diff --git a/xos/configurations/cord/README.md b/xos/configurations/cord/README.md
index 7c80c0f..4905475 100644
--- a/xos/configurations/cord/README.md
+++ b/xos/configurations/cord/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,39 @@
-This configuration configures XOS with the CORD services.  It is intended to be
-run on CloudLab, on the "ctl" node set up by the OpenStack profile.  It launches
-an XOS container on Cloudlab that runs the XOS develserver.  The container is
-left running in the background.
+# CORD development environment
+
+This configuration can be used to set up a CORD development environment.
+It does the following:
+
+* Configures XOS with the CORD services: vCPE, vBNG, vOLT
+* Brings up ONOS apps for controlling the dataplane: virtualbng, olt
+* Sets up a basic dataplane for testing end-to-end packet flow between a subscriber client and the Internet
+
+**NOTE:** This configuration is under **active development** and is not yet finished!  Some features are not
+fully working yet.
+
+## How to run it
+
+The configuration is intended to be run on [CloudLab](http://cloudlab.us), on the *ctl* node set up by the OpenStack profile.
+It launches an XOS container on Cloudlab that runs the XOS develserver.  The container is left running in the background.
+
+Running `make` in this directory creates the XOS Docker container and runs the TOSCA engine with `cord.yaml` to
+configure XOS with the CORD services.  In addition, a number of VMs are created:
+
+1. *Slice mysite_onos*: runs the ONOS Docker container with `virtualbng` app loaded
+1. *Slice mysite_onos*: runs the ONOS Docker container with `olt` app loaded
+1. *Slice mysite_vbng*: for running OvS with the `virtualbng` app as controller
+1. *Slice mysite_volt*: for running OvS with the `olt` app as controller
+1. *Slice mysite_clients*: a subscriber client for end-to-end testing
+
+After the first VM is created (for running the virtualbng app) it is necessary to configure XOS's *service_vbng* with its URL.
+Log into XOS, click on *Services* tab at left, then *service_vbng* icon.  Change **Vbng url:** to point to the IP address on
+`flat-lan-1-net` of the VM (will start with 10.11).
+
+Once all the VMs are up and the ONOS apps are configured, XOS should be able to get an address mapping from the `virtualbng`
+ONOS app when creating a vCPE.  To test this:
+
+* Enter the XOS Docker container
+* `$ cd /opt/xos/configurations/cord/`
+* `$ make -f Makefile.inside setup_subscriber`
+
+After a bit, a new VM should be created in slice *mysite_vcpe* running the vCPE Docker container.  To verify that it has
+received an IP address mapping, look at the **Routeable subnet** field in the appropriate *Vbng tenant* object in XOS.  It should contain an IP address in the 10.254.0.0/24 subnet.