diff --git a/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/molecule.yml b/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/molecule.yml
index 4e1da3c..c7e3776 100644
--- a/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/molecule.yml
+++ b/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/molecule.yml
@@ -12,14 +12,32 @@ platforms:
     box: generic/${MOLECULE_TEST_OS}
     cpus: 4
     memory: 4096
+    groups:
+      - vault_servers
+      - consul_servers
+      - nomad_servers
+    children:
+      - common
   - name: hashistack02
     box: generic/${MOLECULE_TEST_OS}
     cpus: 4
     memory: 4096
+    groups:
+      - vault_servers
+      - consul_servers
+      - nomad_servers
+    children:
+      - common
   - name: hashistack03
     box: generic/${MOLECULE_TEST_OS}
     cpus: 4
     memory: 4096
+    groups:
+      - vault_servers
+      - consul_servers
+      - nomad_servers
+    children:
+      - common
 provisioner:
   name: ansible
   config_options:
diff --git a/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/prepare.yml b/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/prepare.yml
index 8ba524c..b454482 100644
--- a/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/prepare.yml
+++ b/molecule/no_tls_multi_node/prepare.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- name: Include a playbook from a collection
-  ansible.builtin.import_playbook: ednxzu.hashistack.preflight.yml
+- name: Include bootstrap playbook
+  ansible.builtin.import_playbook: ednxzu.hashistack.bootstrap.yml
 
-- name: Include a playbook from a collection
-  ansible.builtin.import_playbook: ednxzu.hashistack.prepare.yml
+- name: Include preflight playbook
+  ansible.builtin.import_playbook: ednxzu.hashistack.preflight.yml
diff --git a/playbooks/bootstrap.yml b/playbooks/bootstrap.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ace6e8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/bootstrap.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+# hashistack prepare playbook
+- name: "Bootstrap"
+  hosts: all
+  gather_facts: true
+  become: true
+  tasks:
+    - name: "Include ednxzu.install_docker"
+      ansible.builtin.include_role:
+        name: ednxzu.install_docker
+      vars:
+        install_docker_edition: ce
+        install_docker_auto_update: false
+        install_docker_start_service: true
+        install_docker_compose: false
+        install_docker_compose_version: latest
+        install_docker_python_packages: true
+        install_docker_python_packages_version: latest
+        install_docker_users:
+          - "{{ ansible_user }}"
+        install_docker_daemon_options: {}
+      when: deployment_method == 'docker'
diff --git a/playbooks/vars/all.yml b/playbooks/group_vars/all.yml
similarity index 73%
rename from playbooks/vars/all.yml
rename to playbooks/group_vars/all.yml
index 0246919..c0c3827 100644
--- a/playbooks/vars/all.yml
+++ b/playbooks/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -3,14 +3,40 @@
 # General options ########
 ##########################
 
+enable_vault: "yes"
+enable_consul: "yes"
+enable_nomad: "yes"
 
+deployment_method: "docker"
+api_interface: "eth0"
+api_interface_address: "{{ ansible_facts[api_interface]['ipv4']['address'] }}"
+
+##########################
+# Support options ########
+##########################
+
+hashistack_supported_distributions:
+  - ubuntu
+  - debian
+
+hashistack_supported_distribution_versions:
+  debian:
+    - "11"
+    - "12"
+  ubuntu:
+    - "20.04"
+    - "22.04"
+
+preflight_enable_host_ntp_checks: true
+
+vault_required_ports: [8200,8201]
+consul_required_ports: [8300,8301,8302,8500,8501,8502,8503,8600]
+nomad_required_ports: []
 
 ##########################
 # Nomad options ##########
 ##########################
 
-hashi_nomad_install: true
-hashi_nomad_auto_update: false
 hashi_nomad_cni_plugins_install: true
 hashi_nomad_start_service: true
 hashi_nomad_cni_plugins_version: latest
@@ -29,8 +55,6 @@ hashi_nomad_configuration: {}
 # Consul options #########
 ##########################
 
