diff --git a/quickstart/local/express/README.md b/quickstart/local/express/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b61649f23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quickstart/local/express/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Express Dev Env
+
+This script is meant to provide a very quick method of deploying an absolute minimum ziti setup: one controller, one edge-router.
+
+This environment is entirely suitable for local development against the ziti apis.  This is not a recommended configuration production configuration.
diff --git a/quickstart/local/express/express-create-pki.sh b/quickstart/local/express/express-create-pki.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9b07fb21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quickstart/local/express/express-create-pki.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+function pki_client_server {
+    name_local=$1
+    ZITI_CA_NAME_local=$2
+
+    echo "Creating server and client certs from ca: ${ZITI_CA_NAME_local} for ${name_local}"
+
+    ziti pki create server --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name "${ZITI_CA_NAME_local}" \
+    --server-file "${name_local}-server" \
+    --dns "${name_local}, localhost" --ip 127.0.0.1 \
+    --server-name "${name_local} server certificate"
+
+    ziti pki create client --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name "${ZITI_CA_NAME_local}" \
+    --client-file "${name_local}-client" \
+    --key-file "${name_local}-server" \
+    --client-name "${name_local}"
+    echo ""
+}
+
+echo "Creating CONTROLLER CA: ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_ROOTCA_NAME}"
+ziti pki create ca --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-file="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_ROOTCA_NAME}" --ca-name="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_ROOTCA_NAME} Root CA"
+echo ""
+
+echo "Creating controller intermediate: ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+ziti pki create intermediate --pki-root "${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_ROOTCA_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-name "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-file "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" --max-path-len 1
+echo ""
+
+echo "Creating ziti-fabric client certificate: ${ZITI_NETWORK}-dotzeet"
+ziti pki create client --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" \
+--client-file="${ZITI_NETWORK}-dotzeet" \
+--client-name "${ZITI_NETWORK} Management"
+echo
+
+echo "==============================================================="
+echo "=== creating edge related  CA chain                         ==="
+echo "==============================================================="
+echo "Creating EDGE CA: ${ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME}"
+ziti pki create ca --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-file="${ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME}" --ca-name="${ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME} Root CA"
+echo ""
+
+echo "Creating edge intermediate: ${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+ziti pki create intermediate --pki-root "${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name "${ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-name "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-file "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" --max-path-len 1
+echo ""
+
+echo "==============================================================="
+echo "=== creating signing related CA chain                       ==="
+echo "==============================================================="
+echo "Creating SIGNING CA: ${ZITI_SIGNING_ROOTCA_NAME}"
+ziti pki create ca --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-file="${ZITI_SIGNING_ROOTCA_NAME}" --ca-name="${ZITI_SIGNING_ROOTCA_NAME} Root CA"
+echo ""
+
+echo "Creating signing intermediate, intermediate (2 intermediates): ${ZITI_SIGNING_SPURIOUS_NAME}"
+ziti pki create intermediate --pki-root "${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name "${ZITI_SIGNING_ROOTCA_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-name "${ZITI_SIGNING_SPURIOUS_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-file "${ZITI_SIGNING_SPURIOUS_NAME}" --max-path-len 2
+echo ""
+
+echo "Creating signing intermediate: ${ZITI_SIGNING_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+ziti pki create intermediate --pki-root "${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-name "${ZITI_SIGNING_SPURIOUS_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-name "${ZITI_SIGNING_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" \
+    --intermediate-file "${ZITI_SIGNING_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" --max-path-len 1
+echo ""
+
