs, options.primaryBTreeName);
         IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
         TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor btreeScanOp = new TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primarySplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, dataflowHelperFactory);
+                recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primarySplitProvider, 
+                primaryTypeTraits, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, btreeScanOp, splitNCs);
 
         // sort the tuples as preparation for bulk load into secondary index
@@ -148,19 +139,13 @@
         secondaryTypeTraits[0] = UTF8StringPointable.TYPE_TRAITS;
         secondaryTypeTraits[1] = IntegerPointable.TYPE_TRAITS;
 
-        // create factories and providers for secondary B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory secondaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(secondaryTypeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-                secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-
         // the B-Tree expects its keyfields to be at the front of its input
         // tuple
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 1, 0 };
         IFileSplitProvider btreeSplitProvider = JobHelper.createFileSplitProvider(splitNCs, options.secondaryBTreeName);
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor btreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, btreeSplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits, comparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, btreeSplitProvider,
+                secondaryTypeTraits, comparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, btreeBulkLoad, splitNCs);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexSearchExample.java b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexSearchExample.java
index b64913e..67aa546 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexSearchExample.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/btree-example/btreeclient/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/examples/btree/client/SecondaryIndexSearchExample.java
@@ -42,13 +42,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.examples.btree.helper.StorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 // This example will perform range search on the secondary index
@@ -119,12 +115,6 @@
         IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[1];
         primaryComparatorFactories[1] = PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(IntegerPointable.FACTORY);
 
-        // create factories and providers for secondary B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory secondaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(secondaryTypeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-                secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-
         // schema of tuples coming out of primary index
         RecordDescriptor primaryRecDesc = new RecordDescriptor(new ISerializerDeserializer[] {
                 IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE, UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
@@ -137,11 +127,6 @@
         primaryTypeTraits[2] = IntegerPointable.TYPE_TRAITS;
         primaryTypeTraits[3] = UTF8StringPointable.TYPE_TRAITS;
 
-        // create factories and providers for secondary B-Tree
-        TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-        ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-
         // comparators for btree, note that we only need a comparator for the
         // non-unique key
         // i.e. we will have a range condition on the first field only (implying
@@ -183,8 +168,8 @@
                 options.secondaryBTreeName);
         IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor secondarySearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, secondaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondarySplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits, searchComparatorFactories, secondaryLowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondarySplitProvider, 
+                secondaryTypeTraits, searchComparatorFactories, secondaryLowKeyFields,
                 secondaryHighKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, secondarySearchOp, splitNCs);
 
@@ -199,8 +184,8 @@
 
         IFileSplitProvider primarySplitProvider = JobHelper.createFileSplitProvider(splitNCs, options.primaryBTreeName);
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primarySearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primarySplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryLowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primarySplitProvider, 
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryLowKeyFields,
                 primaryHighKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         JobHelper.createPartitionConstraint(spec, primarySearchOp, splitNCs);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexScanOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexScanOperatorTest.java
index fc2393c..c194036 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexScanOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexScanOperatorTest.java
@@ -49,14 +49,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
@@ -80,10 +76,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private int primaryKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String primaryBtreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryBtreeName;
@@ -138,8 +130,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -175,8 +167,8 @@
         int[] highKeyFields = null; // + infinity
 
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
                 highKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
index eef7f5c..2d0b708 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
@@ -49,14 +49,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
@@ -80,10 +76,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private int primaryKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String primaryBtreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryBtreeName;
@@ -138,8 +130,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, 
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -180,8 +172,8 @@
         int[] highKeyFields = { 1 };
 
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, 
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
                 highKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java
index a804bae..44e6f38 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java
@@ -45,15 +45,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.PlainFileWriterOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
@@ -77,10 +73,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private int primaryKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String primaryBtreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryBtreeName;
@@ -135,8 +127,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -153,7 +145,7 @@
         JobSpecification spec = new JobSpecification();
 
         TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor primaryStatsOp = new TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor(spec, storageManager,
-                indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory, primaryLeafFrameFactory,
+                indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
                 primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryStatsOp, NC1_ID);
         IFileSplitProvider outSplits = new ConstantFileSplitProvider(new FileSplit[] { new FileSplit(NC1_ID,
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexInsertOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexInsertOperatorTest.java
index 57ca274..61b12f57 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexInsertOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexInsertOperatorTest.java
@@ -50,16 +50,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
@@ -83,10 +79,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private int primaryKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String primaryBtreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryBtreeName;
@@ -104,11 +96,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] secondaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[secondaryFieldCount];
     private int secondaryKeyFieldCount = 2;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] secondaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[secondaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory secondaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(
-            secondaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String secondaryBtreeName = "secondary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String secondaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + secondaryBtreeName;
@@ -169,8 +156,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, 
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -206,8 +193,8 @@
 
         // scan primary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
                 highKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -220,8 +207,8 @@
         // load secondary index
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 3, 0 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor secondaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -259,7 +246,7 @@
         int[] primaryFieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 };
         TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeInsertOp = new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(
                 spec, ordersDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
-                primaryInteriorFrameFactory, primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories,
                 primaryFieldPermutation, IndexOp.INSERT, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeInsertOp, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -267,8 +254,7 @@
         int[] fieldPermutationB = { 4, 0 };
         TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor secondaryInsertOp = new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(
                 spec, ordersDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider,
-                secondaryInteriorFrameFactory, secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits,
-                secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutationB, IndexOp.INSERT, dataflowHelperFactory);
+                secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutationB, IndexOp.INSERT, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryInsertOp, NC1_ID);
 