-hashi_consul_install: true
-hashi_consul_auto_update: false
 hashi_consul_start_service: true
 hashi_consul_version: latest
 hashi_consul_deploy_method: host  # deployment method, either host or docker.
@@ -48,8 +72,6 @@ hashi_consul_configuration: {}
 # Vault options ##########
 ##########################
 
-hashi_vault_install: true
-hashi_vault_auto_update: false
 hashi_vault_start_service: true
 hashi_vault_version: latest
 hashi_vault_deploy_method: host  # deployment method, either host or docker
diff --git a/playbooks/preflight.yml b/playbooks/preflight.yml
index 3c1ff7f..8fe509b 100644
--- a/playbooks/preflight.yml
+++ b/playbooks/preflight.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,199 @@
 - name: "Preflight"
   hosts: all
   gather_facts: true
+  become: true
   tasks:
-    - name: "Debug"
-      ansible.builtin.debug:
-        msg: "{{ ansible_hostname }}"
+    - name: "Checking vault inventory"
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that:
+          - groups['vault_servers'] is defined
+          - groups['vault_servers'] | length > 0
+        fail_msg: >-
+          The variable `enable_vault` is set to yes, but the vault_servers
+          group is empty or undefined. You need to set the vault_servers group and populate it,
+          or set `enable_vault` to no.
+      when:
+        - enable_vault | bool
+
+    - name: "Checking consul inventory"
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that:
+          - groups['consul_servers'] is defined
+          - groups['consul_servers'] | length > 0
+        fail_msg: >-
+          The variable `enable_consul` is set to yes, but the consul_servers
+          group is empty or undefined. You need to set the consul_servers group and populate it,
+          or set `enable_consul` to no.
+      when:
+        - enable_consul | bool
+
+    - name: "Checking nomad inventory"
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that:
+          - groups['nomad_servers'] is defined
+          - groups['nomad_servers'] | length > 0
+        fail_msg: >-
+          The variable `enable_nomad` is set to yes, but the nomad_servers
+          group is empty or undefined. You need to set the nomad_servers group and populate it,
+          or set `enable_nomad` to no.
+      when:
+        - enable_nomad | bool
+
+    - name: "Checking host OS distribution"
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that:
+          - "(ansible_facts.distribution | lower) in hashistack_supported_distributions"
+          - "(ansible_facts.distribution_version) in hashistack_supported_distribution_versions[(ansible_facts.distribution | lower)]"
+        fail_msg: >-
+          Distribution: {{ ansible_facts.distribution }}
+          Release: {{ ansible_facts.distribution_release }}
+          Version: {{ ansible_facts.distribution_version }}
+          This distribution is not supported.
+          Supported releases are:
+          {{ hashistack_supported_distribution_versions[(ansible_facts.distribution | lower)] }}
+
+    - name: "Verify host clocks"
+      when: preflight_enable_host_ntp_checks | bool
+      block:
+        - name: "Checking for a running NTP daemon on hosts"  # noqa command-instead-of-module
+          vars:
+            preflight_host_ntp_daemons:
+              - chrony
+              - chronyd
+              - ntp
+              - ntpd
+              - systemd-timesyncd
+          become: true
+          ansible.builtin.command:
+            cmd: "systemctl is-active {{ preflight_host_ntp_daemons | join(' ') }}"
+          register: _ntp_daemons_active
+          changed_when: false
+          failed_when: false
+          check_mode: false
+
+        - name: "Fail if a NTP daemon is not running"
+          ansible.builtin.fail:
+            msg: >-
+              No host NTP daemon is running.
+              Please install and configure a host NTP daemon.
+              Alternatively, set 'preflight_enable_host_ntp_checks' to 'false' to
+              disable this check if not using one of the following NTP daemons:
+              chrony, ntpd, systemd-timesyncd.
+          when:
+            - _ntp_daemons_active.rc != 0
+
+        - name: "Checking timedatectl status"
+          become: true
+          ansible.builtin.command: timedatectl status
+          register: timedatectl_status
+          changed_when: false
+          check_mode: false
+
+        - name: "Fail if the clock is not synchronized"
+          ansible.builtin.fail:
+            msg: >-
+              timedatectl sees the system clock as unsynchronized.
