diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/optimizer/OptimizerTest.java b/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/optimizer/OptimizerTest.java
index 43c6c0c..10cba14 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/optimizer/OptimizerTest.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/optimizer/OptimizerTest.java
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.java.AsterixJavaClient;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.dataset.adapter.FileSystemBasedAdapter;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util.IdentitiyResolverFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.test.base.AsterixTestHelper;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.test.common.TestHelper;
 
@@ -56,6 +58,10 @@
         File outdir = new File(PATH_ACTUAL);
         outdir.mkdirs();
         AsterixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init();
+        // Set the node resolver to be the identity resolver that expects node names 
+        // to be node controller ids; a valid assumption in test environment. 
+        System.setProperty(FileSystemBasedAdapter.NODE_RESOLVER_FACTORY_PROPERTY,
+                IdentitiyResolverFactory.class.getName());
     }
 
     @AfterClass
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/runtime/ExecutionTest.java b/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/runtime/ExecutionTest.java
index 8eafd02..c705ea6 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/runtime/ExecutionTest.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/test/runtime/ExecutionTest.java
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.api.common.AsterixHyracksIntegrationUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.dataset.adapter.FileSystemBasedAdapter;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util.IdentitiyResolverFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.test.aql.TestsUtils;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.testframework.context.TestCaseContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.testframework.xml.TestCase.CompilationUnit;
@@ -51,8 +53,14 @@
 
         AsterixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init();
 
-        // TODO: Uncomment when hadoop version is upgraded and adapters are ported
+        // TODO: Uncomment when hadoop version is upgraded and adapters are
+        // ported. 
         HDFSCluster.getInstance().setup();
+
+        // Set the node resolver to be the identity resolver that expects node names 
+        // to be node controller ids; a valid assumption in test environment. 
+        System.setProperty(FileSystemBasedAdapter.NODE_RESOLVER_FACTORY_PROPERTY,
+                IdentitiyResolverFactory.class.getName());
     }
 
     @AfterClass
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
index f84f294..c334bbb 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/context/AsterixAppRuntimeContext.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         ICacheMemoryAllocator allocator = new HeapBufferAllocator();
         IPageReplacementStrategy prs = new ClockPageReplacementStrategy();
         IIOManager ioMgr = ncApplicationContext.getRootContext().getIOManager();
-        IPageCleanerPolicy pcp = new DelayPageCleanerPolicy(600000);
+        IPageCleanerPolicy pcp = new DelayPageCleanerPolicy(1000);
         bufferCache = new BufferCache(ioMgr, allocator, prs, pcp, fileMapManager, pageSize, numPages, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
 
         // Initialize the index registry
diff --git a/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/management/EventExecutor.java b/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/management/EventExecutor.java
index be60fec..1dd257e 100644
--- a/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/management/EventExecutor.java
+++ b/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/management/EventExecutor.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 							: node.getJavaHome();
 					envBuffer.append(p.getKey() + "=" + val + " ");
 				} else if (p.getKey().equals("JAVA_OPTS")) {
-					String val = "-Xmx" + (node.getRam() == null ? p.getValue()
+					String val = "-Xmx" + (node.getRam() == null ? cluster.getRam()
 							: node.getRam());
 					envBuffer.append(p.getKey() + "=" + val + " ");
 				} else {
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/FileSystemBasedAdapter.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/FileSystemBasedAdapter.java
index e46705d..9f8cedc 100644
--- a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/FileSystemBasedAdapter.java
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/FileSystemBasedAdapter.java
@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util.DNSResolverFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util.INodeResolver;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util.INodeResolverFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ARecordType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.IAType;
@@ -36,12 +41,17 @@
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
-    protected ITupleParserFactory parserFactory;
-    protected ITupleParser parser;
-
+    public static final String NODE_RESOLVER_FACTORY_PROPERTY = "node.Resolver";
     public static final String KEY_DELIMITER = "delimiter";
     public static final String KEY_PATH = "path";
 
