diff --git a/pregelix-core/pom.xml b/pregelix-core/pom.xml
index 972d0ec..2f167fb 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/pom.xml
+++ b/pregelix-core/pom.xml
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@
 				<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
 				<version>2.0.2</version>
 				<configuration>
-					<source>1.6</source>
-					<target>1.6</target>
+					<source>1.7</source>
+					<target>1.7</target>
+					<fork>true</fork>
 				</configuration>
 			</plugin>
 			<plugin>
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenInnerJoin.java b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenInnerJoin.java
index 727e7fe..9de4c04 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenInnerJoin.java
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenInnerJoin.java
@@ -246,28 +246,26 @@
 
         ITuplePartitionComputerFactory partionFactory = new VertexIdPartitionComputerFactory(
                 rdUnnestedMessage.getFields()[0]);
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
 
         /** connect all operators **/
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), emptyTupleSource, 0, preSuperStep, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, scanner, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), scanner, 0, localSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
 
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
-        spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), scanner, 5, btreeBulkLoad, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 5, btreeBulkLoad, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), localSort, 0, localGby, 0);
         spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningMergingConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory, keyFields, sortCmpFactories),
                 localGby, 0, globalGby, 0);
@@ -282,7 +280,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(emptySink3);
         spec.addRoot(emptySink4);
 
-        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy());
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
         return spec;
     }
@@ -470,7 +468,7 @@
         EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor emptySink4 = new EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, emptySink4);
 
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
         ITuplePartitionComputerFactory partionFactory = new VertexIdPartitionComputerFactory(
                 rdUnnestedMessage.getFields()[0]);
         /** connect all operators **/
@@ -479,20 +477,20 @@
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), materializeRead, 0, setUnion, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), setUnion, 0, join, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), join, 0, localSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
 
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
-        spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), join, 5, btreeBulkLoad, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 5, btreeBulkLoad, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), localSort, 0, localGby, 0);
         spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningMergingConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory, keyFields, sortCmpFactories),
                 localGby, 0, globalGby, 0);
@@ -506,7 +504,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(emptySink3);
         spec.addRoot(emptySink4);
 
-        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy());
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
         return spec;
     }
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoin.java b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoin.java
index 9bad169..91c15b2 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoin.java
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoin.java
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@
         TerminationStateWriterOperatorDescriptor terminateWriter = new TerminationStateWriterOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 configurationFactory, jobId);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addPartitionCountConstraint(spec, terminateWriter, 1);
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
 
         /**
          * final aggregate write operator
@@ -233,19 +233,17 @@
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), emptyTupleSource, 0, preSuperStep, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, scanner, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), scanner, 0, localSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
 
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
         /**
@@ -264,7 +262,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(emptySink3);
         spec.addRoot(emptySink4);
 
-        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy());
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
         return spec;
     }
@@ -432,7 +430,7 @@
         EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor emptySink4 = new EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, emptySink4);
 
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
         ITuplePartitionComputerFactory partionFactory = new VertexIdPartitionComputerFactory(
                 rdUnnestedMessage.getFields()[0]);
 
@@ -441,17 +439,17 @@
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, materializeRead, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), materializeRead, 0, join, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), join, 0, localSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
 
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), localSort, 0, localGby, 0);
@@ -465,7 +463,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(finalAggregator);
         spec.addRoot(emptySink);
 
-        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy());
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
         return spec;
     }
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSingleSort.java b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSingleSort.java
index ffdef10..ee1fd0f 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSingleSort.java
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSingleSort.java
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.jobgen.clusterconfig.ClusterConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.runtime.touchpoint.WritableComparingBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.util.DataflowUtils;
+import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.EmptyTupleSourceOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.FinalAggregateOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.MaterializingReadOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.MaterializingWriteOperatorDescriptor;
-import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.NonCombinerConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.TerminationStateWriterOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.base.IConfigurationFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.std.BTreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorDescriptor;
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@
                 comparatorFactories, JobGenUtil.getForwardScan(iteration), null, null, true, true,
                 new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory(), inputRdFactory, 5,
                 new StartComputeUpdateFunctionFactory(confFactory), preHookFactory, null, rdUnnestedMessage, rdDummy,
-                rdPartialAggregate);
+                rdPartialAggregate, rdInsert, rdDelete);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, scanner);
 
