The cluster synchronizer coordinates the activities of all IBML processors The cluster synchronizer database, installed within the master index database, stores activity information, such as bucket file names and the state of each phase. Each IBML Tool invokes the cluster synchronizer when they need to retrieve files, before they begin an activity, and after they complete an activity. The cluster synchronizer assigns the following states to a bucket as it is processed: new, assigned, and done. The master IBML Tool is also assigned states during processing based on which of the above phases is in process.