diff --git a/exercises/boot_from_volume.sh b/exercises/boot_from_volume.sh
index 183efa636e..460b50cf10 100755
--- a/exercises/boot_from_volume.sh
+++ b/exercises/boot_from_volume.sh
@@ -139,16 +139,10 @@ fi
 nova add-floating-ip $VOL_VM_UUID $FLOATING_IP
 
 # Test we can ping our floating ip within ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT seconds
-if ! timeout $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ping -c1 -w1 $FLOATING_IP; do sleep 1; done"; then
-    echo "Couldn't ping volume-backed server with floating ip"
-    exit 1
-fi
+ping_check "$PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME" $FLOATING_IP $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT
 
 # Make sure our volume-backed instance launched
-if ! timeout $ACTIVE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -i $KEY_FILE ${DEFAULT_INSTANCE_USER}@$FLOATING_IP echo success ; do sleep 1; done"; then
-    echo "server didn't become ssh-able!"
-    exit 1
-fi
+ssh_check "$PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME" $KEY_FILE $FLOATING_IP $DEFAULT_INSTANCE_USER $ACTIVE_TIMEOUT
 
 # Remove floating ip from volume-backed instance
 nova remove-floating-ip $VOL_VM_UUID $FLOATING_IP
diff --git a/exercises/euca.sh b/exercises/euca.sh
index 58b5d9143d..b12149300f 100755
--- a/exercises/euca.sh
+++ b/exercises/euca.sh
@@ -130,10 +130,7 @@ euca-authorize -P icmp -s 0.0.0.0/0 -t -1:-1 $SECGROUP || \
     die "Failure authorizing rule in $SECGROUP"
 
 # Test we can ping our floating ip within ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT seconds
-if ! timeout $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ping -c1 -w1 $FLOATING_IP; do sleep 1; done"; then
-    echo "Couldn't ping server with floating ip"
-    exit 1
-fi
+ping_check "$PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME" $FLOATING_IP $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT
 
 # Revoke pinging
 euca-revoke -P icmp -s 0.0.0.0/0 -t -1:-1 $SECGROUP || \
diff --git a/exercises/floating_ips.sh b/exercises/floating_ips.sh
index 77f020e2a3..67878787ac 100755
--- a/exercises/floating_ips.sh
+++ b/exercises/floating_ips.sh
@@ -118,23 +118,10 @@ if ! timeout $ACTIVE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! nova show $VM_UUID | grep status | g
 fi
 
 # get the IP of the server
-IP=`nova show $VM_UUID | grep "private network" | get_field 2`
+IP=`nova show $VM_UUID | grep "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" | get_field 2`
 die_if_not_set IP "Failure retrieving IP address"
 
-# for single node deployments, we can ping private ips
-MULTI_HOST=`trueorfalse False $MULTI_HOST`
-if [ "$MULTI_HOST" = "False" ]; then
-    # sometimes the first ping fails (10 seconds isn't enough time for the VM's
-    # network to respond?), so let's ping for a default of 15 seconds with a
-    # timeout of a second for each ping.
-    if ! timeout $BOOT_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ping -c1 -w1 $IP; do sleep 1; done"; then
-        echo "Couldn't ping server"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-else
-    # On a multi-host system, without vm net access, do a sleep to wait for the boot
-    sleep $BOOT_TIMEOUT
-fi
+ping_check "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" $IP $BOOT_TIMEOUT
 
 # Security Groups & Floating IPs
 # ------------------------------
@@ -166,10 +153,7 @@ nova add-floating-ip $VM_UUID $FLOATING_IP || \
     die "Failure adding floating IP $FLOATING_IP to $NAME"
 
 # test we can ping our floating ip within ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT seconds
-if ! timeout $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ping -c1 -w1 $FLOATING_IP; do sleep 1; done"; then
-    echo "Couldn't ping server with floating ip"
-    exit 1
-fi
+ping_check "$PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME" $FLOATING_IP $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT
 