+pki_client_server "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME}" "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+pki_client_server "${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+pki_client_server "${ZITI_ZAC_HOSTNAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+#pki_client_server "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME}" "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+#pki_client_server "${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+#pki_client_server "${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_HOSTNAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+#pki_client_server "${ZITI_EDGE_WSS_ROUTER_NAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}"
+
diff --git a/quickstart/local/express/express-dev-env.sh b/quickstart/local/express/express-dev-env.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..16a3fecbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quickstart/local/express/express-dev-env.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,392 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+ASCI_WHITE='\033[01;37m'
+ASCI_RESTORE='\033[0m'
+ASCI_RED='\033[00;31m'
+ASCI_GREEN='\033[00;32m'
+ASCI_YELLOW='\033[00;33m'
+ASCI_BLUE='\033[00;34m'
+ASCI_MAGENTA='\033[00;35m'
+ASCI_PURPLE='\033[00;35m'
+ASCI_CYAN='\033[00;36m'
+ASCI_LIGHTGRAY='\033[00;37m'
+ASCI_LRED='\033[01;31m'
+ASCI_LGREEN='\033[01;32m'
+ASCI_LYELLOW='\033[01;33m'
+ASCI_LBLUE='\033[01;34m'
+ASCI_LMAGENTA='\033[01;35m'
+ASCI_LPURPLE='\033[01;35m'
+ASCI_LCYAN='\033[01;36m'
+
+function WHITE {
+  echo "${ASCI_WHITE}$1${ASCI_RESTORE}"
+}
+function RED {
+  echo "${ASCI_RED}$1${ASCI_RESTORE}"
+}
+function GREEN {
+  echo "${ASCI_GREEN}$1${ASCI_RESTORE}"
+}
+function YELLOW {
+  echo "${ASCI_YELLOW}$1${ASCI_RESTORE}"
+}
+function BLUE {
+  echo "${ASCI_BLUE}$1${ASCI_RESTORE}"
+}
+
+# Test
+#echo -e $(WHITE "AAAA") is nice
+#echo -e $(GREEN "is cool too")
+#echo -e $(YELLOW "yellow a lot")
+#echo -e $(RED "rrreeeeed")
+#echo -e $(BLUE "blue is swell")
+ZITI_QUICKSTART_ROOT="${HOME}/.ziti/quickstart"
+ZITI_SCRIPT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
+
+function issueGreeting {
+  #echo "-------------------------------------------------------------"
+  echo " "
+  echo "                          _   _     _"
+  echo "                    ____ (_) | |_  (_)"
+  echo "                   |_  / | | | __| | |"
+  echo "                    / /  | | | |_  | |"
+  echo "                   /___| |_|  \__| |_|"
+  echo "-------------------------------------------------------------"
+  echo " "
+  echo "This script will make it trivial to setup a very simple environment locally which will allow you to start"
+  echo "learning ziti. This environment is suitable for development work only and is not a decent representation of"
+  echo "a fully redundant production-caliber network."
+  echo ""
+  echo "Please note that this script will write files to your home directory into a directory named .ziti."
+  echo -n "For you this location will be: "
+  echo -e "$(BLUE "${ZITI_QUICKSTART_ROOT}")"
+  echo " "
+}
+
+function getLatestZiti {
+  if [[ "${ZITI_HOME}" == "" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: ZITI_HOME is not set!"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  zitilatest=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/openziti/ziti/releases/latest)
+  zitiversion=$(echo ${zitilatest} | jq -r '.tag_name')
+  echo "Latest ziti is: ${zitiversion}"
+  zititgz=$(echo ${zitilatest} | jq -r '.assets[] | select(.name | startswith("ziti-linux-amd")) | .name')
+
+  if ! test -f "${ZITI_HOME}/${zititgz}"; then
+    echo -e 'Downloading '"$(BLUE "${zititgz}")"' into '"$(BLUE "${ZITI_HOME}")"
+    zitidl="https://github.com/openziti/ziti/releases/download/${zitiversion}/${zititgz}"
+
+    wget -q "${zitidl}" -O "${ZITI_HOME}/${zititgz}"
+  fi
+
+  mkdir -p "${ZITI_BIN_DIR}"
+  echo -e 'UNZIPPING '"$(BLUE "${ZITI_HOME}/${zititgz}")"' into: '"$(GREEN ${ZITI_BIN_DIR})"
+  tar -xf "${ZITI_HOME}/${zititgz}" --directory "${ZITI_BIN_DIR}"
+
+  echo "Adding ${ZITI_BIN} to the path if necessary:"
+  if [[ "$(echo "$PATH"|grep -q "${ZITI_BIN}" && echo "yes")" == "yes" ]]; then
+    echo -e "$(GREEN "${ZITI_BIN}") is already on the path"
+  else
+    echo -e "adding $(RED "${ZITI_BIN}") to the path"
+    export PATH=$PATH:"${ZITI_BIN}"
+  fi
+
+}
+
+function generatePki {
+  PKI_DIR="${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CONTROLLER_ROOTCA_NAME}"
+  if [ -d "${PKI_DIR}" ]
+  then
+      echo -e "Reusing existing PKI from: $(BLUE ${PKI_DIR})"
+  else
+      echo "Generating PKI"
+      . "${ZITI_SCRIPT_DIR}/express-create-pki.sh"
+  fi
+}
+
+function checkPrereqs {
+  commands_to_test=(ziti ziti-router ziti-controller bash cat)
+
+  # verify all the commands required in the automation exist before trying to run the full suite
+  for cmd in "${commands_to_test[@]}"
+  do
+      # checking all commands are on the path before continuing...
