diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/AlterCommand.java b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/AlterCommand.java
index 5ef7449..7f6b93e 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/AlterCommand.java
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/AlterCommand.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.command;
 
 import java.util.Date;
-import java.util.Properties;
 
 import org.kohsuke.args4j.Option;
 
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.driver.InstallerUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.model.AsterixInstance;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.model.AsterixInstance.State;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.schema.asterixconf.AsterixConfiguration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.service.ILookupService;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.service.ServiceProvider;
 
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@
         ILookupService lookupService = ServiceProvider.INSTANCE.getLookupService();
         AsterixInstance instance = lookupService.getAsterixInstance(instanceName);
 
-        Properties asterixConfProp = InstallerUtil.getAsterixConfiguration(((AlterConfig) config).confPath);
-        instance.setConfiguration(asterixConfProp);
+        AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration = InstallerUtil
+                .getAsterixConfiguration(((AlterConfig) config).confPath);
+        instance.setAsterixConfiguration(asterixConfiguration);
         instance.setModifiedTimestamp(new Date());
         lookupService.updateAsterixInstance(instance);
         LOGGER.info("Configuration for Asterix instance: " + instanceName + " has been altered");
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/CreateCommand.java b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/CreateCommand.java
index 2de8e53..d8cd2cf 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/CreateCommand.java
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/command/CreateCommand.java
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.events.PatternCreator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.model.AsterixInstance;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.model.AsterixRuntimeState;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.schema.asterixconf.AsterixConfiguration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.service.ServiceProvider;
 
 public class CreateCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 
     private String asterixInstanceName;
     private Cluster cluster;
+    private AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration;
 
     @Override
     protected void execCommand() throws Exception {
@@ -51,7 +53,9 @@
         InstallerUtil.validateAsterixInstanceNotExists(asterixInstanceName);
         CreateConfig createConfig = (CreateConfig) config;
         cluster = EventUtil.getCluster(createConfig.clusterPath);
-        AsterixInstance asterixInstance = InstallerUtil.createAsterixInstance(asterixInstanceName, cluster);
+        asterixConfiguration = InstallerUtil.getAsterixConfiguration(createConfig.asterixConfPath);
+        AsterixInstance asterixInstance = InstallerUtil.createAsterixInstance(asterixInstanceName, cluster,
+                asterixConfiguration);
         InstallerUtil.evaluateConflictWithOtherInstances(asterixInstance);
         InstallerUtil.createAsterixZip(asterixInstance, true);
         List<Property> clusterProperties = new ArrayList<Property>();
@@ -117,4 +121,7 @@
     @Option(name = "-c", required = true, usage = "Path to cluster configuration")
     public String clusterPath;
 
+    @Option(name = "-a", required = true, usage = "Path to asterix configuration")
+    public String asterixConfPath;
+
 }
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java
index e2be142..aa7c20e 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@
 import java.util.zip.ZipInputStream;
 import java.util.zip.ZipOutputStream;
 
+import javax.xml.bind.JAXBContext;
+import javax.xml.bind.JAXBException;
+import javax.xml.bind.Unmarshaller;
+
 import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.event.driver.EventDriver;
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.error.OutputHandler;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.model.AsterixInstance;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.model.AsterixInstance.State;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.schema.asterixconf.AsterixConfiguration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.service.ServiceProvider;
 
 public class InstallerUtil {
@@ -57,16 +62,14 @@
     public static final String TXN_LOG_DIR = "txnLogs";
     public static final String TXN_LOG_DIR_KEY_SUFFIX = "txnLogDir";
 
-    public static AsterixInstance createAsterixInstance(String asterixInstanceName, Cluster cluster)
-            throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
-        Properties asterixConfProp = new Properties();
-        asterixConfProp.put("output_dir", cluster.getWorkingDir().getDir() + File.separator + "asterix_output");
+    public static AsterixInstance createAsterixInstance(String asterixInstanceName, Cluster cluster,
+            AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
         Node metadataNode = getMetadataNode(cluster);
         String asterixZipName = InstallerDriver.getAsterixZip().substring(
                 InstallerDriver.getAsterixZip().lastIndexOf(File.separator) + 1);
         String asterixVersion = asterixZipName.substring("asterix-server-".length(),
                 asterixZipName.indexOf("-binary-assembly"));
-        AsterixInstance instance = new AsterixInstance(asterixInstanceName, cluster, asterixConfProp,
+        AsterixInstance instance = new AsterixInstance(asterixInstanceName, cluster, asterixConfiguration,
                 metadataNode.getId(), asterixVersion);
         return instance;
     }
@@ -190,9 +193,7 @@
             conf.append(asterixInstanceName + "_" + node.getId() + ".stores" + "=" + storeDir + "\n");
         }
 
-        Properties asterixConfProp = asterixInstance.getConfiguration();
-        String outputDir = asterixConfProp.getProperty("output_dir");
-        conf.append("OutputDir=" + outputDir);
+        conf.append("OutputDir=" + "dummy");
 
         File asterixConfDir = new File(InstallerDriver.getAsterixDir() + File.separator + asterixInstanceName);
         asterixConfDir.mkdirs();
@@ -218,10 +219,13 @@
 
