diff --git a/examples/multi.pp b/examples/multi.pp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6845dafc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/multi.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+#
+# Example file for building out a multi-node environment
+#
+
+# for this to work, you need to run the nodes in this order:
+
+#
+# 1. storage nodes
+# 2. ringbuilder
+# 3. run the storage nodes again
+# 4. run the proxy
+# 5. test that everything works!!
+#
+#
+# This example file is almost the
+# same as what I have been using
+# to build swift in my environment (which is based on vagrant)
+
+
+
+$swift_shared_secret='changeme'
+
+Exec { logoutput => true }
+
+if($clientcert == 'swift_storage_1') {
+
+  $swift_local_net_ip = $ipaddress
+  $swift_zone = 1
+  include role_swift_storage
+
+} elsif($clientcert == 'swift_storage_2') {
+
+  $swift_local_net_ip = $ipaddress
+  $swift_zone = 2
+  include role_swift_storage
+
+} elsif($clientcert == 'swift_storage_2') {
+
+  $swift_local_net_ip = $ipaddress
+  $swift_zone = 3
+  include role_swift_storage
+
+} elsif($clientcert == 'swift_proxy') {
+
+  $swift_local_net_ip = $ipaddress
+  include role_swift_proxy
+
+} elsif($clientcert == 'swift_ringbuilding') {
+
+  $swift_local_net_ip = $ipaddress
+  include role_swift_ringbuilder
+
+}
+
+class role_swift {
+
+  class { 'ssh::server::install': }
+
+  class { 'swift':
+    # not sure how I want to deal with this shared secret
+    swift_hash_suffix => $swift_shared_secret,
+    package_ensure => latest,
+  }
+
+}
+
+class role_swift_ringbuilder inherits role_swif {
+
+  class { 'swift::ringbuilder':
+    part_power     => '18',
+    replicas       => '3',
+    min_part_hours => 1,
+    require        => Class['swift'],
+  }
+
+  # collect the ring devices to build
+  # TODO - this should be done with resource collection
+  include ring_hack
+
+  # now build an rsync server to host the data
+
+}
+
+class role_swift_proxy inherits role_swift {
+
+  package { 'curl': ensure => present }
+
+  class { 'memcached':
+    listen_ip => $proxy_local_net_ip,
+  }
+
+  # TODO should I enable swath in the default config?
+  class { 'swift::proxy':
+    account_autocreate => true,
+    require            => Class['swift::ringbuilder'],
+  }
+}
+
+class role_swift_storage inherits role_swift {
+
+  class { 'swift::storage': }
+
+  # create xfs partitions on a loopback device and mount them
+  swift::storage::loopback { '1':
+    require => Class['swift'],
+  }
+
+  swift::storage::device::object { '6001':
+    device_name => '1',
+    zone        => $swift_zone,
+    weight      => 1,
+    storage_local_net_ip => $swift_local_net_ip,
+    manage_ring => false,
+  }
+  swift::storage::device::container { '6002':
+    device_name => '1',
+    zone        => $swift_zone,
+    weight      => 1,
+    storage_local_net_ip => $swift_local_net_ip,
+    manage_ring => false,
+  }
+  swift::storage::device::account { '6003':
+    device_name => '1',
+    zone        => $swift_zone,
+    weight      => 1,
+    storage_local_net_ip => $swift_local_net_ip,
+    manage_ring => false,
+  }
+}
+
+class ring_hack {
+
+}