diff --git a/salt/reactor/sominion_setup.sls b/salt/reactor/sominion_setup.sls
index 21c7824fe..91889158b 100644
--- a/salt/reactor/sominion_setup.sls
+++ b/salt/reactor/sominion_setup.sls
@@ -10,26 +10,32 @@ from subprocess import call
 import yaml
 
 def run():
+  logging.debug('sominion_setup_reactor: Running')
   minionid = data['id']
   DATA = data['data']
   hv_name = DATA['HYPERVISOR_HOST']
-  logging.error("sominion_setup reactor: %s " % DATA)
+  logging.debug('sominion_setup_reactor: DATA: %s' % DATA)
 
-  vm_out_data = {
-    'cpu': DATA['CPU'],
-    'memory': DATA['MEMORY'],
-    'disks': DATA['DISKS'],
-    'copper': DATA['COPPER'],
-    'sfp': DATA['SFP']
-  }
 
-  logging.error("sominion_setup reactor: vm_out_data: %s " % vm_out_data)
+  # Build the base command
+  cmd = "NODETYPE=" + DATA['NODETYPE'] + " /usr/sbin/so-minion -o=addVM -m=" + minionid + " -n=" + DATA['MNIC'] + " -i=" + DATA['MAINIP'] + " -d='" + DATA['NODE_DESCRIPTION'] + "'"
+  
+  # Add optional arguments only if they exist in DATA
+  if 'CORECOUNT' in DATA:
+    cmd += " -c=" + str(DATA['CORECOUNT'])
+    
+  if 'INTERFACE' in DATA:
+    cmd += " -a=" + DATA['INTERFACE']
+  
+  if 'ES_HEAP_SIZE' in DATA:
+    cmd += " -e=" + DATA['ES_HEAP_SIZE']
+  
+  if 'LS_HEAP_SIZE' in DATA:
+    cmd += " -l=" + DATA['LS_HEAP_SIZE']
+  
+  logging.debug('sominion_setup_reactor: Command: %s' % cmd)
+  rc = call(cmd, shell=True)
 
-  with open("/opt/so/saltstack/local/pillar/hypervisor/" + hv_name + "/" + minionid + ".sls", 'w') as f:
-    yaml.dump(vm_out_data, f, default_flow_style=False)
-
-  rc = call("NODETYPE=" + DATA['NODETYPE'] + " /usr/sbin/so-minion -o=addVM -m=" + minionid + " -n=" + DATA['MNIC'] + " -i=" + DATA['MAINIP'] + " -a=" + DATA['INTERFACE'] + " -c=" + str(DATA['CPU'])  + " -d='" + DATA['NODE_DESCRIPTION'] + "'" + " -e=" + DATA['ES_HEAP_SIZE'] + " -l=" + DATA['LS_HEAP_SIZE'], shell=True)
-
-  logging.error('sominion_setup reactor: rc: %s' % rc)
+  logging.info('sominion_setup_reactor: rc: %s' % rc)
 
   return {}
diff --git a/salt/setup/virt/soinstall.map.jinja b/salt/setup/virt/soinstall.map.jinja
index 33da9ff0c..1d70ac67e 100644
--- a/salt/setup/virt/soinstall.map.jinja
+++ b/salt/setup/virt/soinstall.map.jinja
@@ -4,18 +4,67 @@
    Elastic License 2.0. #}
 
 {% set nodetype = grains.id.split("_") | last %}
-{% import_yaml 'setup/virt/' ~ nodetype ~ '.yaml' as DATA %}
-{% set total_mem  = grains.mem_total %}
+{% set hypervisor = salt['grains.get']('salt-cloud:profile').split('-')[1] %}
 