+      if ! [[ -x "$(command -v ${cmd})" ]]; then
+          missing_requirements="${missing_requirements}    * ${cmd}\n"
+      fi
+  done
+  # are requirements ? if yes, stop here and help 'em out
+  if ! [[ "" = "${missing_requirements}" ]]; then
+      echo " "
+      echo "You're missing one or more commands that are used in this script."
+      echo "Please ensure the commands listed are on the path and then try again."
+      printf "\n${missing_requirements}"
+      echo " "
+      echo " "
+      exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "Let's get stated creating your local development network!"
+  echo ""
+  echo ""
+}
+
+
+function checkControllerName {
+  if [[ ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME} == *['!'@#\$%^\&*()_+]* ]]; then
+    echo -e "$(RED "  - The provided Network name contains an invalid character: '!'@#\$%^\&*()_+")"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  return 0
+}
+
+function generateEnvFile {
+  if [[ "$1" == "" ]]; then
+    echo " "
+    echo "Creating a controller is effectively creating a network. The name of the network will be used when writing"
+    echo "configuration files locally. Choose the name of your network now. The format of the network name should resemble"
+    echo -n "what a hostname looks like. A good choice is to actually use your system's hostname: "
+    echo -e "$(BLUE $(hostname))"
+    echo " "
+    read -p "$(echo -ne "Network Name [$(BLUE $(hostname))]: ")" ZITI_NETWORK
+    echo " "
+    if checkControllerName; then
+      : #clear to continue
+      if [[ "ZITI_NETWORK" == "" ]]; then
+        ZITI_NETWORK="$(hostname)"
+      fi
+      echo "name: ${ZITI_NETWORK}"
+    else
+      echo " "
+      echo "nah bro"
+      return 1
+    fi
+    echo " "
+  else
+    ZITI_NETWORK="$1"
+  fi
+
+  echo -e "Generating new network with name: $(BLUE "${ZITI_NETWORK}")"
+
+  ZITI_HOME="${ZITI_QUICKSTART_ROOT}/${ZITI_NETWORK}"
+  ZITI_USER="admin"
+  ZITI_PWD="admin"
+  ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX=".ziti.netfoundry.io"
+  ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX=""
+  ZITI_ID="${ZITI_HOME}/identities.yml"
+  ZITI_FAB_MGMT_PORT="10000"
+  ZITI_FAB_CTRL_PORT="6262"
+  ZITI_CONTROLLER_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-controller"
+  ZITI_EDGE_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-edge-controller"
+  ZITI_EDGE_PORT="1280"
+  ZITI_ZAC_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-zac"
+  ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-edge-router"
+  ZITI_EDGE_WSS_ROUTER_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-edge-wss-router"
+  ZITI_ROUTER_BR_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-fabric-router-br"
+  ZITI_ROUTER_BLUE_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-fabric-router-blue"
+  ZITI_ROUTER_RED_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-fabric-router-red"
+
+  ZITI_PKI="${ZITI_HOME}/pki"
+  ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_EDGE_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_ZAC_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_ZAC_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_EDGE_WSS_ROUTER_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_EDGE_WSS_ROUTER_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_SIGNING_CERT_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-signing"
+  ZITI_ROUTER_BR_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_ROUTER_BR_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_ROUTER_BLUE_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_ROUTER_BLUE_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+  ZITI_ROUTER_RED_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_ROUTER_RED_NAME}${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+
