diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/alps/ras_alps_component.c b/orte/mca/ras/alps/ras_alps_component.c
index 09478e1d6a..996710ec51 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/alps/ras_alps_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/alps/ras_alps_component.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ orte_ras_alps_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module,
     }
     if (0 != orte_ras_alps_res_id) {
         mca_base_param_lookup_int(param_priority, priority);
-        opal_output_verbose(1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+        opal_output_verbose(2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                              "ras:alps: available for selection");
         *module = (mca_base_module_t *) &orte_ras_alps_module;
         return ORTE_SUCCESS;
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ int
 orte_ras_alps_get_appinfo_attempts(int *attempts)
 {
     mca_base_param_lookup_int(param_read_attempts, attempts);
-    opal_output_verbose(1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+    opal_output_verbose(2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                          "ras:alps:orte_ras_alps_get_appinfo_attempts: %d",
                          *attempts);
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/base/ras_base_allocate.c b/orte/mca/ras/base/ras_base_allocate.c
index 1f6972e5a0..b5fe8c07b1 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/base/ras_base_allocate.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/base/ras_base_allocate.c
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ void orte_ras_base_allocate(int fd, short args, void *cbdata)
 
  DISPLAY:
     /* shall we display the results? */
-    if (0 < opal_output_get_verbosity(orte_ras_base.ras_output) || orte_ras_base.display_alloc) {
+    if (4 < opal_output_get_verbosity(orte_ras_base.ras_output) || orte_ras_base.display_alloc) {
         display_alloc();
     }
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/gridengine/ras_gridengine_component.c b/orte/mca/ras/gridengine/ras_gridengine_component.c
index 192081a99b..88e018ebf4 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/gridengine/ras_gridengine_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/gridengine/ras_gridengine_component.c
@@ -101,13 +101,13 @@ static int orte_ras_gridengine_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int *
 
     if (NULL != getenv("SGE_ROOT") && NULL != getenv("ARC") && 
         NULL != getenv("PE_HOSTFILE") && NULL != getenv("JOB_ID")) {
-        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                              "%s ras:gridengine: available for selection",
                              ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
         *module = (mca_base_module_t *) &orte_ras_gridengine_module;
         return ORTE_SUCCESS;
     }
-    OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+    OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                          "%s ras:gridengine: NOT available for selection",
                          ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
     *module = NULL;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/loadleveler/ras_loadleveler_component.c b/orte/mca/ras/loadleveler/ras_loadleveler_component.c
index 0d416683a8..02d14f2c92 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/loadleveler/ras_loadleveler_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/loadleveler/ras_loadleveler_component.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static int orte_ras_loadleveler_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int
     /* Are we running under a LOADLEVELER job? */
     if (NULL != getenv("LOADL_STEP_ID")) {
         mca_base_param_lookup_int(param_priority, priority);
-        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                              "%s ras:loadleveler: available for selection",
                              ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
         *module = (mca_base_module_t *) &orte_ras_loadleveler_module;
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static int orte_ras_loadleveler_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int
     }
 
     /* Sadly, no */
-    OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+    OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                          "%s ras:loadleveler: NOT available for selection",
                          ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
     *module = NULL;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim.h b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim.h
index 9987aa42fb..bece209553 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim.h
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim.h
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ BEGIN_C_DECLS
 struct orte_ras_sim_component_t {
     orte_ras_base_component_t super;
     char *num_nodes;
-    int slots;
-    int slots_max;
+    char * slots;
+    char * slots_max;
     char *topofiles;
     bool have_cpubind;
     bool have_membind;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_component.c b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_component.c
index 9eb7bc9d8b..944157adf4 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_component.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 /*
  * Local functions
  */
-static int ras_sim_open(void);
+static int ras_sim_register(void);
 static int ras_sim_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int *priority);
 
 
@@ -51,9 +51,10 @@ orte_ras_sim_component_t mca_ras_simulator_component = {
             ORTE_RELEASE_VERSION,
         
             /* Component open and close functions */
-            ras_sim_open,
             NULL,
-            ras_sim_component_query
+            NULL,
+            ras_sim_component_query,
+            ras_sim_register
         },
         {
             /* The component is checkpoint ready */
@@ -63,16 +64,16 @@ orte_ras_sim_component_t mca_ras_simulator_component = {
 };
 