         NullSinkOperatorDescriptor nullSink = new NullSinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
@@ -315,8 +301,7 @@
         // search secondary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor secondaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 secondaryRecDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider,
-                secondaryInteriorFrameFactory, secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits,
-                secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryLowKeyFields, secondaryHighKeyFields, true, true,
+                secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryLowKeyFields, secondaryHighKeyFields, true, true,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -327,8 +312,8 @@
 
         // search primary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryLowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, 
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryLowKeyFields,
                 primaryHighKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
index 1c3fe37..07d3495 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/btree/BTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
@@ -49,14 +49,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestStorageManagerComponentHolder;
@@ -80,10 +76,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private int primaryKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String primaryBtreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryBtreeName;
@@ -101,11 +93,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] secondaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[secondaryFieldCount];
     private int secondaryKeyFieldCount = 2;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] secondaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[secondaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory secondaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(
-            secondaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory secondaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String secondaryBtreeName = "secondary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String secondaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + secondaryBtreeName;
@@ -165,8 +152,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -202,8 +189,8 @@
 
         // scan primary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
                 highKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -216,8 +203,8 @@
         // load secondary index
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 3, 0 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor secondaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -260,8 +247,7 @@
         // search secondary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor secondaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 secondaryRecDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryBtreeSplitProvider,
-                secondaryInteriorFrameFactory, secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits,
-                secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryLowKeyFields, secondaryHighKeyFields, true, true,
+                secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, secondaryLowKeyFields, secondaryHighKeyFields, true, true,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -272,8 +258,8 @@
 
         // search primary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryLowKeyFields,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBtreeSplitProvider,
+                primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, primaryLowKeyFields,
                 primaryHighKeyFields, true, true, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/invertedindex/WordInvertedIndexTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/invertedindex/WordInvertedIndexTest.java
index 6b7da2a..8e7d29b 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/invertedindex/WordInvertedIndexTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/invertedindex/WordInvertedIndexTest.java
@@ -52,14 +52,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.api.IInvertedIndexSearchModifierFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.dataflow.BinaryTokenizerOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.invertedindex.dataflow.InvertedIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
@@ -103,10 +99,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private int primaryKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(primaryTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory);
     private RecordDescriptor primaryRecDesc = new RecordDescriptor(new ISerializerDeserializer[] {
             IntegerSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE, UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE });
 
@@ -172,9 +164,8 @@
     private IOperatorDescriptor createPrimaryBulkLoadOp(JobSpecification spec) {
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryFileSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
-                btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryFileSplitProvider, primaryTypeTraits,
+                primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f, btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
         return primaryBtreeBulkLoad;
     }
@@ -199,9 +190,8 @@
         int[] lowKeyFields = null; // - infinity
         int[] highKeyFields = null; // + infinity
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBtreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryFileSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields,
-                highKeyFields, true, true, btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryFileSplitProvider, primaryTypeTraits,
+                primaryComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields, highKeyFields, true, true, btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBtreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
         return primaryBtreeSearchOp;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
index 0c0df42..d549d87 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
@@ -50,16 +50,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.PlainFileWriterOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.misc.ConstantTupleSourceOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.dataflow.RTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.dataflow.RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.frames.RTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.frames.RTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.tuples.RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.util.RTreeUtils;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
@@ -74,7 +70,7 @@
 
     private IStorageManagerInterface storageManager = new TestStorageManagerInterface();
     private IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider = new TestIndexRegistryProvider();
-    private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new RTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
+    private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory;
 
     private final static SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("ddMMyy-hhmmssSS");
     private final static String sep = System.getProperty("file.separator");
@@ -85,17 +81,11 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
 
-    private RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(
-            primaryTypeTraits);
-
     private RecordDescriptor primaryRecDesc = new RecordDescriptor(new ISerializerDeserializer[] {
             DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE, DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
             DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE, DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
             UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE });
 
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory;
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory;
-
     private static String primaryRTreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryRTreeName;
 
@@ -118,10 +108,8 @@
         IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] primaryValueProviderFactories = RTreeUtils
                 .createPrimitiveValueProviderFactories(primaryComparatorFactories.length, DoublePointable.FACTORY);
 
-        primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new RTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory,
-                primaryValueProviderFactories);
-        primaryLeafFrameFactory = new RTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory, primaryValueProviderFactories);
-
+        dataflowHelperFactory = new RTreeDataflowHelperFactory(primaryValueProviderFactories);
+        
         loadPrimaryIndexTest();
     }
 
@@ -144,8 +132,7 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryRTreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
                 dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryRTreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
@@ -185,9 +172,8 @@
         int[] keyFields = { 0, 1, 2, 3 };
 
         RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryRTreeSearchOp = new RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec, primaryRecDesc,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, keyFields,
-                dataflowHelperFactory);
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryTypeTraits,
+                primaryComparatorFactories, keyFields, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryRTreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
         IFileSplitProvider outSplits = new ConstantFileSplitProvider(new FileSplit[] { new FileSplit(NC1_ID,
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java
index a4912e8..5fa237d 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreePrimaryIndexStatsOperatorTest.java
@@ -46,16 +46,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.PlainFileWriterOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.dataflow.RTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.frames.RTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.frames.RTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.tuples.RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.util.RTreeUtils;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.test.support.TestIndexRegistryProvider;
@@ -70,7 +66,7 @@
 
     private IStorageManagerInterface storageManager = new TestStorageManagerInterface();
     private IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider = new TestIndexRegistryProvider();
-    private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new RTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
+    private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory;
 
     private final static SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("ddMMyy-hhmmssSS");
     private final static String sep = System.getProperty("file.separator");
@@ -81,17 +77,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryFieldCount];
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryKeyFieldCount];
 
-    private RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryTupleWriterFactory = new RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(
-            primaryTypeTraits);
-
-    private RecordDescriptor primaryRecDesc = new RecordDescriptor(new ISerializerDeserializer[] {
-            DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE, DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
-            DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE, DoubleSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE,
-            UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer.INSTANCE });
-
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryInteriorFrameFactory;
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryLeafFrameFactory;
-
     private static String primaryRTreeName = "primary" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryRTreeName;
 
@@ -114,10 +99,8 @@
         IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] primaryValueProviderFactories = RTreeUtils
                 .createPrimitiveValueProviderFactories(primaryComparatorFactories.length, DoublePointable.FACTORY);
 
-        primaryInteriorFrameFactory = new RTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory,
-                primaryValueProviderFactories);
-        primaryLeafFrameFactory = new RTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(primaryTupleWriterFactory, primaryValueProviderFactories);
-
+        dataflowHelperFactory = new RTreeDataflowHelperFactory(primaryValueProviderFactories);
+        
         loadPrimaryIndexTest();
     }
 
@@ -140,9 +123,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryRTreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryLeafFrameFactory, primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
-                dataflowHelperFactory);
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryTypeTraits,
+                primaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryRTreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), objScanner, 0, primaryRTreeBulkLoad, 0);
@@ -156,7 +138,7 @@
         JobSpecification spec = new JobSpecification();
 
         TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor primaryStatsOp = new TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor(spec, storageManager,
-                indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider, primaryInteriorFrameFactory, primaryLeafFrameFactory,
+                indexRegistryProvider, primaryRTreeSplitProvider,
                 primaryTypeTraits, primaryComparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryStatsOp, NC1_ID);
 
diff --git a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
index 1fed403..9357d74 100644
--- a/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-examples/hyracks-integration-tests/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/tests/rtree/RTreeSecondaryIndexSearchOperatorTest.java
@@ -52,19 +52,14 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.sort.ExternalSortOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.dataflow.BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexRegistryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.tuples.TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.dataflow.RTreeDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.dataflow.RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.frames.RTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.frames.RTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.impls.DoublePrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.tuples.RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.util.RTreeUtils;
@@ -81,7 +76,7 @@
 
     private IStorageManagerInterface storageManager = new TestStorageManagerInterface();
     private IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider = new TestIndexRegistryProvider();
-    private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory = new RTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
+    private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory;
     private IIndexDataflowHelperFactory btreeDataflowHelperFactory = new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory();
 
     private final static SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("ddMMyy-hhmmssSS");
@@ -92,12 +87,6 @@
     private ITypeTraits[] primaryBTreeTypeTraits = new ITypeTraits[primaryBTreeFieldCount];
     private int primaryBTreeKeyFieldCount = 1;
     private IBinaryComparatorFactory[] primaryBTreeComparatorFactories = new IBinaryComparatorFactory[primaryBTreeKeyFieldCount];
-    private TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory primaryBTreeTupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(
-            primaryBTreeTypeTraits);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryBTreeInteriorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(
-            primaryBTreeTupleWriterFactory);
-    private ITreeIndexFrameFactory primaryBTreeLeafFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(
-            primaryBTreeTupleWriterFactory);
 
     private static String primaryBTreeName = "primaryBTree" + simpleDateFormat.format(new Date());
     private static String primaryBTreeFileName = System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + sep + primaryBTreeName;
@@ -169,11 +158,8 @@
         IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] secondaryValueProviderFactories = RTreeUtils
                 .createPrimitiveValueProviderFactories(secondaryComparatorFactories.length, DoublePointable.FACTORY);
 
-        secondaryInteriorFrameFactory = new RTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory,
-                secondaryValueProviderFactories);
-        secondaryLeafFrameFactory = new RTreeNSMLeafFrameFactory(secondaryTupleWriterFactory,
-                secondaryValueProviderFactories);
-
+        dataflowHelperFactory = new RTreeDataflowHelperFactory(secondaryValueProviderFactories);
+        
         loadPrimaryBTreeIndexTest();
         loadSecondaryIndexTest();
     }
@@ -210,9 +196,8 @@
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor primaryBTreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBTreeSplitProvider, primaryBTreeInteriorFrameFactory,
-                primaryBTreeLeafFrameFactory, primaryBTreeTypeTraits, primaryBTreeComparatorFactories,
-                fieldPermutation, 0.7f, btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBTreeSplitProvider, primaryBTreeTypeTraits,
+                primaryBTreeComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f, btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBTreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), ordScanner, 0, sorter, 0);
@@ -248,17 +233,15 @@
         // scan primary index
         BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor primaryBTreeSearchOp = new BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 primaryBTreeRecDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, primaryBTreeSplitProvider,
-                primaryBTreeInteriorFrameFactory, primaryBTreeLeafFrameFactory, primaryBTreeTypeTraits,
-                primaryBTreeComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields, highKeyFields, true, true,
+                primaryBTreeTypeTraits, primaryBTreeComparatorFactories, lowKeyFields, highKeyFields, true, true,
                 btreeDataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, primaryBTreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
         // load secondary index
         int[] fieldPermutation = { 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 };
         TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor secondaryRTreeBulkLoad = new TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(spec,
-                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryRTreeSplitProvider, secondaryInteriorFrameFactory,
-                secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f,
-                dataflowHelperFactory);
+                storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryRTreeSplitProvider, secondaryTypeTraits,
+                secondaryComparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, 0.7f, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryRTreeBulkLoad, NC1_ID);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), keyProviderOp, 0, primaryBTreeSearchOp, 0);
@@ -299,8 +282,7 @@
 
         RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor secondaryRTreeSearchOp = new RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 secondaryRecDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, secondaryRTreeSplitProvider,
-                secondaryInteriorFrameFactory, secondaryLeafFrameFactory, secondaryTypeTraits,
-                secondaryComparatorFactories, keyFields, dataflowHelperFactory);
+                secondaryTypeTraits, secondaryComparatorFactories, keyFields, dataflowHelperFactory);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addAbsoluteLocationConstraint(spec, secondaryRTreeSearchOp, NC1_ID);
 
         IFileSplitProvider outSplits = new ConstantFileSplitProvider(new FileSplit[] { new FileSplit(NC1_ID,
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDataflowHelper.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDataflowHelper.java
index f0a6a8f..68a1a24 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDataflowHelper.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeDataflowHelper.java
@@ -17,29 +17,27 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.impls.BTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.exceptions.BTreeException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.frames.BTreeLeafFrameType;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.btree.util.BTreeUtils;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndex;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexDataflowHelper;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage.LinkedListFreePageManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 
 public class BTreeDataflowHelper extends TreeIndexDataflowHelper {
     public BTreeDataflowHelper(IIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc, IHyracksTaskContext ctx, int partition,
             boolean createIfNotExists) {
         super(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists);
     }
-    
+
     @Override
     public ITreeIndex createIndexInstance() throws HyracksDataException {
-        IBufferCache bufferCache = opDesc.getStorageManager().getBufferCache(ctx);
-        ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory metaDataFrameFactory = new LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory();
-        IFreePageManager freePageManager = new LinkedListFreePageManager(bufferCache, 0, metaDataFrameFactory);
-        return new BTree(bufferCache, treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexTypeTraits().length,
-                treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexComparatorFactories(), freePageManager,
-                treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexInteriorFactory(), treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexLeafFactory());
+        try {
+            return BTreeUtils.createBTree(opDesc.getStorageManager().getBufferCache(ctx),
+                    treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexTypeTraits(), treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexComparatorFactories(),
+                    BTreeLeafFrameType.REGULAR_NSM);
+        } catch (BTreeException e) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException(e);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
index 0549421..6e05922 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.RecordDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
@@ -34,20 +33,20 @@
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
-    protected int[] lowKeyFields; // fields in input tuple to be used as low keys
-    protected int[] highKeyFields; // fields in input tuple to be used as high
-    // keys
+    // fields in input tuple to be used as low keys
+    protected int[] lowKeyFields;
+    // fields in input tuple to be used as high keys
+    protected int[] highKeyFields;
     protected boolean lowKeyInclusive;
     protected boolean highKeyInclusive;
 
     public BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, RecordDescriptor recDesc,
             IStorageManagerInterface storageManager, IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
-            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
-            ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
             IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories, int[] lowKeyFields, int[] highKeyFields,
             boolean lowKeyInclusive, boolean highKeyInclusive, IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
-        super(spec, 1, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory,
-                leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
+        super(spec, 1, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, typeTraits,
+                comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
         this.lowKeyFields = lowKeyFields;
         this.highKeyFields = highKeyFields;
         this.lowKeyInclusive = lowKeyInclusive;
@@ -55,8 +54,8 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(final IHyracksTaskContext ctx, IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider,
-            int partition, int nPartitions) {
+    public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(final IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
+            IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider, int partition, int nPartitions) {
         return new BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable(this, ctx, partition, recordDescProvider, lowKeyFields,
                 highKeyFields, lowKeyInclusive, highKeyInclusive);
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
index f531ae6..fe75715 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -83,17 +83,13 @@
 
     @Override
     public void open() throws HyracksDataException {
-        AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc = (AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor) treeIndexHelper
-                .getOperatorDescriptor();
         accessor = new FrameTupleAccessor(treeIndexHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().getFrameSize(), recDesc);
-
-        cursorFrame = opDesc.getTreeIndexLeafFactory().createFrame();
-        setCursor();
         writer.open();
-
         try {
             treeIndexHelper.init();
             btree = (BTree) treeIndexHelper.getIndex();
+            cursorFrame = btree.getLeafFrameFactory().createFrame();
+            setCursor();
 