+  ZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}:${ZITI_EDGE_PORT}"
+
+  ZITI_CONTROLLER_ROOTCA_NAME="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME}-root-ca"
+  ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME="${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}-root-ca"
+  ZITI_SIGNING_ROOTCA_NAME="${ZITI_SIGNING_CERT_NAME}-root-ca"
+  ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME}-intermediate"
+  ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME="${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}-intermediate"
+  ZITI_SIGNING_INTERMEDIATE_NAME="${ZITI_SIGNING_CERT_NAME}-intermediate"
+  ZITI_SIGNING_SPURIOUS_NAME="${ZITI_SIGNING_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}_spurious_intermediate"
+
+  ZITI_BIN_DIR="${ZITI_HOME}/ziti-bin"
+  ZITI_BIN="${ZITI_BIN_DIR}/ziti"
+
+  mkdir -p ${ZITI_HOME}/db
+  mkdir -p ${ZITI_PKI}
+
+  ENV_FILE="${ZITI_HOME}/${ZITI_NETWORK}.env"
+  echo "" > "${ENV_FILE}"
+  for zEnvVar in $(set -o posix ; set | grep ZITI_ | sort); do echo "export ${zEnvVar}" >> "${ENV_FILE}"; done
+  echo "export PFXLOG_NO_JSON=true" >> "${ENV_FILE}"
+
+  echo "alias zec='ziti edge controller'" >> "${ENV_FILE}"
+  echo "alias zlogin='ziti edge controller login \"${ZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME}\" -u \"${ZITI_USER}\" -p \"${ZITI_PWD}\" -c \"${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}.cert\"'" >> "${ENV_FILE}"
+  echo "alias psz='ps -ef | grep ziti'" >> "${ENV_FILE}"
+
+  echo -e "environment file created and source from: $(BLUE ${ENV_FILE})"
+  source "${ENV_FILE}"
+}
+
+function expressConfiguration {
+  echo " "
+  echo "___________   _______________________________________^__"
+  echo " ___   ___ |||  ___   ___   ___    ___ ___  |   __  ,----\ "
+  echo "|   | |   |||| |   | |   | |   |  |   |   | |  |  | |_____\ "
+  echo "|___| |___|||| |___| |___| |___|  | O | O | |  |  |        \ "
+  echo "           ||| ===== EXPRESS ==== |___|___| |  |__|         )"
+  echo "___________|||______________________________|______________/"
+  echo "           |||                                        /--------"
+  echo "-----------'''---------------------------------------'"
+  echo ""
+
+  if [[ "$1" == "" ]]; then
+    nw="$(hostname)"
+  else
+    nw="$1"
+  fi
+  generateEnvFile "${nw}"
+  #checkHostsFile
+  getLatestZiti
+  generatePki
+  generateControllerConfig
+  generateEdgeRouterConfig
+  initializeController
+  startZitiController
+  echo "starting the ziti controller to enroll the edge router"
+  sleep 2
+  zitiLogin
+
+  echo -e "----------  Creating an edge router policy allowing all identities to connect to routers with a $(GREEN "#public") attribute"
+  unused=$(ziti edge controller create edge-router-policy allEdgeRouters --edge-router-roles '#public' --identity-roles '#all' )
+
+  echo -e "----------  Creating a service edge router policy allowing all services to use $(GREEN "#public") edge routers"
+  unused=$(ziti edge controller create service-edge-router-policy allSvcPublicRouters --edge-router-roles '#public' --service-roles '#all')
+
+  echo "----------  Creating edge-router ${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}...."
+  unused=$(ziti edge controller create edge-router "${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}" -o "${ZITI_HOME}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}.jwt" -t)
+  sleep 1
+  echo "---------- Enrolling edge-router ${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}...."