 
-static int ras_sim_open(void)
+static int ras_sim_register(void)
 {
-    mca_base_param_reg_int(&mca_ras_simulator_component.super.base_version,
+    mca_base_param_reg_string(&mca_ras_simulator_component.super.base_version,
                            "slots",
-                           "Number of slots on each node to simulate",
-                           false, false, 1, &mca_ras_simulator_component.slots);
-    mca_base_param_reg_int(&mca_ras_simulator_component.super.base_version,
+                           "Comma-separated list of number of slots on each node to simulate",
+                           false, false, "1", &mca_ras_simulator_component.slots);
+    mca_base_param_reg_string(&mca_ras_simulator_component.super.base_version,
                            "max_slots",
-                           "Number of max slots on each node to simulate",
-                           false, false, 0, &mca_ras_simulator_component.slots_max);
+                           "Comma-separated list of number of max slots on each node to simulate",
+                           false, false, "0", &mca_ras_simulator_component.slots_max);
 #if OPAL_HAVE_HWLOC
     {
         int tmp;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c
index 62e4505c23..e72999470d 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2011      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012      Los Alamos National Security, LLC. All rights reserved
+ *
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -51,18 +53,32 @@ static int allocate(opal_list_t *nodes)
     bool use_local_topology = false;
 #endif
     char **node_cnt=NULL;
+    char **slot_cnt=NULL;
+    char **max_slot_cnt=NULL;
+    char *tmp;
     char prefix[6];
 
     node_cnt = opal_argv_split(mca_ras_simulator_component.num_nodes, ',');
+    slot_cnt = opal_argv_split(mca_ras_simulator_component.slots, ',');
+    max_slot_cnt = opal_argv_split(mca_ras_simulator_component.slots_max, ',');
+
+    /* backfill the slot_cnt as reqd so we don't have to
+     * specify slot_cnt for each set of nodes - we'll set
+     * */
+    tmp = slot_cnt[opal_argv_count(slot_cnt)-1];
+    for (n=opal_argv_count(slot_cnt); n < opal_argv_count(node_cnt); n++) {
+        opal_argv_append_nosize(&slot_cnt, tmp);
+    }
+    /* backfill the max_slot_cnt as reqd */
+    tmp = max_slot_cnt[opal_argv_count(slot_cnt)-1];
+    for (n=opal_argv_count(max_slot_cnt); n < opal_argv_count(max_slot_cnt); n++) {
+        opal_argv_append_nosize(&max_slot_cnt, tmp);
+    }
 
 #if OPAL_HAVE_HWLOC
     if (NULL == mca_ras_simulator_component.topofiles) {
         /* use our topology */
         use_local_topology = true;
-        if (1 != opal_argv_count(node_cnt)) {
-            orte_show_help("help-ras-base.txt", "ras-sim:mismatch", true);
-            return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
-        }
     } else {
         files = opal_argv_split(mca_ras_simulator_component.topofiles, ',');
         if (opal_argv_count(files) != opal_argv_count(node_cnt)) {
@@ -153,11 +169,14 @@ static int allocate(opal_list_t *nodes)
             asprintf(&node->name, "%s%0*d", prefix, dig, i);
             node->state = ORTE_NODE_STATE_UP;
             node->slots_inuse = 0;
-            node->slots_max = mca_ras_simulator_component.slots_max;
-            node->slots = mca_ras_simulator_component.slots;
+            node->slots_max = (NULL == max_slot_cnt[n] ? 0 : atoi(max_slot_cnt[n]));
+            node->slots = (NULL == slot_cnt[n] ? 0 : atoi(slot_cnt[n]));
 #if OPAL_HAVE_HWLOC
             node->topology = topo;
 #endif
+            opal_output_verbose(1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+                                "Created Node <%10s> [%3d : %3d]",
+                                node->name, node->slots, node->slots_max);
             opal_list_append(nodes, &node->super);
         }
     }
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/slurm/ras_slurm_component.c b/orte/mca/ras/slurm/ras_slurm_component.c
index 4e0f0e24b9..2f2fae1250 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/slurm/ras_slurm_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/slurm/ras_slurm_component.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ static int orte_ras_slurm_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int *prior
 
     if (NULL != getenv("SLURM_JOBID")) {
         mca_base_param_lookup_int(param_priority, priority);
-        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                              "%s ras:slurm: available for selection",
                              ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
         *module = (mca_base_module_t *) &orte_ras_slurm_module;
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static int orte_ras_slurm_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int *prior
 
     /* Sadly, no */
 
-    OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((1, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
+    OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_ras_base.ras_output,
                          "%s ras:slurm: NOT available for selection",
                          ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
     *module = NULL;