 # Allocate an IP from second floating pool
 TEST_FLOATING_IP=`nova floating-ip-create $TEST_FLOATING_POOL | grep $TEST_FLOATING_POOL | get_field 1`
@@ -187,19 +171,16 @@ nova secgroup-delete-rule $SECGROUP icmp -1 -1 0.0.0.0/0 || die "Failure deletin
 # FIXME (anthony): make xs support security groups
 if [ "$VIRT_DRIVER" != "xenserver" -a "$VIRT_DRIVER" != "openvz" ]; then
     # test we can aren't able to ping our floating ip within ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT seconds
-    if ! timeout $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ping -c1 -w1 $FLOATING_IP; do sleep 1; done"; then
-        print "Security group failure - ping should not be allowed!"
-        echo "Couldn't ping server with floating ip"
-        exit 1
-    fi
+    ping_check "$PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME" $FLOATING_IP $ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT
 fi
 
-# de-allocate the floating ip
-nova floating-ip-delete $FLOATING_IP || die "Failure deleting floating IP $FLOATING_IP"
-
 # Delete second floating IP
 nova floating-ip-delete $TEST_FLOATING_IP || die "Failure deleting floating IP $TEST_FLOATING_IP"
 
+
+# de-allocate the floating ip
+nova floating-ip-delete $FLOATING_IP || die "Failure deleting floating IP $FLOATING_IP"
+
 # Shutdown the server
 nova delete $VM_UUID || die "Failure deleting instance $NAME"
 
diff --git a/exercises/volumes.sh b/exercises/volumes.sh
index ffa12c462c..1c73786ef1 100755
--- a/exercises/volumes.sh
+++ b/exercises/volumes.sh
@@ -119,23 +119,11 @@ if ! timeout $ACTIVE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! nova show $VM_UUID | grep status | g
 fi
 
 # get the IP of the server
-IP=`nova show $VM_UUID | grep "private network" | get_field 2`
+IP=`nova show $VM_UUID | grep "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" | get_field 2`
 die_if_not_set IP "Failure retrieving IP address"
 
 # for single node deployments, we can ping private ips
-MULTI_HOST=`trueorfalse False $MULTI_HOST`
-if [ "$MULTI_HOST" = "False" ]; then
-    # sometimes the first ping fails (10 seconds isn't enough time for the VM's
-    # network to respond?), so let's ping for a default of 15 seconds with a
-    # timeout of a second for each ping.
-    if ! timeout $BOOT_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ping -c1 -w1 $IP; do sleep 1; done"; then
-        echo "Couldn't ping server"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-else
-    # On a multi-host system, without vm net access, do a sleep to wait for the boot
-    sleep $BOOT_TIMEOUT
-fi
+ping_check "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" $IP $BOOT_TIMEOUT
 
 # Volumes
 # -------
diff --git a/functions b/functions
index 0d0df51fad..dbe9d30a68 100644
--- a/functions
+++ b/functions
@@ -849,6 +849,42 @@ function yum_install() {
         yum install -y "$@"
 }
 
+# ping check
+# Uses globals ``ENABLED_SERVICES``
+function ping_check() {
+    _ping_check_novanet "$1" $2 $3
+}
+
+# ping check for nova
+# Uses globals ``MULTI_HOST``, ``PRIVATE_NETWORK``
+function _ping_check_novanet() {
+    local from_net=$1
+    local ip=$2
+    local boot_timeout=$3
+    MULTI_HOST=`trueorfalse False $MULTI_HOST`
+    if [[ "$MULTI_HOST" = "True" && "$from_net" = "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" ]]; then
+        sleep $boot_timeout
+        return
+    fi
+    if ! timeout $boot_timeout sh -c "while ! ping -c1 -w1 $ip; do sleep 1; done"; then
+        echo "Couldn't ping server"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+# ssh check
+function ssh_check() {
+    local NET_NAME=$1
+    local KEY_FILE=$2
+    local FLOATING_IP=$3
+    local DEFAULT_INSTANCE_USER=$4
+    local ACTIVE_TIMEOUT=$5
+    local probe_cmd = ""
+    if ! timeout $ACTIVE_TIMEOUT sh -c "while ! ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -i $KEY_FILE ${DEFAULT_INSTANCE_USER}@$FLOATING_IP echo success ; do sleep 1; done"; then
+        echo "server didn't become ssh-able!"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
 