+{# Import hardware details from VM hardware tracking file #}
+{% import_json 'hypervisor/hosts/' ~ hypervisor ~ '/' ~ grains.id as vm_hardware %}
+
+{% set DATA = {} %}
+{% do DATA.update({'MNIC': 'enp1s0'}) %}
 {% do DATA.update({'MAINIP': grains.ip_interfaces.get(DATA.MNIC)[0]}) %}
-{% do DATA.update({'CORECOUNT': grains.num_cpus}) %}
-{% do DATA.update({'CPUCORES': grains.num_cpus}) %}
+
+{# Use CPU value from VM hardware file if available, otherwise fallback to grains #}
+{% if vm_hardware and vm_hardware.get('config', {}).get('cpu') %}
+  {% do DATA.update({'CPUCORES': vm_hardware.get('config', {}).get('cpu')|int }) %}
+  {% do salt.log.info('Using CPU from VM hardware file: ' ~ vm_hardware.get('config', {}).get('cpu')|string) %}
+{% else %}
+  {% do DATA.update({'CPUCORES': grains.num_cpus }) %}
+  {% do salt.log.error('Using CPU from grains: ' ~ grains.num_cpus|string) %}
+{% endif %}
+
+{# Use memory value from VM hardware file if available, otherwise fallback to grains. If grains is used, it will be from cpu/mem from the base domain. #}
+{% if vm_hardware and vm_hardware.get('config', {}).get('memory') %}
+  {% set total_mem = vm_hardware.get('config', {}).get('memory')|int * 1024 %}
+  {% do salt.log.info('Using memory from VM hardware file: ' ~ vm_hardware.get('config', {}).get('memory')|string ~ ' (converted to ' ~ total_mem|string ~ ')') %}
+{% else %}
+  {% set total_mem = grains.mem_total %}
+  {% do salt.log.error('Using memory from grains: ' ~ total_mem|string) %}
+{% endif %}
+
+{% do DATA.update({'NODE_DESCRIPTION': 'VM of ' ~ hypervisor}) %}
+{% do DATA.update({'NODETYPE': nodetype | upper}) %}
+
+{% if nodetype in ['standalone', 'sensor', 'heavynode']%}
+{%   do DATA.update({'INTERFACE': 'bond0'}) %}
+{% endif %}
+
+{#   Calculate reasonable core usage #}
+{% set cores_for_zeek = (DATA.CPUCORES / 2) - 1 %}
+{% do salt.log.info('cores_for_zeek calculation using CPUCORES: ' ~ DATA.CPUCORES|string) %}
+{% do salt.log.info('cores_for_zeek: ' ~ cores_for_zeek|string) %}
+{% set lb_procs_round = cores_for_zeek|round|int %}
+{% do salt.log.info('lb_procs_round: ' ~ lb_procs_round|string) %}
+{% set lb_procs = 1 if lb_procs_round < 1 else lb_procs_round %}
+{% do salt.log.info('lb_procs: ' ~ lb_procs|string) %}
+{#   Check memory conditions #}
+{% set low_mem = false %}
+{% do salt.log.info('Memory check using total_mem: ' ~ total_mem|string) %}
+{% if nodetype in ['standalone', 'heavynode'] %}
+{%   if total_mem > 15000 and total_mem < 24000 %}
+{%     set low_mem = true %}
+{%   endif %}
+{% endif %}
+{# Set CORECOUNT based on memory conditions #}
+{% if low_mem %}
+{%   do DATA.update({'CORECOUNT': 1}) %}
+{% else %}
+{%   do DATA.update({'CORECOUNT': lb_procs}) %}
+{% endif %}
+
 
 {% if nodetype in ['searchnode', 'receiver', 'fleet', 'heavynode'] %}
-
 {#   we can't use the host grain here because the grain may not be updated yet from the hostname change #}
 {%   do DATA.update({'LSHOSTNAME': grains.id.split("_") | first}) %}
-
 {%   if total_mem >= 32000 or nodetype in ['managersearch','heavynode','standalone'] %}
 {%     set LSHEAP="1000m" %}
 {%   elif nodetype == 'eval' %}
@@ -24,11 +73,8 @@
 {%     set LSHEAP="500m" %}
 {%   endif %}
 {%   do DATA.update({'LSHEAP': LSHEAP}) %}
-
 {% endif %}
-
 {% if nodetype in ['searchnode', 'heavynode'] %}
-
 {#   this replicates the function es_heapsize in so-functions #}
 {%   if total_mem < 8000 %}
 {%     set ES_HEAP_SIZE = "600m" %}
@@ -43,5 +89,4 @@
 {%    endif %}
 {%   endif %}
 {%   do DATA.update({'ES_HEAP_SIZE': ES_HEAP_SIZE}) %}
-
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/salt/setup/virt/sominion.sls b/salt/setup/virt/sominion.sls
index 55e3a796a..e0598a4d3 100644
--- a/salt/setup/virt/sominion.sls
+++ b/salt/setup/virt/sominion.sls
@@ -13,18 +13,17 @@ create_pillar:
         MAINIP: {{ DATA.MAINIP }}
         MNIC: {{ DATA.MNIC }}
         NODE_DESCRIPTION: '{{ DATA.NODE_DESCRIPTION }}'
-        ES_HEAP_SIZE: {{ DATA.ES_HEAP_SIZE }}
-        PATCHSCHEDULENAME: {{ DATA.PATCHSCHEDULENAME }}
         INTERFACE: {{ DATA.INTERFACE }}
         NODETYPE: {{ DATA.NODETYPE }}
+        {% if 'CORECOUNT' in DATA %}
         CORECOUNT: {{ DATA.CORECOUNT }}
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if 'ES_HEAP_SIZE' in DATA %}
+        ES_HEAP_SIZE: {{ DATA.ES_HEAP_SIZE }}
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if 'LSHOSTNAME' in DATA %}
         LSHOSTNAME: {{ DATA.LSHOSTNAME }}
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if 'LSHEAP' in DATA %}
         LS_HEAP_SIZE: {{ DATA.LSHEAP }}
-        CPUCORES: {{ DATA.CPUCORES }}
-        IDH_MGTRESTRICT: {{ DATA.IDH_MGTRESTRICT }}
-        IDH_SERVICES: {{ DATA.IDH_SERVICES }}
-        CPU: {{ DATA.CPU }}
-        MEMORY: {{ DATA.MEMORY }}
-        DISKS: {{ DATA.DISKS }}
-        COPPER: {{ DATA.COPPER }}
-        SFP: {{ DATA.SFP }}
+        {% endif %}