diff --git a/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml b/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4710706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<cluster-topology>
+    <network-switch name="Global">
+        <network-switch name="local">
+            <terminal name="127.0.0.1"/>
+        </network-switch>
+    </network-switch>
+</cluster-topology>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh b/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
index efb79ce..484ecac 100644
--- a/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
+++ b/hivesterix/hivesterix-dist/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
@@ -22,4 +22,10 @@
 
 #Launch hyracks cc script
 chmod -R 755 $HYRACKS_HOME
+if [ -f "conf/topology.xml"  ]; then
+#Launch hyracks cc script with topology
+$HYRACKS_HOME/hyracks-server/target/appassembler/bin/hyrackscc -client-net-ip-address $CCHOST -cluster-net-ip-address $CCHOST -client-net-port $CC_CLIENTPORT -cluster-net-port $CC_CLUSTERPORT -max-heartbeat-lapse-periods 999999 -default-max-job-attempts 0 -job-history-size 0 -cluster-topology "conf/topology.xml" &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+else
+#Launch hyracks cc script without toplogy
 $HYRACKS_HOME/hyracks-server/target/appassembler/bin/hyrackscc -client-net-ip-address $CCHOST -cluster-net-ip-address $CCHOST -client-net-port $CC_CLIENTPORT -cluster-net-port $CC_CLUSTERPORT -max-heartbeat-lapse-periods 999999 -default-max-job-attempts 0 -job-history-size 0 &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+fi
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/bin/startcc.sh b/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/bin/startcc.sh
index efb79ce..484ecac 100755
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/bin/startcc.sh
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/bin/startcc.sh
@@ -22,4 +22,10 @@
 
 #Launch hyracks cc script
 chmod -R 755 $HYRACKS_HOME
+if [ -f "conf/topology.xml"  ]; then
+#Launch hyracks cc script with topology
+$HYRACKS_HOME/hyracks-server/target/appassembler/bin/hyrackscc -client-net-ip-address $CCHOST -cluster-net-ip-address $CCHOST -client-net-port $CC_CLIENTPORT -cluster-net-port $CC_CLUSTERPORT -max-heartbeat-lapse-periods 999999 -default-max-job-attempts 0 -job-history-size 0 -cluster-topology "conf/topology.xml" &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+else
+#Launch hyracks cc script without toplogy
 $HYRACKS_HOME/hyracks-server/target/appassembler/bin/hyrackscc -client-net-ip-address $CCHOST -cluster-net-ip-address $CCHOST -client-net-port $CC_CLIENTPORT -cluster-net-port $CC_CLUSTERPORT -max-heartbeat-lapse-periods 999999 -default-max-job-attempts 0 -job-history-size 0 &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+fi
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml b/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4710706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-dist/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<cluster-topology>
+    <network-switch name="Global">
+        <network-switch name="local">
+            <terminal name="127.0.0.1"/>
+        </network-switch>
+    </network-switch>
+</cluster-topology>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-hdfs/hyracks-hdfs-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/hdfs/scheduler/RackAwareNcCollectionBuilder.java b/hyracks/hyracks-hdfs/hyracks-hdfs-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/hdfs/scheduler/RackAwareNcCollectionBuilder.java
index 2b9e899..fa5e7ae 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-hdfs/hyracks-hdfs-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/hdfs/scheduler/RackAwareNcCollectionBuilder.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-hdfs/hyracks-hdfs-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/hdfs/scheduler/RackAwareNcCollectionBuilder.java
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
                 String ipAddress = InetAddress.getByAddress(
                         ncNameToNcInfos.get(NCs[i]).getNetworkAddress().getIpAddress()).getHostAddress();
                 topology.lookupNetworkTerminal(ipAddress, path);
+                if (path.size() <= 0) {
+                    // if the hyracks nc is not in the defined cluster
+                    path.add(Integer.MIN_VALUE);
+                    LOGGER.info(NCs[i] + "'s IP address is not in the cluster toplogy file!");
+                }
                 List<String> ncs = pathToNCs.get(path);
                 if (ncs == null) {
                     ncs = new ArrayList<String>();
@@ -70,6 +75,10 @@
                     String ipAddress = InetAddress.getByAddress(
                             ncNameToNcInfos.get(NCs[i]).getNetworkAddress().getIpAddress()).getHostAddress();
                     topology.lookupNetworkTerminal(ipAddress, path);
+                    if (path.size() <= 0) {
+                        // if the hyracks nc is not in the defined cluster
+                        path.add(Integer.MIN_VALUE);
+                    }
                     IntWritable availableSlot = availableIpsToSlots.get(path);
                     if (availableSlot == null) {
                         availableSlot = new IntWritable(slotLimit - workloads[i]);
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java
index c343763..cd2a864 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.util;
 