+    protected ITupleParserFactory parserFactory;
+    protected ITupleParser parser;
+    protected static INodeResolver nodeResolver;
+
+    private static final INodeResolver DEFAULT_NODE_RESOLVER = new DNSResolverFactory().createNodeResolver();
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(FileSystemBasedAdapter.class.getName());
+
     public abstract InputStream getInputStream(int partition) throws IOException;
 
     public FileSystemBasedAdapter(IAType atype) {
@@ -118,4 +128,32 @@
         }
 
     }
+
+    protected INodeResolver getNodeResolver() {
+        if (nodeResolver == null) {
+            nodeResolver = initNodeResolver();
+        }
+        return nodeResolver;
+    }
+
+    private static INodeResolver initNodeResolver() {
+        INodeResolver nodeResolver = null;
+        String configuredNodeResolverFactory = System.getProperty(NODE_RESOLVER_FACTORY_PROPERTY);
+        if (configuredNodeResolverFactory != null) {
+            try {
+                nodeResolver = ((INodeResolverFactory) (Class.forName(configuredNodeResolverFactory).newInstance()))
+                        .createNodeResolver();
+
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.WARNING)) {
+                    LOGGER.log(Level.WARNING, "Unable to create node resolver from the configured classname "
+                            + configuredNodeResolverFactory + "\n" + e.getMessage());
+                }
+                nodeResolver = DEFAULT_NODE_RESOLVER;
+            }
+        } else {
+            nodeResolver = DEFAULT_NODE_RESOLVER;
+        }
+        return nodeResolver;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/NCFileSystemAdapter.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/NCFileSystemAdapter.java
index bcc90c8..3276cea 100644
--- a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/NCFileSystemAdapter.java
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/dataset/adapter/NCFileSystemAdapter.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.IAType;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.constraints.AlgebricksAbsolutePartitionConstraint;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.constraints.AlgebricksPartitionConstraint;
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@
         return AdapterType.READ;
     }
 
-    private void configureFileSplits(String[] splits) {
+    private void configureFileSplits(String[] splits) throws AsterixException {
         if (fileSplits == null) {
             fileSplits = new FileSplit[splits.length];
             String nodeName;
@@ -77,10 +78,12 @@
         }
     }
 
