diff --git a/roles/docker-compose/tasks/main.yml b/roles/docker-compose/tasks/main.yml
index a623cf1..8162d0a 100644
--- a/roles/docker-compose/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/docker-compose/tasks/main.yml
@@ -31,18 +31,26 @@
   command: ansible onos-cord-1:onos-fabric-1 -u ubuntu -m command \
     -a "docker-compose up -d chdir=cord"
 
-- name: Wait for xos_setup_playbook to complete
-  when: "{{ head_vm_list | map(attribute='name') | list | intersect(['xos-1']) | list | length }}"
-  async_status: jid={{ xos_setup_playbook.ansible_job_id }}
-  register: xos_setup_playbook_result
-  until: xos_setup_playbook_result.finished
-  delay: 10
-  retries: 120
+#- name: Wait for xos_setup_playbook to complete
+#  when: "{{ head_vm_list | map(attribute='name') | list | intersect(['xos-1']) | list | length }}"
+#  async_status: jid={{ xos_setup_playbook.ansible_job_id }}
+#  register: xos_setup_playbook_result
+#  until: xos_setup_playbook_result.finished
+#  delay: 10
+#  retries: 120
 
-- name: Copy admin-openrc.sh into XOS container
-  when: "{{ head_vm_list | map(attribute='name') | list | intersect(['xos-1']) | list | length }}"
-  command: ansible xos-1 -u ubuntu -m copy \
-    -a "src=~/admin-openrc.sh dest={{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}"
+#- name: Copy admin-openrc.sh into XOS container
+#  when: "{{ head_vm_list | map(attribute='name') | list | intersect(['xos-1']) | list | length }}"
+#  command: ansible xos-1 -u ubuntu -m copy \
+#    -a "src=~/admin-openrc.sh dest={{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}"
+
+- name: Copy admin-openrc.sh to service-profile
+  command: cp ~/admin-openrc.sh {{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+#  copy:
+#      src=~/admin-openrc.sh
+#      dest={{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}
 
 - name: Wait for test client to complete installation
   when: test_client_install is defined and test_client_install
diff --git a/roles/test-exampleservice/tasks/main.yml b/roles/test-exampleservice/tasks/main.yml
index 5d6a6bc..4df5ea8 100644
--- a/roles/test-exampleservice/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/test-exampleservice/tasks/main.yml
@@ -4,19 +4,17 @@
 # Run tests to check that the single-node deployment has worked
 
 - name: Onboard ExampleService and instantiate a VM
-  command: ansible xos-1 -u ubuntu -m shell \
-    -a "cd ~/service-profile/cord-pod; make exampleservice"
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make exampleservice |& tee xos-make-exampleservice.out"
   tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint # running a sub job
+    - skip_ansible_lint
 
 - name: Pause 60 seconds (work around bug in synchronizer)
   pause: seconds=60
 
 - name: Re-run 'make vtn' (work around bug in synchronizer)
-  command: ansible xos-1 -u ubuntu -m shell \
-    -a "cd ~/service-profile/cord-pod; make vtn"
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make vtn |& tee xos-makevtn3.out"
   tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint # running a sub job
+    - skip_ansible_lint
 
 - name: Wait for ExampleService VM to come up
   shell: bash -c "source ~/admin-openrc.sh; nova list --all-tenants|grep 'exampleservice.*ACTIVE' > /dev/null"
diff --git a/roles/test-vsg/tasks/main.yml b/roles/test-vsg/tasks/main.yml
index 7e02e15..8fc494f 100644
--- a/roles/test-vsg/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/test-vsg/tasks/main.yml
@@ -3,20 +3,18 @@
 #
 # Run tests to check that the CORD-in-a-Box deployment has worked.
 
