# Advanced topics

The following topics help to extend your knowledge of the Adaptive Execution Layer beyond basic setup and use:

* [Spark Tuning](/install/9.3-install/pentaho-configuration/tasks-to-be-performed-by-an-it-administrator/set-up-the-adaptive-execution-layer-ael/advanced-topics/spark-tuning-landing-page-cp.md)

  You can customize PDI transformation and step parameters to improve the performance of running your PDI transformations on Spark. These parameters affect memory, cores, and instances used by the Spark engine. These Spark parameters include both application parameters and Spark tuning parameters.

  * See [Configuring application tuning parameters for Spark](/install/9.3-install/pentaho-configuration/tasks-to-be-performed-by-an-it-administrator/set-up-the-adaptive-execution-layer-ael/advanced-topics/spark-tuning-landing-page-cp/configuring-application-tuning-parameters-for-spark.md) to learn how to define additional Spark properties within the `application.properties` file or as run modification parameters within a transformation.
  * See [About Spark tuning in PDI](/install/9.3-install/pentaho-configuration/tasks-to-be-performed-by-an-it-administrator/set-up-the-adaptive-execution-layer-ael/advanced-topics/spark-tuning-landing-page-cp/about-spark-tuning-in-pdi-cp.md) to learn more about how Spark tuning parameters work in PDI.
  * For the list of Spark tuning parameters available in PDI transformation steps, see [Spark Tuning](/install/9.3-install/pentaho-configuration/tasks-to-be-performed-by-an-it-administrator/set-up-the-adaptive-execution-layer-ael/advanced-topics/spark-tuning-landing-page-cp.md).
* [Configuring AEL with Spark in a secure cluster](/install/9.3-install/pentaho-configuration/tasks-to-be-performed-by-an-it-administrator/set-up-the-adaptive-execution-layer-ael/advanced-topics/configuring-ael-with-spark-in-a-secure-cluster.md)

  If your AEL daemon server and your cluster machines are in a secure environment like a data center, you may only want to configure a secure connection between the PDI client and the AEL daemon server.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.pentaho.com/install/9.3-install/pentaho-configuration/tasks-to-be-performed-by-an-it-administrator/set-up-the-adaptive-execution-layer-ael/advanced-topics.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.