diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/IIndex.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/IIndex.java
index 7cb9cb3..c17b03c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/IIndex.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/IIndex.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexAccessor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexBulkLoader;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IIndexLifecycleManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IModificationOperationCallback;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ISearchOperationCallback;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IndexException;
@@ -25,58 +26,101 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
 
 /**
- * Interface describing the operations common to all index structures. Indexes
+ * This interface describes the operations common to all indexes. Indexes
  * implementing this interface can easily reuse existing index operators for
- * dataflow. Users must perform operations on an IIndex via an IIndexAccessor.
+ * dataflow. Users must perform operations on an via an {@link IIndexAccessor}.
+ * 
+ * During dataflow, the lifecycle of IIndexes are handled through an 
+ * {@link IIndexLifecycleManager}.
  */
 public interface IIndex {
+
     /**
-     * Initializes the persistent state of an index, e.g., the root page, and
-     * metadata pages.
+     * Initializes the persistent state of an index. 
      * 
-     * @throws HyracksDataException
-     *             If the BufferCache throws while un/pinning or un/latching.
+     * An index cannot be created if it is in the activated state.
+     * Calling create on an index that is deactivated has the effect of clearing the index.
+     * 
+     * @throws HyracksDataException 
+     *          if there is an error in the BufferCache while (un)pinning pages, (un)latching pages, 
+     *          creating files, or deleting files
+     *          
+     *          if the index is in the activated state
      */
     public void create() throws HyracksDataException;
 
+    /**
+     * Initializes the index's operational state. An index in the activated state may perform 
+     * operations via an {@link IIndexAccessor}.
+     * 
+     * @throws HyracksDataException
+     *          if there is a problem in the BufferCache while (un)pinning pages, (un)latching pages, 
+     *          creating files, or deleting files
+     */
     public void activate() throws HyracksDataException;
 
-    public void deactivate() throws HyracksDataException;
-
-    public void destroy() throws HyracksDataException;
-
+    /**
+     * Resets the operational state of the index. Calling clear has the same logical effect 
+     * as calling deactivate(), destroy(), create(), then activate(), but not necessarily the 
+     * same physical effect.
+     * 
+     * @throws HyracksDataException
+     *          if there is a problem in the BufferCache while (un)pinning pages, (un)latching pages, 
+     *          creating files, or deleting files
+     *          
+     *          if the index is not in the activated state
+     */
     public void clear() throws HyracksDataException;
 
     /**
-     * Creates an index accessor for performing operations on this index.
-     * (insert/delete/update/search/diskorderscan). An IIndexAccessor is not
-     * thread safe, but different IIndexAccessors can concurrently operate
-     * on the same IIndex
+     * Deinitializes the index's operational state. An index in the deactivated state may not 
+     * perform operations.
      * 
-     * @returns IIndexAccessor An accessor for this tree.
-     * @param modificationCallback
-     *            TODO
-     * @param searchCallback
-     *            TODO
+     * @throws HyracksDataException
+     *          if there is a problem in the BufferCache while (un)pinning pages, (un)latching pages, 
+     *          creating files, or deleting files
+     */
+    public void deactivate() throws HyracksDataException;
+
+    /**
+     * Removes the persistent state of an index. 
+     * 
+     * An index cannot be destroyed if it is in the activated state.
+     * 
+     * @throws HyracksDataException 
+     *          if there is an error in the BufferCache while (un)pinning pages, (un)latching pages, 
+     *          creating files, or deleting files
+     *          
+     *          if the index is already activated
+     */
+    public void destroy() throws HyracksDataException;
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an {@link IIndexAccessor} for performing operations on this index.
+     * An IIndexAccessor is not thread safe, but different IIndexAccessors can concurrently operate
+     * on the same {@link IIndex}.
+     * 
+     * @returns IIndexAccessor an accessor for this {@link IIndex}
+     * @param modificationCallback the callback to be used for modification operations
+     * @param searchCallback the callback to be used for search operations
      */
     public IIndexAccessor createAccessor(IModificationOperationCallback modificationCallback,
             ISearchOperationCallback searchCallback);
 
     /**
-     * @param fillFactor
-     *            TODO
+     * @param fillFactor the fill factor for the bulk-loaded index or index component
      * @throws IndexException
-     *             TODO
+     *          if the index is required to be non-empty but is not
      */
     public IIndexBulkLoader createBulkLoader(float fillFactor) throws IndexException;
 
     /**
-     * @return BufferCache underlying this index.
+     * @return the {@link IBufferCache} underlying this index.
      */
     public IBufferCache getBufferCache();
 
     /**
-     * @return An enum of the concrete type of this index.
+     * @return the {@link IndexType} of this index.
      */
     public IndexType getIndexType();
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/AbstractTreeIndex.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/AbstractTreeIndex.java
index 21d2529..86b99e5 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/AbstractTreeIndex.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/AbstractTreeIndex.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
     protected FileReference file;
     protected int fileId = -1;
 