-- name: Create a sample CORD subscriber
-  command: ansible xos-1 -u ubuntu -m shell \
-    -a "cd ~/service-profile/cord-pod; make cord-subscriber"
+- name: Create cord subscriber
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make cord-subscriber |& tee xos-make-cord-subscriber.out"
   tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint # running a sub job
+    - skip_ansible_lint
 
 - name: Pause 60 seconds (work around bug in synchronizer)
   pause: seconds=60
 
 - name: Re-run 'make vtn' (work around bug in synchronizer)
-  command: ansible xos-1 -u ubuntu -m shell \
-    -a "cd ~/service-profile/cord-pod; make vtn"
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make vtn |& tee xos-makevtn2.out"
   tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint # running a sub job
+    - skip_ansible_lint
 
 - name: Wait for vSG VM to come up
   shell: bash -c "source ~/admin-openrc.sh; nova list --all-tenants|grep 'vsg.*ACTIVE' > /dev/null"
diff --git a/roles/xos-compute-setup/tasks/main.yml b/roles/xos-compute-setup/tasks/main.yml
index 1df8204..d159ff1 100644
--- a/roles/xos-compute-setup/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/xos-compute-setup/tasks/main.yml
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 #
 # Tell XOS that a new compute node has been added
 
-- name: ssh to XOS VM and run 'make new-nodes'
-  command: ssh ubuntu@xos "cd {{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/; make new-nodes"
+- name: Build XOS containers
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make new-nodes |& tee xos-new-nodes.out"
   tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint # running a sub-job
+    - skip_ansible_lint
 
 - name: Pause 5 seconds
   pause: seconds=5
 
-- name: ssh to XOS VM and run 'make vtn'
-  command: ssh ubuntu@xos "cd {{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/; rm -f vtn-external.yaml; make vtn"
+- name: Rebuild VTN configuration with new nodes block
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "rm -f vtn-external.yaml; make vtn |& tee xos-makevtn2.out"
   tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint # running a sub-job
+    - skip_ansible_lint
diff --git a/roles/xos-head-start/tasks/main.yml b/roles/xos-head-start/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f6807e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/xos-head-start/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+---
+# xos-start/tasks/main.yml
+
+- name: Build XOS containers
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make local_containers |& tee xos-build.out"
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Onboard services and start XOS
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make xos |& tee xos-onboard.out"
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Pause to let XOS initialize
+  pause: seconds=120
+
+- name: Initial VTN configuration
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make vtn |& tee xos-makevtn.out"
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Initial fabric configuration
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make fabric |& tee xos-makefabric.out"
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Pause to let ONOS initialize
+  pause: seconds=20
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Configure CORD services
+  command: chdir="{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}" bash -c "make cord |& tee xos-makecord.out"
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
diff --git a/roles/xos-install/defaults/main.yml b/roles/xos-install/defaults/main.yml
index c77f9ac..a18a274 100644
--- a/roles/xos-install/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/xos-install/defaults/main.yml
@@ -4,9 +4,15 @@
 xos_repo_url: "https://gerrit.opencord.org/xos"
 xos_repo_dest: "~/xos"
 xos_repo_branch: "HEAD"
+
 xos_configuration: "devel"
-xos_container_rebuild: false
+
+xos_container_rebuild: False
 
 service_profile_repo_url: "https://gerrit.opencord.org/p/service-profile.git"
 service_profile_repo_dest: "~/service-profile"
 service_profile_repo_branch: "HEAD"
+
+docker_tag: "latest"
+docker_registry: "docker.io"
+local_docker_registry: "docker-registry:5000"
diff --git a/roles/xos-install/tasks/main.yml b/roles/xos-install/tasks/main.yml
index 7008edb..5d5ac49 100644
--- a/roles/xos-install/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/xos-install/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,29 +1,143 @@
 ---
 # tasks for xos-install role
 
-- name: checkout XOS repo
-  git:
-   repo: "{{ xos_repo_url }}"
-   dest: "{{ xos_repo_dest }}"
-   version: "{{ xos_repo_branch }}"
+- name: Install prerequisites
+  apt:
+    name={{ item }}
+    update_cache=yes
+    cache_valid_time=3600
+  become: yes
+  with_items:
+   - git
+   - make
+   - curl
+   - python-novaclient
+   - python-neutronclient
+   - python-keystoneclient
+   - python-glanceclient
 
