diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index 4f9d4938e..54add4e1b 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -21,6 +21,40 @@ source ./so-common-functions
 
 SOVERSION=$(cat ../VERSION)
 
+log() {
+	msg=$1
+	level=${2:-I}
+	now=$(TZ=GMT date +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+	echo -e "$now | $level | $msg" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+}
+
+error() {
+	log "$1" "E"
+}
+
+info() {
+	log "$1" "I"
+}
+
+header() {
+	echo -e "-----------------------------\n $1\n-----------------------------\n" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+}
+
+logCmd() {
+	cmd=$1
+	info "Executing command: $cmd\n$($cmd)\n"
+}
+
+analyze_system() {
+	header "System Characteristics"
+	logCmd "uptime"
+	logCmd "uname -a"
+	logCmd "free -h"
+	logCmd "lscpu"
+	logCmd "df -h"
+	logCmd "ip a"
+}
+
 accept_salt_key_remote() {
 	systemctl restart salt-minion
 	
diff --git a/setup/so-setup b/setup/so-setup
index c933abcce..22936fbb8 100755
--- a/setup/so-setup
+++ b/setup/so-setup
@@ -48,9 +48,11 @@ done
 
 # Begin Installation pre-processing
 parse_install_username
-echo "Installing as the $INSTALLUSERNAME user." >> $setup_log 2>&1
 
-echo "---- Starting setup at $(date -u) ----" >> $setup_log 2>&1
+header "Initializing Setup"
+info "Installing as the $INSTALLUSERNAME user"
+
+analyze_system
 
 automated=no
 function progress() {
@@ -76,9 +78,6 @@ if [[ -f automation/$automation && $(basename $automation) == $automation ]]; th
 	source automation/$automation
 	automated=yes
 
-	echo "Checking network configuration" >> $setup_log 2>&1
-	ip a >> $setup_log 2>&1
-
 	attempt=1
 	attempts=60
 	ip a | grep "$MNIC:" | grep "state UP" >> $setup_log 2>&1