# Advanced topics

The following information in the **Administer Pentaho Data Integration and Analytics** document helps to extend your knowledge of the Adaptive Execution Layer (AEL) beyond basic setup and use:

* **Specify Additional Spark Properties**

  You can define additional Spark properties within the application.properties file or as run modification parameters within a transformation.
* **Configuring AEL with Spark in a Secure Cluster**

  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.
* **Spark tuning**

  Spark tuning parameters are available for PDI steps where it is functionally applicable.


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