             // Construct range predicate.
             lowKeySearchCmp = BTreeUtils.getSearchMultiComparator(btree.getComparatorFactories(), lowKey);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
index f8ad362..6085c9c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/dataflow/BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.RecordDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITupleUpdaterFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
@@ -18,25 +17,23 @@
 public class BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorDescriptor extends BTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    
+
     private final ITupleUpdaterFactory tupleUpdaterFactory;
-    
+
     public BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, RecordDescriptor recDesc,
             IStorageManagerInterface storageManager, IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
-            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
-            ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
             IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories, int[] lowKeyFields, int[] highKeyFields,
             boolean lowKeyInclusive, boolean highKeyInclusive, IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory,
             ITupleUpdaterFactory tupleUpdaterFactory) {
-        super(spec, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory,
-                leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, lowKeyFields, highKeyFields, lowKeyInclusive,
-                highKeyInclusive, dataflowHelperFactory);
+        super(spec, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, typeTraits, comparatorFactories,
+                lowKeyFields, highKeyFields, lowKeyInclusive, highKeyInclusive, dataflowHelperFactory);
         this.tupleUpdaterFactory = tupleUpdaterFactory;
     }
 
     @Override
-    public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(final IHyracksTaskContext ctx, IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider,
-            int partition, int nPartitions) {
+    public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(final IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
+            IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider, int partition, int nPartitions) {
         return new BTreeUpdateSearchOperatorNodePushable(this, ctx, partition, recordDescProvider, lowKeyFields,
                 highKeyFields, lowKeyInclusive, highKeyInclusive, tupleUpdaterFactory.createTupleUpdater());
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeUtils.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeUtils.java
index 675eff1..48b5b38 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeUtils.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeUtils.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 
 public class BTreeUtils {
-    public static BTree createBTree(IBufferCache bufferCache, int btreeFileId, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories, BTreeLeafFrameType leafType) throws BTreeException {
+    public static BTree createBTree(IBufferCache bufferCache, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories, BTreeLeafFrameType leafType) throws BTreeException {
         TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory tupleWriterFactory = new TypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(typeTraits);
         ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory = getLeafFrameFactory(tupleWriterFactory, leafType);
         ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory = new BTreeNSMInteriorFrameFactory(tupleWriterFactory);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
index ff4d078..2e2b67e 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.base.AbstractSingleActivityOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 public abstract class AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor extends
@@ -34,9 +33,6 @@
 
 	protected final IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories;
 
-	protected final ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory;
-	protected final ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory;
-
 	protected final IStorageManagerInterface storageManager;
 	protected final IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider;
 
@@ -48,16 +44,13 @@
 			IStorageManagerInterface storageManager,
 			IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
 			IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider,
-			ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
-			ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+			ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
 			IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories,
 			IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
 		super(spec, inputArity, outputArity);
 		this.fileSplitProvider = fileSplitProvider;
 		this.storageManager = storageManager;
 		this.indexRegistryProvider = indexRegistryProvider;
-		this.interiorFrameFactory = interiorFrameFactory;
-		this.leafFrameFactory = leafFrameFactory;
 		this.typeTraits = typeTraits;
 		this.comparatorFactories = comparatorFactories;
 		this.dataflowHelperFactory = dataflowHelperFactory;
@@ -82,16 +75,6 @@
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public ITreeIndexFrameFactory getTreeIndexInteriorFactory() {
-		return interiorFrameFactory;
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public ITreeIndexFrameFactory getTreeIndexLeafFactory() {
-		return leafFrameFactory;
-	}
-
-	@Override
 	public IStorageManagerInterface getStorageManager() {
 		return storageManager;
 	}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/ITreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/ITreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
index e415cbb..a646e02 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/ITreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/ITreeIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -17,15 +17,9 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTraits;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 
 public interface ITreeIndexOperatorDescriptor extends IIndexOperatorDescriptor {
 	public IBinaryComparatorFactory[] getTreeIndexComparatorFactories();
 	
-	public ITreeIndexFrameFactory getTreeIndexInteriorFactory();
-
-	public ITreeIndexFrameFactory getTreeIndexLeafFactory();
-
 	public ITypeTraits[] getTreeIndexTypeTraits();
-	
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor.java
index af30105..90295be 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTraits;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 public class TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor extends AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor {
@@ -34,11 +33,10 @@
 
     public TreeIndexBulkLoadOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, IStorageManagerInterface storageManager,
             IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider, IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider,
-            ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory, ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory,
             ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories, int[] fieldPermutation,
             float fillFactor, IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
-        super(spec, 1, 0, null, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory,
-                leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
+        super(spec, 1, 0, null, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, 
+                typeTraits, comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
         this.fieldPermutation = fieldPermutation;
         this.fillFactor = fillFactor;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor.java
index 8d56d37..ab16acb 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -22,31 +22,23 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.RecordDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
-public class TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor extends
-		AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor {
+public class TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor extends AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor {
 
-	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
-	public TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec,
-			RecordDescriptor recDesc, IStorageManagerInterface storageManager,
-			IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
-			IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider,
-			ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
-			ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
-			IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
-		super(spec, 0, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider,
-				fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory, leafFrameFactory,
-				typeTraits, null, dataflowHelperFactory);
-	}
+    public TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, RecordDescriptor recDesc,
+            IStorageManagerInterface storageManager, IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
+            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+            IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
+        super(spec, 0, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, typeTraits, null,
+                dataflowHelperFactory);
+    }
 