     }
 
-    public static Properties getAsterixConfiguration(String asterixConf) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
-        Properties prop = new Properties();
-        prop.load(new FileInputStream(asterixConf));
-        return prop;
+    public static AsterixConfiguration getAsterixConfiguration(String asterixConf) throws FileNotFoundException,
+            IOException, JAXBException {
+        File file = new File(asterixConf);
+        JAXBContext ctx = JAXBContext.newInstance(AsterixConfiguration.class);
+        Unmarshaller unmarshaller = ctx.createUnmarshaller();
+        AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration = (AsterixConfiguration) unmarshaller.unmarshal(file);
+        return asterixConfiguration;
     }
 
     public static void unzip(String sourceFile, String destDir) throws IOException {
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/model/AsterixInstance.java b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/model/AsterixInstance.java
index 9a2d43d..7e1dd13 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/model/AsterixInstance.java
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/model/AsterixInstance.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.event.schema.cluster.Cluster;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.event.schema.cluster.Node;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.installer.schema.asterixconf.AsterixConfiguration;
 
 public class AsterixInstance implements Serializable {
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@
     private final Date createdTimestamp;
     private Date stateChangeTimestamp;
     private Date modifiedTimestamp;
-    private Properties configuration;
+    private AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration;
     private State state;
     private final String metadataNodeId;
     private final String asterixVersion;
@@ -47,11 +48,11 @@
     private AsterixRuntimeState runtimeState;
     private State previousState;
 
-    public AsterixInstance(String name, Cluster cluster, Properties configuration, String metadataNodeId,
-            String asterixVersion) {
+    public AsterixInstance(String name, Cluster cluster, AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration,
+            String metadataNodeId, String asterixVersion) {
         this.name = name;
         this.cluster = cluster;
-        this.configuration = configuration;
+        this.asterixConfiguration = asterixConfiguration;
         this.metadataNodeId = metadataNodeId;
         this.state = State.ACTIVE;
         this.previousState = State.UNUSABLE;
@@ -65,14 +66,6 @@
         return stateChangeTimestamp;
     }
 
-    public Properties getConfiguration() {
-        return configuration;
-    }
-
-    public void setConfiguration(Properties properties) {
-        this.configuration = properties;
-    }
-
     public State getState() {
         return state;
     }
@@ -174,9 +167,40 @@
             buffer.append(pInfo + "\n");
         }
 
+        buffer.append("\n");
+        buffer.append("Asterix Configuration\n");
+        buffer.append("LSM Configuration\n");
+        buffer.append("Size of in-memory component:" + asterixConfiguration.getLsm().getSizeMemoryComponent() + "\n");
+        buffer.append("Total size of in-memory components:"
+                + asterixConfiguration.getLsm().getTotalSizeMemoryComponent() + "\n");
+
+        buffer.append("Transaction Configuration\n");
+        buffer.append("Number of log buffer pages:" + asterixConfiguration.getTransactions().getLogBufferNumPages()
+                + "\n");
+        buffer.append("Log buffer page size:" + asterixConfiguration.getTransactions().getLogBufferPageSize() + "\n");
+
+        buffer.append("Ports Configuration\n");
+        buffer.append("Web-interface-port:" + asterixConfiguration.getPorts().getWebInterfacePort() + "\n");
+        buffer.append("NC port:" + asterixConfiguration.getPorts().getNcPort() + "\n");
+
+        buffer.append("Operator Configuration\n");
+        buffer.append("Sort operator memory:" + asterixConfiguration.getOperators().getJoinOpMemory() + "\n");
+        buffer.append("Join operator memory:" + asterixConfiguration.getOperators().getSortOpMemory() + "\n");
+
+        buffer.append("Misc Configuration\n");
+        buffer.append("Sort operator memory:" + asterixConfiguration.getOperators().getJoinOpMemory() + "\n");
+
     }
 
     public State getPreviousState() {
         return previousState;
     }
+
+    public AsterixConfiguration getAsterixConfiguration() {
+        return asterixConfiguration;
+    }
+
+    public void setAsterixConfiguration(AsterixConfiguration asterixConfiguration) {
+        this.asterixConfiguration = asterixConfiguration;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd
index 24a35cd..069fe74 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd
@@ -2,23 +2,28 @@
 <xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:mg="asterixconf" targetNamespace="asterixconf" elementFormDefault="qualified">
 
 <!-- definition of simple types --> 
-<xs:element name="lsm_size_memory_component" type="xs:string"/>
-<xs:element name="lsm_total_size_memory_component" type="xs:integer"/>
-<xs:element name="num_pages_buffer_cache" type="xs:integer"/>
+<xs:element name="size_memory_component" type="xs:string"/>
+<xs:element name="total_size_memory_component" type="xs:integer"/>
+
 <xs:element name="sort_op_memory" type="xs:string"/>
 <xs:element name="join_op_memory" type="xs:string"/>
+
 <xs:element name="log_buffer_num_pages" type="xs:integer"/>
+<xs:element name="log_buffer_page_size" type="xs:integer"/>
+
 <xs:element name="web_interface_port" type="xs:string"/>
 <xs:element name="nc_port" type="xs:string"/>
 
+<xs:element name="num_pages_buffer_cache" type="xs:integer"/>
+<xs:element name="log_level" type="xs:string"/>
+
 <!-- definition of complex elements -->
 
 <xs:element name="lsm">
   <xs:complexType>
     <xs:sequence>
-      <xs:element ref="mg:lsm_size_memory_component"/>
-      <xs:element ref="mg:lsm_total_size_memory_component"/>
-      <xs:element ref="mg:lsm_total_size_memory_component" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
+      <xs:element ref="mg:size_memory_component"/>
+      <xs:element ref="mg:total_size_memory_component"/>
     </xs:sequence>
   </xs:complexType>
 </xs:element>
@@ -27,6 +32,7 @@
   <xs:complexType>
     <xs:sequence>
       <xs:element ref="mg:log_buffer_num_pages"/>
+      <xs:element ref="mg:log_buffer_page_size"/>
     </xs:sequence>
   </xs:complexType>
 </xs:element>