-    private boolean isOpen = false;
+    private boolean isActivated = false;
 
     public AbstractTreeIndex(IBufferCache bufferCache, IFileMapProvider fileMapProvider,
             IFreePageManager freePageManager, ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory,
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@
     }
 
     public synchronized void create() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to create since index is already open.");
+        if (isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to create the index since it is activated.");
         }
 
         boolean fileIsMapped = false;
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
     }
 
     public synchronized void activate() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
+        if (isActivated) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -144,23 +144,23 @@
         // TODO: Should probably have some way to check that the tree is physically consistent
         // or that the file we just opened actually is a tree
 
-        isOpen = true;
+        isActivated = true;
     }
 
     public synchronized void deactivate() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (!isOpen) {
+        if (!isActivated) {
             return;
         }
 
         bufferCache.closeFile(fileId);
         freePageManager.close();
 
-        isOpen = false;
+        isActivated = false;
     }
 
     public synchronized void destroy() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to destroy since index is already open.");
+        if (isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to destroy the index since it is activated.");
         }
 
         file.getFile().delete();
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@
     }
 
     public synchronized void clear() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (!isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to clear since index is not open.");
+        if (!isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to clear the index since it is not activated.");
         }
 
         initEmptyTree();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java
index 9df8f17..7f6e511 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
     private final ITreeIndexFrameFactory deleteLeafFrameFactory;
     private final IBinaryComparatorFactory[] cmpFactories;
 
-    private boolean isOpen = false;
+    private boolean isActivated = false;
 
     public LSMBTree(IBufferCache memBufferCache, InMemoryFreePageManager memFreePageManager,
             ITreeIndexFrameFactory interiorFrameFactory, ITreeIndexFrameFactory insertLeafFrameFactory,
@@ -128,25 +128,17 @@
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void create() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to create since index is already open.");
+        if (isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to create the index since it is activated.");
         }
 
         fileManager.deleteDirs();
         fileManager.createDirs();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Opens LSMBTree, cleaning up invalid files from base dir, and registering
-     * all valid files as on-disk BTrees.
-     * 
-     * @param fileReference
-     *            Dummy file id used for in-memory BTree.
-     * @throws HyracksDataException
-     */
     @Override
     public synchronized void activate() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
+        if (isActivated) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -160,12 +152,12 @@
             BTree btree = createDiskBTree(diskBTreeFactory, fileRef, false);
             diskBTrees.add(btree);
         }
-        isOpen = true;
+        isActivated = true;
     }
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void deactivate() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (!isOpen) {
+        if (!isActivated) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -186,13 +178,13 @@
         memBTree.deactivate();
         memBTree.destroy();
         ((InMemoryBufferCache) memBTree.getBufferCache()).close();
-        isOpen = false;
+        isActivated = false;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void destroy() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to destroy since index is already open.");
+        if (isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to destroy the index since it is activated.");
         }
 
         for (Object o : diskBTrees) {
@@ -205,8 +197,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public void clear() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (!isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to clear since index is not open.");
+        if (!isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to clear the index since it is not activated.");
         }
 
         memBTree.clear();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/AbstractLSMRTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/AbstractLSMRTree.java
index 5008b04..ff4d87e 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/AbstractLSMRTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/AbstractLSMRTree.java
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
     protected final ITreeIndexFrameFactory rtreeLeafFrameFactory;
     protected final ITreeIndexFrameFactory btreeLeafFrameFactory;
 
-    private boolean isOpen = false;
+    private boolean isActivated = false;
 
     public AbstractLSMRTree(IBufferCache memBufferCache, InMemoryFreePageManager memFreePageManager,
             ITreeIndexFrameFactory rtreeInteriorFrameFactory, ITreeIndexFrameFactory rtreeLeafFrameFactory,
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void create() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to create since index is already open.");
+        if (isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to create the index since it is activated.");
         }
 
         fileManager.deleteDirs();
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void activate() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
+        if (isActivated) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -171,17 +171,17 @@
         memComponent.getBTree().create();
         memComponent.getRTree().activate();
         memComponent.getBTree().activate();
-        isOpen = true;
+        isActivated = true;
     }
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void deactivate() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (!isOpen) {
+        if (!isActivated) {
             return;
         }
 
-        isOpen = false;
-        
+        isActivated = false;
+
         BlockingIOOperationCallback cb = new BlockingIOOperationCallback();
         ILSMIndexAccessor accessor = (ILSMIndexAccessor) createAccessor(NoOpOperationCallback.INSTANCE,
                 NoOpOperationCallback.INSTANCE);
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void destroy() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to destroy since index is already open.");
+        if (isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to destroy the index since it is activated.");
         }
 
         memComponent.getRTree().deactivate();
@@ -212,8 +212,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void clear() throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (!isOpen) {
-            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to clear since index is not open.");
+        if (!isActivated) {
+            throw new HyracksDataException("Failed to clear the index since it is not activated.");
         }
 
         memComponent.getRTree().clear();
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java
index 36c5255..6a9531c 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java
@@ -88,14 +88,6 @@
 
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Opens LSMRTree, cleaning up invalid files from base dir, and registering
-     * all valid files as on-disk RTrees and BTrees.
-     * 
-     * @param fileReference
-     *            Dummy file id.
-     * @throws HyracksDataException
-     */
     @Override
     public synchronized void activate() throws HyracksDataException {
         super.activate();