-	@Override
-	public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
-			IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider,
-			int partition, int nPartitions) {
-		return new TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable(this, ctx,
-				partition);
-	}
+    @Override
+    public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
+            IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider, int partition, int nPartitions) {
+        return new TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable(this, ctx, partition);
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
index d9b4d87..d7a680c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -31,23 +31,21 @@
 
 public class TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable extends AbstractUnaryOutputSourceOperatorNodePushable {
     private final TreeIndexDataflowHelper treeIndexHelper;
-    private final ITreeIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc;
     private ITreeIndex treeIndex;
 
     public TreeIndexDiskOrderScanOperatorNodePushable(AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc,
             IHyracksTaskContext ctx, int partition) {
         treeIndexHelper = (TreeIndexDataflowHelper) opDesc.getIndexDataflowHelperFactory().createIndexDataflowHelper(
                 opDesc, ctx, partition, false);
-        this.opDesc = opDesc;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void initialize() throws HyracksDataException {
-        ITreeIndexFrame cursorFrame = opDesc.getTreeIndexLeafFactory().createFrame();
-        ITreeIndexCursor cursor = treeIndexHelper.createDiskOrderScanCursor(cursorFrame);
         try {
             treeIndexHelper.init();
             treeIndex = (ITreeIndex) treeIndexHelper.getIndex();
+            ITreeIndexFrame cursorFrame = treeIndex.getLeafFrameFactory().createFrame();
+            ITreeIndexCursor cursor = treeIndexHelper.createDiskOrderScanCursor(cursorFrame);
             ITreeIndexAccessor indexAccessor = treeIndex.createAccessor();
             writer.open();
             try {
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java
index e08f5d6..ac90c1a 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -23,41 +23,32 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.RecordDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.ophelpers.IndexOp;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
-public class TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor extends
-		AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor {
+public class TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor extends AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor {
 
-	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
-	private final int[] fieldPermutation;
+    private final int[] fieldPermutation;
 
-	private IndexOp op;
+    private IndexOp op;
 
-	public TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec,
-			RecordDescriptor recDesc, IStorageManagerInterface storageManager,
-			IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
-			IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider,
-			ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
-			ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
-			IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories,
-			int[] fieldPermutation, IndexOp op,
-			IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
-		super(spec, 1, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider,
-				fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory, leafFrameFactory,
-				typeTraits, comparatorFactories,
-				dataflowHelperFactory);
-		this.fieldPermutation = fieldPermutation;
-		this.op = op;
-	}
+    public TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, RecordDescriptor recDesc,
+            IStorageManagerInterface storageManager, IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
+            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+            IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories, int[] fieldPermutation, IndexOp op,
+            IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
+        super(spec, 1, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, typeTraits,
+                comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
+        this.fieldPermutation = fieldPermutation;
+        this.op = op;
+    }
 
-	@Override
-	public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
-			IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider,
-			int partition, int nPartitions) {
-		return new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable(this, ctx,
-				partition, fieldPermutation, recordDescProvider, op);
-	}
+    @Override
+    public IOperatorNodePushable createPushRuntime(IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
+            IRecordDescriptorProvider recordDescProvider, int partition, int nPartitions) {
+        return new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable(this, ctx, partition, fieldPermutation,
+                recordDescProvider, op);
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor.java
index 4d718a8..c227e17 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.marshalling.UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.IStorageManagerInterface;
 
 public class TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor extends AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor {
@@ -35,11 +34,10 @@
 
     public TreeIndexStatsOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, IStorageManagerInterface storageManager,
             IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider, IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider,
-            ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory, ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory,
             ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories,
             IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
-        super(spec, 0, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory,
-                leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
+        super(spec, 0, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, typeTraits,
+                comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/dataflow/AbstractInvertedIndexOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/dataflow/AbstractInvertedIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
index eab266d..733c1a5 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/dataflow/AbstractInvertedIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/invertedindex/dataflow/AbstractInvertedIndexOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -108,16 +108,6 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public ITreeIndexFrameFactory getTreeIndexInteriorFactory() {
-        return btreeInteriorFrameFactory;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public ITreeIndexFrameFactory getTreeIndexLeafFactory() {
-        return btreeLeafFrameFactory;
-    }
-
-    @Override
     public IStorageManagerInterface getStorageManager() {
         return storageManager;
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/dataflow/LSMBTreeDataflowHelper.java b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/dataflow/LSMBTreeDataflowHelper.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..141cb87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/dataflow/LSMBTreeDataflowHelper.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * 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.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.btree.dataflow;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndex;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexOperatorDescriptor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexDataflowHelper;
+
+public class LSMBTreeDataflowHelper extends TreeIndexDataflowHelper {
+    private static int DEFAULT_MEM_NUM_PAGES = 1000;
+    private static int DEFAULT_MEM_PAGE_SIZE = 32768;
+    
+    private final int memNumPages;
+    private final int memPageSize;
+    
+    public LSMBTreeDataflowHelper(IIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc, IHyracksTaskContext ctx, int partition,
+            boolean createIfNotExists) {
+        super(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists);
+        memNumPages = DEFAULT_MEM_NUM_PAGES;
+        memPageSize = DEFAULT_MEM_PAGE_SIZE;
+    }
+    
+    public LSMBTreeDataflowHelper(IIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc, IHyracksTaskContext ctx, int partition,
+            boolean createIfNotExists, int memNumPages, int memPageSize) {
+        super(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists);
+        this.memNumPages = memNumPages;
+        this.memPageSize = memPageSize;
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    public ITreeIndex createIndexInstance() throws HyracksDataException {
+        // TODO: Implement this next.
+        return null;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/dataflow/LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/dataflow/LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da00694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/dataflow/LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * 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.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.btree.dataflow;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexOperatorDescriptor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IndexDataflowHelper;
+
+public class LSMBTreeDataflowHelperFactory implements IIndexDataflowHelperFactory {
+
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    @Override
+    public IndexDataflowHelper createIndexDataflowHelper(IIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc, IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
+            int partition, boolean createIfNotExists) {
+        return new LSMBTreeDataflowHelper(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelper.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelper.java
index 447c0cb..99a349a 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelper.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelper.java
@@ -17,30 +17,26 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndex;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.TreeIndexDataflowHelper;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames.LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage.LinkedListFreePageManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.impls.RTree;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.util.RTreeUtils;
 