-- name: checkout service-profile repo
+# ---- copy repos from the dev machine to the head node ----
+
+- name: Check to see if orchestration directory exists
+  local_action: stat path="{{ playbook_dir }}/../../orchestration"
+  register: orchestration
+
+- name: Copy repositories to the head node
+  synchronize:
+      src: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../orchestration/{{ item }}"
+      dest: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/"
+  when:
+      False # orchestration.stat.exists == True   # XXX
+  with_items:
+      - service-profile
+      - xos
+      - xos_libraries
+      - xos_services
+
+- name: Check to see if onos_apps directory exists
+  local_action: stat path="{{ playbook_dir }}/../../onos-apps/apps"
+  register: onos_apps
+
+- name: Copy in onos-apps that have XOS code
+  synchronize:
+      src: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../onos-apps/apps/{{ item }}"
+      dest: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/xos_services/"
+  with_items:
+      - vtn
+      - olt
+  when:
+      False # (orchestration.stat.exists == True) and (onos_apps.stat.exists == True)   # XXX
+
+# ----  alternatively, check out repos from Internet ---
+
+- name: Clone service-profile repo
   git:
-    repo: "{{ service_profile_repo_url }}"
-    dest: "{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}"
-    version: "{{ service_profile_repo_branch }}"
+    repo={{ service_profile_repo_url }}
+    dest={{ service_profile_repo_dest }}
+    version={{ service_profile_repo_branch }}
+    force=yes
+  when:
+    True # orchestration.stat.exists == False   # XXX
+
+# ----  install keys ----
+
+- name: Copy over SSH keys
+  command: cp ~/.ssh/{{ item }} {{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/
+  with_items:
+   - id_rsa
+   - id_rsa.pub
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Copy over node key
+  command: cp {{ ansible_user_dir }}/node_key {{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Set ownership and permissions of keys
+  file:
+    path={{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/{{ item }}
+    owner={{ ansible_user_id }}
+#    mode=0600
+  with_items:
+   - id_rsa
+   - id_rsa.pub
+   - node_key
+
+# ----
+
+- name: Download Glance VM images
+  get_url:
+    url={{ item.url }}
+    checksum={{ item.checksum }}
+    dest={{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/images/{{ item.name }}.img
+  with_items: "{{ xos_images }}"
+
+# ---- pull docker images ----
+
+- name: Check to see if registry is reachable
+  command: curl -sf http://docker-registry:5000/
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  register: docker_registry_check
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Use registry if it is available
+  set_fact:
+     docker_registry: "{{ local_docker_registry }}"
+     docker_opts: "--insecure-registry {{ local_docker_registry }}"
+     docker_tag: "candidate"
+  when: docker_registry_check|succeeded
+
+- name: Pull docker images for XOS
+  become: yes
+  command: docker pull {{ docker_registry }}/{{ item }}:{{ docker_tag }}
+  with_items:
+    - xosproject/xos-base
+    - xosproject/xos-postgres
+    - xosproject/cord-app-build
+    - redis
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Tag the images downloaded from the local registry
+  command: docker tag {{ docker_registry }}/{{ item }}:{{ docker_tag }} {{ item }}:latest
+  with_items:
+    - xosproject/xos-base
+    - xosproject/xos-postgres
+    - xosproject/cord-app-build
+    - redis
+  when: docker_registry_check|succeeded
+
+# ---- optional: rebuild base container ----
 
 - name: Rebuild XOS containers
   when: xos_container_rebuild
-  make:
-    target: "{{ item }}"
-    chdir: "{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/"
+  command: make {{ item }}
+    chdir="{{ xos_repo_dest }}/containers/xos/"
   with_items:
-    - common_cloudlab
-    - base
+   - base
 
-- name: Initial build of XOS
-  make:
-    target: "{{ item }}"
-    chdir: "{{ service_profile_repo_dest }}/{{ xos_configuration }}/"
+
+