         /**
@@ -219,26 +219,24 @@
         EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor emptySink4 = new EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, emptySink4);
 
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
         ITuplePartitionComputerFactory partionFactory = new VertexIdPartitionComputerFactory(
                 rdUnnestedMessage.getFields()[0]);
         /** connect all operators **/
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), emptyTupleSource, 0, preSuperStep, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, scanner, 0);
         spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 0, globalSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
 
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), globalSort, 0, globalGby, 0);
@@ -252,7 +250,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(emptySink3);
         spec.addRoot(emptySink4);
 
-        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new NonCombinerConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy());
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
         return spec;
     }
@@ -329,7 +327,7 @@
                 leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, JobGenUtil.getForwardScan(iteration), keyFields,
                 keyFields, true, true, new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory(), true, nullWriterFactories, inputRdFactory, 5,
                 new ComputeUpdateFunctionFactory(confFactory), preHookFactory, null, rdUnnestedMessage, rdDummy,
-                rdPartialAggregate);
+                rdPartialAggregate, rdInsert, rdDelete);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, join);
 
         /**
@@ -383,7 +381,6 @@
         FinalAggregateOperatorDescriptor finalAggregator = new FinalAggregateOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 configurationFactory, aggRdFactory, jobId);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addPartitionCountConstraint(spec, finalAggregator, 1);
-        
 
         int[] fieldPermutation = new int[] { 0, 1 };
         TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor insertOp = new TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorDescriptor(
@@ -400,7 +397,7 @@
                 comparatorFactories, fieldPermutation, IndexOp.DELETE, new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory(), null,
                 NoOpOperationCallbackProvider.INSTANCE);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, deleteOp);
-        
+
         /** construct empty sink operator */
         EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor emptySink3 = new EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, emptySink3);
@@ -409,7 +406,7 @@
         EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor emptySink4 = new EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, emptySink4);
 
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
         ITuplePartitionComputerFactory partionFactory = new VertexIdPartitionComputerFactory(
                 rdUnnestedMessage.getFields()[0]);
 
@@ -418,20 +415,18 @@
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, materializeRead, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), materializeRead, 0, join, 0);
         spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 0, globalSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 3, insertOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 4, deleteOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
-        
+
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), globalSort, 0, globalGby, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), globalGby, 0, materialize, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), materialize, 0, postSuperStep, 0);
@@ -441,7 +436,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(finalAggregator);
         spec.addRoot(emptySink);
 
-        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new NonCombinerConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy());
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
         return spec;
     }
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSort.java b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSort.java
index cc12523..628e9ce 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSort.java
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/jobgen/JobGenOuterJoinSort.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.jobgen.clusterconfig.ClusterConfig;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.runtime.touchpoint.WritableComparingBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.core.util.DataflowUtils;
+import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.EmptyTupleSourceOperatorDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.pregelix.dataflow.FinalAggregateOperatorDescriptor;
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@
                 comparatorFactories, JobGenUtil.getForwardScan(iteration), null, null, true, true,
                 new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory(), inputRdFactory, 5,
                 new StartComputeUpdateFunctionFactory(confFactory), preHookFactory, null, rdUnnestedMessage, rdDummy,
-                rdPartialAggregate);
+                rdPartialAggregate, rdInsert, rdDelete);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, scanner);
 
         /**
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@
         TerminationStateWriterOperatorDescriptor terminateWriter = new TerminationStateWriterOperatorDescriptor(spec,
                 configurationFactory, jobId);
         PartitionConstraintHelper.addPartitionCountConstraint(spec, terminateWriter, 1);
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
 
         /**
          * final aggregate write operator
@@ -238,18 +239,16 @@
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), emptyTupleSource, 0, preSuperStep, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, scanner, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), scanner, 0, localSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp,
-                0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), scanner, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), localSort, 0, localGby, 0);
@@ -266,6 +265,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(emptySink4);
 
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         return spec;
     }
 