+import java.io.File;
 import java.util.EnumSet;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.client.HyracksConnection;
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@
     private static NodeControllerService nc2;
     private static IHyracksClientConnection hcc;
 
-    public static void init() throws Exception {
+    public static void init(String topologyFilePath) throws Exception {
         CCConfig ccConfig = new CCConfig();
         ccConfig.clientNetIpAddress = CC_HOST;
         ccConfig.clusterNetIpAddress = CC_HOST;
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
         ccConfig.defaultMaxJobAttempts = 0;
         ccConfig.jobHistorySize = 0;
         ccConfig.profileDumpPeriod = -1;
+        ccConfig.clusterTopologyDefinition = new File(topologyFilePath);
 
         // cluster controller
         cc = new ClusterControllerService(ccConfig);
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4710706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/conf/topology-template.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<cluster-topology>
+    <network-switch name="Global">
+        <network-switch name="local">
+            <terminal name="127.0.0.1"/>
+        </network-switch>
+    </network-switch>
+</cluster-topology>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
index efb79ce..133b604 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@
 export JAVA_HOME=$JAVA_HOME
 export JAVA_OPTS=$CCJAVA_OPTS
 
-#Launch hyracks cc script
+
 chmod -R 755 $HYRACKS_HOME
+if [ -f "conf/topology.xml"  ]; then
+#Launch hyracks cc script with topology
+$HYRACKS_HOME/hyracks-server/target/appassembler/bin/hyrackscc -client-net-ip-address $CCHOST -cluster-net-ip-address $CCHOST -client-net-port $CC_CLIENTPORT -cluster-net-port $CC_CLUSTERPORT -max-heartbeat-lapse-periods 999999 -default-max-job-attempts 0 -job-history-size 0 -cluster-topology "conf/topology.xml" &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+else
+#Launch hyracks cc script without toplogy
 $HYRACKS_HOME/hyracks-server/target/appassembler/bin/hyrackscc -client-net-ip-address $CCHOST -cluster-net-ip-address $CCHOST -client-net-port $CC_CLIENTPORT -cluster-net-port $CC_CLUSTERPORT -max-heartbeat-lapse-periods 999999 -default-max-job-attempts 0 -job-history-size 0 &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+fi
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/join/JoinTest.java b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/join/JoinTest.java
index 97659d4..f7cadf6 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/join/JoinTest.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/join/JoinTest.java
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
         ClusterConfig.setStorePath(PATH_TO_CLUSTER_STORE);
         ClusterConfig.setClusterPropertiesPath(PATH_TO_CLUSTER_PROPERTIES);
         cleanupStores();
-        PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init();
+        PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init("src/test/resources/topology.xml");
         PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.createApp(HYRACKS_APP_NAME);
 
         FileUtils.forceMkdir(new File(EXPECT_RESULT_DIR));
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/resources/topology.xml b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/resources/topology.xml
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4710706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-core/src/test/resources/topology.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<cluster-topology>
+    <network-switch name="Global">
+        <network-switch name="local">
+            <terminal name="127.0.0.1"/>
+        </network-switch>
+    </network-switch>
+</cluster-topology>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/dataload/DataLoadTest.java b/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/dataload/DataLoadTest.java
index 37f03a5..321b5b2 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/dataload/DataLoadTest.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/dataload/DataLoadTest.java
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
         ClusterConfig.setStorePath(PATH_TO_CLUSTER_STORE);
         ClusterConfig.setClusterPropertiesPath(PATH_TO_CLUSTER_PROPERTIES);
         cleanupStores();
-        PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init();
+        PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init("src/test/resources/topology.xml");
         PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.createApp(HYRACKS_APP_NAME);
         LOGGER.info("Hyracks mini-cluster started");
         startHDFS();
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/jobrun/RunJobTestSuite.java b/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/jobrun/RunJobTestSuite.java
index 79a5c3c..fa98ebd 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/jobrun/RunJobTestSuite.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/example/jobrun/RunJobTestSuite.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 		ClusterConfig.setStorePath(PATH_TO_CLUSTER_STORE);
 		ClusterConfig.setClusterPropertiesPath(PATH_TO_CLUSTER_PROPERTIES);
 		cleanupStores();
-		PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init();
+		PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.init("src/test/resources/topology.xml");
 		PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.createApp(HYRACKS_APP_NAME);
 		LOGGER.info("Hyracks mini-cluster started");
 		FileUtils.forceMkdir(new File(ACTUAL_RESULT_DIR));
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/resources/topology.xml b/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/resources/topology.xml
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2a6c380
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-example/src/test/resources/topology.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<cluster-topology>
+    <network-switch name="Global">
+        <network-switch name="local">
+            <terminal name="127.1.0.1"/>
+        </network-switch>
+    </network-switch>
+</cluster-topology>
\ No newline at end of file