 public class RTreeDataflowHelper extends TreeIndexDataflowHelper {
 
+    private final IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories;
+
     public RTreeDataflowHelper(IIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc, IHyracksTaskContext ctx, int partition,
-            boolean createIfNotExists) {
+            boolean createIfNotExists, IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories) {
         super(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists);
+        this.valueProviderFactories = valueProviderFactories;
     }
 
     @Override
     public ITreeIndex createIndexInstance() throws HyracksDataException {
-        IBufferCache bufferCache = treeOpDesc.getStorageManager().getBufferCache(ctx);
-        ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory metaDataFrameFactory = new LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory();
-        IFreePageManager freePageManager = new LinkedListFreePageManager(bufferCache, 0, metaDataFrameFactory);
-        return new RTree(bufferCache, treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexTypeTraits().length,
-                treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexComparatorFactories(), freePageManager,
-                treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexInteriorFactory(), treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexLeafFactory());
+        return RTreeUtils.createRTree(treeOpDesc.getStorageManager().getBufferCache(ctx),
+                treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexTypeTraits(), valueProviderFactories,
+                treeOpDesc.getTreeIndexComparatorFactories());
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java
index 8cd4e95..c76aa63 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeDataflowHelperFactory.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.rtree.dataflow;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.context.IHyracksTaskContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IndexDataflowHelper;
@@ -24,9 +25,15 @@
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
+    private final IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories;
+    
+    public RTreeDataflowHelperFactory(IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories) {
+        this.valueProviderFactories = valueProviderFactories;
+    }
+    
     @Override
     public IndexDataflowHelper createIndexDataflowHelper(IIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc, IHyracksTaskContext ctx,
             int partition, boolean createIfNotExists) {
-        return new RTreeDataflowHelper(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists);
+        return new RTreeDataflowHelper(opDesc, ctx, partition, createIfNotExists, valueProviderFactories);
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
index 8cb4e55..59c679d 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.RecordDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.job.JobSpecification;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.std.file.IFileSplitProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexFrameFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndex;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.dataflow.IIndexDataflowHelperFactory;
@@ -38,12 +37,11 @@
 
     public RTreeSearchOperatorDescriptor(JobSpecification spec, RecordDescriptor recDesc,
             IStorageManagerInterface storageManager, IIndexRegistryProvider<IIndex> indexRegistryProvider,
-            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
-            ITreeIndexFrameFactory leafFrameFactory, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+            IFileSplitProvider fileSplitProvider, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
             IBinaryComparatorFactory[] comparatorFactories, int[] keyFields,
             IIndexDataflowHelperFactory dataflowHelperFactory) {
-        super(spec, 1, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, interiorFrameFactory,
-                leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
+        super(spec, 1, 1, recDesc, storageManager, indexRegistryProvider, fileSplitProvider, typeTraits,
+                comparatorFactories, dataflowHelperFactory);
         this.keyFields = keyFields;
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
index 33c930c..fd65c20 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/dataflow/RTreeSearchOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -75,17 +75,15 @@
 
     @Override
     public void open() throws HyracksDataException {
-        AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor opDesc = (AbstractTreeIndexOperatorDescriptor) treeIndexHelper
-                .getOperatorDescriptor();
-        accessor = new FrameTupleAccessor(treeIndexHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().getFrameSize(), recDesc);
-        interiorFrame = opDesc.getTreeIndexInteriorFactory().createFrame();
-        leafFrame = opDesc.getTreeIndexLeafFactory().createFrame();
-        cursor = new RTreeSearchCursor((IRTreeInteriorFrame) interiorFrame, (IRTreeLeafFrame) leafFrame);
+        accessor = new FrameTupleAccessor(treeIndexHelper.getHyracksTaskContext().getFrameSize(), recDesc);        
         try {
             treeIndexHelper.init();
             writer.open();
             try {
                 rtree = (RTree) treeIndexHelper.getIndex();
+                interiorFrame = rtree.getInteriorFrameFactory().createFrame();
+                leafFrame = rtree.getLeafFrameFactory().createFrame();
+                cursor = new RTreeSearchCursor((IRTreeInteriorFrame) interiorFrame, (IRTreeLeafFrame) leafFrame);
                 cmp = RTreeUtils.getSearchMultiComparator(rtree.getComparatorFactories(), searchKey);
 
                 searchPred = new SearchPredicate(searchKey, cmp);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/util/RTreeUtils.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/util/RTreeUtils.java
index 13c4386..6f5d36f 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/util/RTreeUtils.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/util/RTreeUtils.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 
 public class RTreeUtils {
-    public static RTree createRTree(IBufferCache bufferCache, int rtreeFileId, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
+    public static RTree createRTree(IBufferCache bufferCache, ITypeTraits[] typeTraits,
             IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories) {
 
         RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory tupleWriterFactory = new RTreeTypeAwareTupleWriterFactory(typeTraits);
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeExamplesTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeExamplesTest.java
index c021974..ba8cc03 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeExamplesTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/BTreeExamplesTest.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     }
     
     protected ITreeIndex createTreeIndex(ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories) throws TreeIndexException {
-        return BTreeUtils.createBTree(harness.getBufferCache(), harness.getBTreeFileId(), typeTraits, cmpFactories,
+        return BTreeUtils.createBTree(harness.getBufferCache(), typeTraits, cmpFactories,
                 BTreeLeafFrameType.REGULAR_NSM);
     }
     
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/multithread/BTreeMultiThreadTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/multithread/BTreeMultiThreadTest.java
index bb66e96..6493719 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/multithread/BTreeMultiThreadTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/multithread/BTreeMultiThreadTest.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 
     @Override
     protected ITreeIndex createTreeIndex(ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories) throws TreeIndexException {
-        return BTreeUtils.createBTree(harness.getBufferCache(), harness.getBTreeFileId(), typeTraits, cmpFactories, BTreeLeafFrameType.REGULAR_NSM);
+        return BTreeUtils.createBTree(harness.getBufferCache(), typeTraits, cmpFactories, BTreeLeafFrameType.REGULAR_NSM);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestContext.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestContext.java
index 8c281e6..5eabd09 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestContext.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/util/BTreeTestContext.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     public static BTreeTestContext create(IBufferCache bufferCache, int btreeFileId, ISerializerDeserializer[] fieldSerdes, int numKeyFields, BTreeLeafFrameType leafType) throws Exception {        
         ITypeTraits[] typeTraits = SerdeUtils.serdesToTypeTraits(fieldSerdes);
         IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories = SerdeUtils.serdesToComparatorFactories(fieldSerdes, numKeyFields);
-        BTree btree = BTreeUtils.createBTree(bufferCache, btreeFileId, typeTraits, cmpFactories, leafType);
+        BTree btree = BTreeUtils.createBTree(bufferCache, typeTraits, cmpFactories, leafType);
         btree.create(btreeFileId);
         btree.open(btreeFileId);
         BTreeTestContext testCtx = new BTreeTestContext(fieldSerdes, btree);
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/perf/BTreeRunner.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/perf/BTreeRunner.java
index abd1377..7e80544 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/perf/BTreeRunner.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/perf/BTreeRunner.java
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@
         btreeFileId = fmp.lookupFileId(file);
         bufferCache.openFile(btreeFileId);
         btree = BTreeUtils
-                .createBTree(bufferCache, btreeFileId, typeTraits, cmpFactories, BTreeLeafFrameType.REGULAR_NSM);
+                .createBTree(bufferCache, typeTraits, cmpFactories, BTreeLeafFrameType.REGULAR_NSM);
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeExamplesTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeExamplesTest.java
index 40c96b4..8932656 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeExamplesTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/RTreeExamplesTest.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     protected ITreeIndex createTreeIndex(ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] rtreeCmpFactories,
             IBinaryComparatorFactory[] btreeCmpFactories, IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories)
             throws TreeIndexException {
-        return RTreeUtils.createRTree(harness.getBufferCache(), harness.getTreeFileId(), typeTraits,
+        return RTreeUtils.createRTree(harness.getBufferCache(), typeTraits,
                 valueProviderFactories, rtreeCmpFactories);
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/multithread/RTreeMultiThreadTest.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/multithread/RTreeMultiThreadTest.java
index 5050a59..ad5e46f 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/multithread/RTreeMultiThreadTest.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/multithread/RTreeMultiThreadTest.java
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
     protected ITreeIndex createTreeIndex(ITypeTraits[] typeTraits, IBinaryComparatorFactory[] rtreeCmpFactories,
             IBinaryComparatorFactory[] btreeCmpFactories, IPrimitiveValueProviderFactory[] valueProviderFactories)
             throws TreeIndexException {
-        return RTreeUtils.createRTree(harness.getBufferCache(), harness.getTreeFileId(), typeTraits,
+        return RTreeUtils.createRTree(harness.getBufferCache(), typeTraits,
                 valueProviderFactories, rtreeCmpFactories);
 
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/utils/RTreeTestContext.java b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/utils/RTreeTestContext.java
index 56a3c64..c298c0c 100644
--- a/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/utils/RTreeTestContext.java
+++ b/hyracks-tests/hyracks-storage-am-rtree-test/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/utils/RTreeTestContext.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
         ITypeTraits[] typeTraits = SerdeUtils.serdesToTypeTraits(fieldSerdes);
         IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories = SerdeUtils.serdesToComparatorFactories(fieldSerdes, numKeyFields);
         RTree rtree = RTreeUtils
-                .createRTree(bufferCache, rtreeFileId, typeTraits, valueProviderFactories, cmpFactories);
+                .createRTree(bufferCache, typeTraits, valueProviderFactories, cmpFactories);
         rtree.create(rtreeFileId);
         rtree.open(rtreeFileId);
         RTreeTestContext testCtx = new RTreeTestContext(fieldSerdes, rtree);