+              Please wait for synchronization.
+              Alternatively, set 'preflight_enable_host_ntp_checks' to 'false' to
+              disable this check if your NTP daemon is not recognised by
+              'timedatectl status'.
+          when:
+            - "'synchronized: yes' not in timedatectl_status.stdout"
+
+    - name: "Ensure /etc/localtime exists"
+      ansible.builtin.stat:
+        path: /etc/localtime
+      register: _etc_localtime
+
+    - name: "Fail if /etc/localtime is absent"
+      ansible.builtin.fail:
+        msg: >-
+          /etc/localtime is not found. This file is used for system-wide time
+          settings and needs to be mounted to containers.
+      when: not _etc_localtime.stat.exists
+
+    - name: "Ensure /etc/timezone exists"
+      ansible.builtin.stat:
+        path: /etc/timezone
+      register: _etc_timezone
+
+    - name: "Fail if /etc/timezone is absent"
+      ansible.builtin.fail:
+        msg: >-
+          /etc/timezone is not found. This file is used for system-wide timezone
+          settings and needs to be mounted to containers.
+      when: not _etc_timezone.stat.exists
+
+    - name: "Checking the api_interface is present"
+      ansible.builtin.fail:
+        msg: "Please check the api_interface property - interface {{ api_interface }} not found"
+      when: api_interface not in ansible_facts.interfaces
+
+    - name: "Verify api interface(s)"
+      when: inventory_hostname not in groups['deployment'] | default([])
+      block:
+        - name: "Checking the api_interface is active"
+          ansible.builtin.fail:
+            msg: "Please check the api_interface settings - interface {{ api_interface }} is not active"
+          when: not hostvars[inventory_hostname].ansible_facts[api_interface]['active']
+
+        - name: "Debug"
+          ansible.builtin.debug:
+            msg: "{{ api_interface_address }}"
+
+        - name: "Checking the api_interface ip address configuration"
+          ansible.builtin.fail:
+            msg: "Please check the api_interface settings - interface {{ api_interface }} ip address problem"
+          when: api_interface_address is not defined
+
+    - name: "Verify required ports"
+      block:
+        - name: "Checking if vault ports are available"
+          when: inventory_hostname in groups['vault_servers']
+          block:
+            - name: "Checking if vault ports are available"
+              ansible.builtin.wait_for:
+                host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
+                port: "{{ item }}"
+                state: "stopped"
+                timeout: 5
+              loop: "{{ vault_required_ports }}"
+              ignore_errors: true
+              register: vault_port_results
+
+            - name: "Assert that vault ports are not currently in use"
+              ansible.builtin.assert:
+                that:
+                  - item.failed == false
+              with_items: "{{ vault_port_results.results }}"
+              when: vault_port_results.results | length > 0
+
+    - name: "Checking if system uses systemd"
+      become: true
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that:
+          - "ansible_facts.service_mgr == 'systemd'"
+      when: inventory_hostname in groups['common']
+
+        # - name: "Checking that docker is installed"
+        #   when: deployment_method == 'docker'
+        #   block:
+
+    - name: "Checking that python SDK for docker is installed"
+      when: deployment_method == 'docker'
+      vars:
+        wanted_docker_sdk_package: "python3-docker"
+      block:
+        - name: "Get packages facts"
+          ansible.builtin.package_facts:
+            manager: auto
+
+        - name: "Checking that python SDK for docker is installed"
+          ansible.builtin.assert:
+            that:
+              - "wanted_docker_sdk_package in ansible_facts.packages"
+            fail_msg: >-
+              The python sdk for docker is really out of date, you need to install
+              a more recent version of it in order to use this tool.
+
+    - ansible.builtin.fail:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/playbooks/prepare.yml b/playbooks/prepare.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index cdddbbd..0000000
--- a/playbooks/prepare.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
----
-# hashistack prepare playbook
-- name: "Prepare"
-  hosts: all
-  gather_facts: true
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Include ednxzu.install_docker"
-      ansible.builtin.include_role:
-        name: ednxzu.install_docker