diff --git a/files/nova_test.sh b/files/nova_test.sh
index 46ae877..77deb5b 100755
--- a/files/nova_test.sh
+++ b/files/nova_test.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # assumes that resonable credentials have been stored at
 # /root/auth
-source /root/auth
+source /root/openrc
 
 # get an image to test with
 #wget http://uec-images.ubuntu.com/releases/11.10/release/ubuntu-11.10-server-cloudimg-amd64-disk1.img
diff --git a/manifests/auth_file.pp b/manifests/auth_file.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d1aaad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/auth_file.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#
+# Creates an auth file that can be used to export
+# environment variables that can be used to authenticate
+# against a keystone server.
+#
+class openstack::auth_file(
+  $admin_password,
+  $controller_node      = '127.0.0.1',
+  $keystone_admin_token = 'keystone_admin_token',
+  $admin_user           = 'admin',
+  $admin_tenant         = 'openstack'
+) {
+  file { '/root/openrc':
+    content =>
+  "
+  export OS_TENANT_NAME=${admin_tenant}
+  export OS_USERNAME=${admin_user}
+  export OS_PASSWORD=${admin_password}
+  export OS_AUTH_URL=\"http://${controller_node}:5000/v2.0/\"
+  export OS_AUTH_STRATEGY=keystone
+  export SERVICE_TOKEN=${keystone_admin_token}
+  export SERVICE_ENDPOINT=http://${controller_node}:35357/v2.0/
+  "
+  }
+}