+  unused=$(ziti-router enroll "${ZITI_HOME}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}.yaml" --jwt "${ZITI_HOME}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}.jwt" &> "${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}.enrollment.log")
+  echo ""
+  sleep 1
+  unused=$(ziti-router run "${ZITI_HOME}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}.yaml" > "${ZITI_HOME}/ziti-${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}.log" 2>&1 &)
+
+}
+function zitiLogin {
+  unused=$(ziti edge controller login "${ZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME}" -u "${ZITI_USER}" -p "${ZITI_PWD}" -c "${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROOTCA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_EDGE_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}.cert")
+}
+function reinitializeZitiController {
+  cleanZitiController
+}
+function cleanZitiController {
+  rm -rf "${ZITI_HOME}/db"
+  mkdir "${ZITI_HOME}/db"
+  initializeController
+}
+function generateControllerConfig {
+  "${ZITI_SCRIPT_DIR}/../create-controller-config.sh"
+}
+function generateEdgeRouterConfig {
+  "${ZITI_SCRIPT_DIR}/../create-edge-router-config.sh"
+}
+function initializeController {
+  ziti-controller edge init "${ZITI_HOME}/controller.yaml" -u "${ZITI_USER}" -p "${ZITI_PWD}" &> "${ZITI_HOME}/controller-init.log"
+  echo -e "ziti-controller initialized. see $(BLUE ${ZITI_HOME}/controller-init.log) for details"
+}
+function startZitiController {
+  unused=$(ziti-controller run "${ZITI_HOME}/controller.yaml" > "${ZITI_HOME}/ziti-controller.log" 2>&1 &)
+  echo -e "ziti-controller started. log located at: $(BLUE ${ZITI_HOME}/ziti-controller.log)"
+}
+function stopZitiController {
+  killall ziti-controller
+}
+function checkHostsFile {
+  ctrlexists=$(grep -c ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_NAME} /etc/hosts)
+  edgeexists=$(grep -c ${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME} /etc/hosts)
+  erexists=$(grep -c ${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME} /etc/hosts)
+
+  if [[ "0" = "${ctrlexists}" ]] || [[ "0" = "${edgeexists}" ]] || [[ "0" = "${erexists}" ]]; then
+    echo " "
+    echo -e $(YELLOW "Ziti is generally used to create an overlay network. Generally speaking this will involve more than one host")
+    echo -e $(YELLOW "Since this is a script geared towards setting up a very minimal development environment it needs to make some")
+    echo -e $(YELLOW "assumptions. One of these assumptions is that the three specific entries are entered onto your hosts file.")
+    echo -e $(YELLOW "One or more of these are missing:")
+    echo " "
+    if [[ "0" == "${ctrlexists}" ]]; then
+      echo -e "  * $(RED "MISSING: ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_NAME}") "
+    else
+      echo -e "  * $(GREEN "  FOUND: ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_NAME}") "
+    fi
+    if [[ "0" == "${edgeexists}" ]]; then
+      echo -e "  * $(RED "MISSING: ${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}") "
+    else
+      echo -e "  * $(GREEN "  FOUND: ${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME}") "
+    fi
+    if [[ "0" == "${erexists}" ]]; then
+      echo -e "  * $(RED "MISSING: ${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}") "
+    else
+      echo -e "  * $(GREEN "  FOUND: ${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}") "
+    fi
+
+    echo " "
+    echo "The easiest way to correct this is to run the following command:"
+    echo "  echo \"127.0.0.1 ${ZITI_CONTROLLER_NAME} ${ZITI_EDGE_HOSTNAME} ${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_NAME}\" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts"
+    echo " "
+    echo "add these entries to your hosts file, and rerun the script when ready"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+function decideOperation {
+  if [[ "$1" != "" ]]; then
+    yn=$1
+  fi
+  while true
+  do
+    if [[ "${yn}" == "" ]]; then
+      echo "What sort of operation are you looking to perform?"
+      echo "  1.) Express configuration - a simple overlay will be spawned containing one controller and two edge routers"
+      echo "  2.) Create Controller configuration - answer a few questions and a controller config will be emitted"
+      echo "  3.) Create Edge Router configuration - answer a few questions and an edge router config will be emitted"
+      echo "  4.) Start a network with the provided name"
+      echo " "
+      read -p "Select an action: " yn
+    fi
+    case $yn in
+        [1]* )
+            expressConfiguration "$2"
+            break;;
+        [2]* )
+            generateEnvFile
+
+            ;;
+        [3]* )
+            echo "333 has been chosen"
+            echo " "
+            ;;
+        [4]* )
+            echo "4444 has been chosen"
+            echo " "
+            ;;
+        [yYqQeE]* )
+            break
+            ;;
+        [Nn]* )
+            echo ""; echo "Ok - come back when you're ready."
+            exit;;
+        * ) echo "Please answer yes or no. (yes/NO)";;
+    esac
+    yn=
+  done
+  echo " "
+}
+
+#greet the user with the banner and quick blurb about what to expect
+issueGreeting
+
+#make sure the user has all the necessary commands to be successful
+#checkPrereqs
+
+#prompt the user for input and do what they want/need
+decideOperation 1 "$1"
+