-    private void configurePartitionConstraint() {
+    private void configurePartitionConstraint() throws AsterixException {
         String[] locs = new String[fileSplits.length];
+        String location;
         for (int i = 0; i < fileSplits.length; i++) {
-            locs[i] = fileSplits[i].getNodeName();
+            location = getNodeResolver().resolveNode(fileSplits[i].getNodeName());
+            locs[i] = location;
         }
         partitionConstraint = new AlgebricksAbsolutePartitionConstraint(locs);
     }
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/feed/lifecycle/FeedManager.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/feed/lifecycle/FeedManager.java
index 29e4486..6a5dae7 100644
--- a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/feed/lifecycle/FeedManager.java
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/feed/lifecycle/FeedManager.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
                     queue.put(feedMessage);
                 }
             } else {
-                throw new AsterixException("Unable to deliver message. Unknown feed :" + feedId);
+                //throw new AsterixException("Unable to deliver message. Unknown feed :" + feedId);
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new AsterixException(e);
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/DNSResolver.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/DNSResolver.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56d7872
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/DNSResolver.java
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util;
+
+import java.util.Random;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.util.AsterixRuntimeUtil;
+
+/**
+ * Resolves a value (DNS/IP Address) to the id of a Node Controller running at the location.
+ */
+public class DNSResolver implements INodeResolver {
+
+    private static Random random = new Random();
+
+    @Override
+    public String resolveNode(String value) throws AsterixException {
+        try {
+            String ipAddress = AsterixRuntimeUtil.getIPAddress(value);
+            Set<String> nodeControllers = AsterixRuntimeUtil.getNodeControllersOnIP(ipAddress);
+            if (nodeControllers == null || nodeControllers.isEmpty()) {
+                throw new AsterixException(" No node controllers found at the address: " + value);
+            }
+            String chosenNCId = nodeControllers.toArray(new String[nodeControllers.size()])[random
+                    .nextInt(nodeControllers.size())];
+            return chosenNCId;
+        } catch (AsterixException ae) {
+            throw ae;
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new AsterixException(e);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/DNSResolverFactory.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/DNSResolverFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c671e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/DNSResolverFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util;
+
+/**
+ * Factory for creating instance of {@link DNSResolver}
+ */
+public class DNSResolverFactory implements INodeResolverFactory {
+
+    private static INodeResolver INSTANCE = new DNSResolver();
+
+    @Override
+    public INodeResolver createNodeResolver() {
+        return INSTANCE;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/INodeResolver.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/INodeResolver.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a812f03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/INodeResolver.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
+
+public interface INodeResolver {
+
+    /**
+     * Resolve a passed-in value to a node controller id.
+     * 
+     * @param value
+     *            string to be resolved
+     * @return resolved result (a node controller id)
+     * @throws AsterixException
+     */
+    public String resolveNode(String value) throws AsterixException;
+}
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/INodeResolverFactory.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/INodeResolverFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a68e42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/INodeResolverFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util;
+
+public interface INodeResolverFactory {
+
+    /**
+     * Create an instance of {@link INodeResolver}
+     * 
+     * @return an instance of INodeResolver
+     */
+    public INodeResolver createNodeResolver();
+}
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/IdentitiyResolverFactory.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/IdentitiyResolverFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5161203
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/IdentitiyResolverFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util;
+
+/**
+ * Factory for creating an instance of @see {IdentityResolver}.
+ * Identity resolver simply resolves a value to itself and is useful when value being resolved
+ * is a node controller id.
+ */
+public class IdentitiyResolverFactory implements INodeResolverFactory {
+
+    private static INodeResolver INSTANCE = new IdentityResolver();
+
+    @Override
+    public INodeResolver createNodeResolver() {
+        return INSTANCE;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/IdentityResolver.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/IdentityResolver.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ff1f9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/external/util/IdentityResolver.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2012 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.asterix.external.util;
+
+/**
+ * Identity resolver simply resolves a value to itself and is useful when value being resolved
+ * is a node controller id.
+ */
+public class IdentityResolver implements INodeResolver {
+
+    @Override
+    public String resolveNode(String value) {
+        return value;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/clusters/local.xml b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/clusters/local.xml
index 06eb8ea..920d1ab 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/clusters/local.xml
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/clusters/local.xml
@@ -1,18 +1,17 @@
 <cluster xmlns="cluster">
   <name>local</name>
-  <ram>1024m</ram>
-  <java_home>$JAVA_HOME</java_home>
   <workingDir>
-     <dir>/Users/ramangrover29/asterix/working</dir>
-     <NFS>true</NFS>
+     <dir>/tmp/asterix/installer</dir> <!-- a working directory with write permissions>
+     <NFS>true</NFS> <!--true if the directory is on NFS and readable by all nodes in the cluster>
   </workingDir>
-  <logdir>/Users/ramangrover29/asterix/logs</logdir>
-  <store>/Users/ramangrover29/asterix/storage</store>
+  <logdir>/tmp/asterix/logs</logdir><!-- directory that will house the logs writtern by Asterix processes (CC/NC)-->
+  <store>/tmp/asterix/storage</store><!-- storage directory (on each node) that will house the Asterix datasets-->
+  <java_home>/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK/Home</java_home>
+  <ram>1024m</ram>
   <master-node>
      <id>master</id>
      <ip>127.0.0.1</ip>
      <cluster-ip>127.0.0.1</cluster-ip>
-     <ram>512m</ram>
   </master-node>
   <node>
      <id>node1</id>