 # Restore xtrace
 $XTRACE
diff --git a/openrc b/openrc
index 08ef98be78..0a6a215027 100644
--- a/openrc
+++ b/openrc
@@ -72,3 +72,6 @@ export COMPUTE_API_VERSION=${COMPUTE_API_VERSION:-$NOVA_VERSION}
 # set log level to DEBUG (helps debug issues)
 # export KEYSTONECLIENT_DEBUG=1
 # export NOVACLIENT_DEBUG=1
+
+# set qunatum debug command
+export TEST_CONFIG_FILE=/etc/quantum/debug.ini
diff --git a/stack.sh b/stack.sh
index 3fc3204d63..8797a63e1c 100755
--- a/stack.sh
+++ b/stack.sh
@@ -1950,14 +1950,14 @@ if is_service_enabled q-svc; then
     # Create a small network
     # Since quantum command is executed in admin context at this point,
     # ``--tenant_id`` needs to be specified.
-    NET_ID=$(quantum net-create --tenant_id $TENANT_ID net1 | grep ' id ' | get_field 2)
+    NET_ID=$(quantum net-create --tenant_id $TENANT_ID "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" | grep ' id ' | get_field 2)
     SUBNET_ID=$(quantum subnet-create --tenant_id $TENANT_ID --ip_version 4 --gateway $NETWORK_GATEWAY $NET_ID $FIXED_RANGE | grep ' id ' | get_field 2)
     if is_service_enabled q-l3; then
         # Create a router, and add the private subnet as one of its interfaces
         ROUTER_ID=$(quantum router-create --tenant_id $TENANT_ID router1 | grep ' id ' | get_field 2)
         quantum router-interface-add $ROUTER_ID $SUBNET_ID
         # Create an external network, and a subnet. Configure the external network as router gw
-        EXT_NET_ID=$(quantum net-create ext_net -- --router:external=True | grep ' id ' | get_field 2)
+        EXT_NET_ID=$(quantum net-create "$PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME" -- --router:external=True | grep ' id ' | get_field 2)
         EXT_GW_IP=$(quantum subnet-create --ip_version 4 $EXT_NET_ID $FLOATING_RANGE -- --enable_dhcp=False | grep 'gateway_ip' | get_field 2)
         quantum router-gateway-set $ROUTER_ID $EXT_NET_ID
         if is_quantum_ovs_base_plugin "$Q_PLUGIN" && [[ "$Q_USE_NAMESPACE" = "True" ]]; then
@@ -1975,10 +1975,10 @@ if is_service_enabled q-svc; then
 
 elif is_service_enabled mysql && is_service_enabled nova; then
     # Create a small network
-    $NOVA_BIN_DIR/nova-manage network create private $FIXED_RANGE 1 $FIXED_NETWORK_SIZE $NETWORK_CREATE_ARGS
+    $NOVA_BIN_DIR/nova-manage network create "$PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME" $FIXED_RANGE 1 $FIXED_NETWORK_SIZE $NETWORK_CREATE_ARGS
 
     # Create some floating ips
-    $NOVA_BIN_DIR/nova-manage floating create $FLOATING_RANGE
+    $NOVA_BIN_DIR/nova-manage floating create $FLOATING_RANGE --pool=$PUBLIC_NETWORK
 
     # Create a second pool
     $NOVA_BIN_DIR/nova-manage floating create --ip_range=$TEST_FLOATING_RANGE --pool=$TEST_FLOATING_POOL
diff --git a/stackrc b/stackrc
index f9a41bd7b3..e587efa8f2 100644
--- a/stackrc
+++ b/stackrc
@@ -136,10 +136,10 @@ fi
 #IMAGE_URLS="http://launchpad.net/cirros/trunk/0.3.0/+download/cirros-0.3.0-x86_64-disk.img" # cirros full disk image
 
 # Set default image based on ``VIRT_DRIVER`` and ``LIBVIRT_TYPE``, either of
-# which may be set in ``localrc``.  Also allow ``DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME`` and 
+# which may be set in ``localrc``.  Also allow ``DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME`` and
 # ``IMAGE_URLS`` to be set directly in ``localrc``.
 case "$VIRT_DRIVER" in
-    openvz) 
+    openvz)
         DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME=${DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME:-ubuntu-11.10-x86_64}
         IMAGE_URLS=${IMAGE_URLS:-"http://download.openvz.org/template/precreated/ubuntu-11.10-x86_64.tar.gz"};;
     libvirt)
@@ -159,3 +159,6 @@ esac
 
 # 5Gb default volume backing file size
 VOLUME_BACKING_FILE_SIZE=${VOLUME_BACKING_FILE_SIZE:-5130M}
+
+PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME=${PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME:-"private"}
+PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME=${PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME:-"nova"}