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@
                 leafFrameFactory, typeTraits, comparatorFactories, JobGenUtil.getForwardScan(iteration), keyFields,
                 keyFields, true, true, new BTreeDataflowHelperFactory(), true, nullWriterFactories, inputRdFactory, 5,
                 new ComputeUpdateFunctionFactory(confFactory), preHookFactory, null, rdUnnestedMessage, rdDummy,
-                rdPartialAggregate);
+                rdPartialAggregate, rdInsert, rdDelete);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, join);
 
         /**
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@
         EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor emptySink4 = new EmptySinkOperatorDescriptor(spec);
         ClusterConfig.setLocationConstraint(spec, emptySink4);
 
-        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory hashPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
+        ITuplePartitionComputerFactory unifyingPartitionComputerFactory = new MergePartitionComputerFactory();
         ITuplePartitionComputerFactory partionFactory = new VertexIdPartitionComputerFactory(
                 rdUnnestedMessage.getFields()[0]);
 
@@ -448,16 +448,16 @@
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), preSuperStep, 0, materializeRead, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), materializeRead, 0, join, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), join, 0, localSort, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 1,
                 terminateWriter, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, unifyingPartitionComputerFactory), join, 2,
                 finalAggregator, 0);
         /**
          * connect the insert/delete operator
          */
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 3, insertOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), insertOp, 0, emptySink3, 0);
-        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, hashPartitionComputerFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
+        spec.connect(new MToNPartitioningConnectorDescriptor(spec, partionFactory), join, 4, deleteOp, 0);
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), deleteOp, 0, emptySink4, 0);
 
         spec.connect(new OneToOneConnectorDescriptor(spec), localSort, 0, localGby, 0);
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@
         spec.addRoot(emptySink4);
 
         spec.setFrameSize(frameSize);
+        spec.setConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(new ConnectorPolicyAssignmentPolicy(spec));
         return spec;
     }
 
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java
index 98d9612..d099645 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/core/util/PregelixHyracksIntegrationUtil.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
         ncConfig1.clusterNetIPAddress = "localhost";
         ncConfig1.ccPort = TEST_HYRACKS_CC_PORT;
         ncConfig1.dataIPAddress = "127.0.0.1";
+        ncConfig1.datasetIPAddress = "127.0.0.1";
         ncConfig1.nodeId = NC1_ID;
         ncConfig1.appNCMainClass = NCApplicationEntryPoint.class.getName();
         nc1 = new NodeControllerService(ncConfig1);
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@
         ncConfig2.clusterNetIPAddress = "localhost";
         ncConfig2.ccPort = TEST_HYRACKS_CC_PORT;
         ncConfig2.dataIPAddress = "127.0.0.1";
+        ncConfig2.datasetIPAddress = "127.0.0.1";
         ncConfig2.nodeId = NC2_ID;
         ncConfig2.appNCMainClass = NCApplicationEntryPoint.class.getName();
         nc2 = new NodeControllerService(ncConfig2);
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/getip.sh b/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/getip.sh
index e0cdf73..a691c0f 100755
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/getip.sh
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/getip.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 then
         #Get IP Address
         IPADDR=`/sbin/ifconfig eth0 | grep "inet " | awk '{print $2}' | cut -f 2 -d ':'`
+    	if [ "$IPADDR" = "" ]
+        then
+		IPADDR=`/sbin/ifconfig em1 | grep "inet " | awk '{print $2}' | cut -f 2 -d ':'`
+        fi 
 	if [ "$IPADDR" = "" ]
         then
 		IPADDR=`/sbin/ifconfig lo | grep "inet " | awk '{print $2}' | cut -f 2 -d ':'`
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startAllNCs.sh b/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startAllNCs.sh
index 629bd90..d30da26 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startAllNCs.sh
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startAllNCs.sh
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 
 for i in `cat conf/slaves`
 do
-   ssh $i "cd ${PREGELIX_PATH}; bin/startnc.sh"
+   ssh $i "cd ${PREGELIX_PATH}; export JAVA_HOME=${JAVA_HOME}; bin/startnc.sh"
 done
diff --git a/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh b/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
index fe2551d..efb79ce 100644
--- a/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
+++ b/pregelix-core/src/main/resources/scripts/startcc.sh
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@
 
 #Launch hyracks cc script
 chmod -R 755 $HYRACKS_HOME
-$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 3 &> $CCLOGS_DIR/cc.log &
+$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 &