diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 17ec95b..e0538bf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ jobs:
           draft: false
           prerelease: false
           generateReleaseNotes: true
-      - name: Install Ruby 2.5.8
+      - name: Install Ruby jruby-9.3.6.0
         uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
         with:
-          ruby-version: '2.5.8'
+          ruby-version: 'jruby-9.3.6.0'
       - name: Build gem
         run: gem build *.gemspec
       - name: Publish gem
diff --git a/.github/workflows/testing.yml b/.github/workflows/testing.yml
index 501403f..068495e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/testing.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         ruby-version:
-          - '2.5.8'
+          - 'jruby-9.3.6.0'
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
     - name: Set up Ruby
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         ruby-version:
-          - '2.5.8'
-          - 'jruby-9.2.12.0'
+          - 'jruby-9.3.6.0'
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
     - name: Set up Ruby
diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/aws_setup.rb b/lib/vmpooler/aws_setup.rb
index 90a0825..8077faf 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/aws_setup.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/aws_setup.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,19 @@ module Vmpooler
       ROOT_KEYS_SCRIPT = ENV['ROOT_KEYS_SCRIPT']
       ROOT_KEYS_SYNC_CMD = "curl -k -o - -L #{ROOT_KEYS_SCRIPT} | %s"
 
-      def self.setup_node_by_ssh(host, platform)
+      def initialize(logger, new_vmname)
+        @logger = logger
         @key_file = ENV['AWS_KEY_FILE_LOCATION']
+        @vm_name = new_vmname
+      end
+
+      def setup_node_by_ssh(host, platform)
         conn = check_ssh_accepting_connections(host, platform)
+        return unless conn
+
+        @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{platform}] '#{@vm_name}' net:ssh connected")
         configure_host(host, platform, conn)
+        @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{platform}] '#{@vm_name}' configured")
       end
 
       # For an Amazon Linux AMI, the user name is ec2-user.
@@ -30,7 +39,7 @@ module Vmpooler
       #
       #     For an Ubuntu AMI, the user name is ubuntu.
 
-      def self.get_user(platform)
+      def get_user(platform)
         if platform =~ /centos/
           'centos'
         elsif platform =~ /ubuntu/
@@ -42,22 +51,29 @@ module Vmpooler
         end
       end
 
-      def self.check_ssh_accepting_connections(host, platform)
+      def check_ssh_accepting_connections(host, platform)
         retries = 0
         begin
           user = get_user(platform)
           netssh_jruby_workaround
           Net::SSH.start(host, user, keys: @key_file, timeout: 10)
         rescue Net::SSH::ConnectionTimeout, Errno::ECONNREFUSED => e
-          puts "Requested instances do not have sshd ready yet, try again: #{e}"
+          @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{platform}] '#{@vm_name}' net:ssh requested instances do not have sshd ready yet, try again for 300s (#{retries}/300): #{e}")
           sleep 1
           retry if (retries += 1) < 300
+        rescue Errno::EBADF => e
+          @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{platform}] '#{@vm_name}' net:ssh jruby error, try again for 300s (#{retries}/30): #{e}")
+          sleep 10
+          retry if (retries += 1) < 30
+        rescue StandardError => e
+          @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{platform}] '#{@vm_name}' net:ssh other error, skipping aws_setup: #{e}")
+          puts e.backtrace
         end
       end
 
       # Configure the aws host by enabling root and setting the hostname
       # @param host [String] the internal dns name of the instance
-      def self.configure_host(host, platform, ssh)
+      def configure_host(host, platform, ssh)
         ssh.exec!('sudo cp -r .ssh /root/.')
         ssh.exec!("sudo sed -ri 's/^#?PermitRootLogin.*/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config")
         ssh.exec!("sudo hostname #{host}")
@@ -69,7 +85,7 @@ module Vmpooler
         sync_root_keys(host, platform)
       end
 
-      def self.restart_sshd(host, platform, ssh)
+      def restart_sshd(host, platform, ssh)
         ssh.open_channel do |channel|
           channel.request_pty do |ch, success|
             raise "can't get pty request" unless success
@@ -88,7 +104,7 @@ module Vmpooler
         ssh.loop
       end
 
-      def self.sync_root_keys(host, _platform)
+      def sync_root_keys(host, _platform)
         return if ROOT_KEYS_SCRIPT.nil?
 
         user = 'root'
@@ -101,7 +117,7 @@ module Vmpooler
       # issue when using net ssh 6.1.0 with jruby
       # https://github.com/jruby/jruby-openssl/issues/105
       # this will turn off some algos that match /^ecd(sa|h)-sha2/
-      def self.netssh_jruby_workaround
+      def netssh_jruby_workaround
         Net::SSH::Transport::Algorithms::ALGORITHMS.each_value { |algs| algs.reject! { |a| a =~ /^ecd(sa|h)-sha2/ } }
         Net::SSH::KnownHosts::SUPPORTED_TYPE.reject! { |t| t =~ /^ecd(sa|h)-sha2/ }
       end
diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/providers/ec2.rb b/lib/vmpooler/providers/ec2.rb
index 4a7c26c..7ef5e36 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/providers/ec2.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/providers/ec2.rb
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ module Vmpooler
           # The default connection pool timeout should be quite large - 60 seconds
           connpool_timeout = provider_config['connection_pool_timeout'].nil? ? 60 : provider_config['connection_pool_timeout'].to_i
           logger.log('d', "[#{name}] ConnPool - Creating a connection pool of size #{connpool_size} with timeout #{connpool_timeout}")
+          @logger = logger
           @connection_pool = Vmpooler::PoolManager::GenericConnectionPool.new(
             metrics: metrics,
             connpool_type: 'provider_connection_pool',
@@ -204,11 +205,11 @@ module Vmpooler
                   value: pool_name
                 },
                 {
-                  key: 'lifetime',
+                  key: 'lifetime', # required by AWS reaper
                   value: get_current_lifetime(new_vmname)
                 },
                 {
-                  key: 'created_by',
+                  key: 'created_by', # required by AWS reaper
                   value: get_current_user(new_vmname)
                 },
                 {
@@ -216,14 +217,17 @@ module Vmpooler
                   value: get_current_job_url(new_vmname)
                 },
                 {
-                  key: 'organization',
+                  key: 'organization', # required by AWS reaper
                   value: 'engineering'
                 },
                 {
-                  key: 'portfolio',
+                  key: 'portfolio', # required by AWS reaper
                   value: 'ds-ci'
+                },
+                {
+                  key: 'Name',
+                  value: new_vmname
                 }
-
               ]
             }
           ]
@@ -247,16 +251,24 @@ module Vmpooler
           batch_instance = connection.create_instances(config)
           instance_id = batch_instance.first.instance_id
           connection.client.wait_until(:instance_running, { instance_ids: [instance_id] })
+          @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{pool_name}] '#{new_vmname}' instance running")
+          ### System status checks
+          # This check verifies that your instance is reachable. Amazon EC2 tests that network packets can get to your instance.
+          ### Instance status checks
+          # This check verifies that your instance's operating system is accepting traffic.
+          connection.client.wait_until(:instance_status_ok, { instance_ids: [instance_id] })
+          @logger.log('s', "[>] [#{pool_name}] '#{new_vmname}' instance ready to accept traffic")
           created_instance = get_vm(pool_name, new_vmname)
 
           # extra setup steps
-          provision_node_aws(created_instance['private_dns_name'], pool_name) if to_provision(pool_name) == 'true' || to_provision(pool_name) == true
+          provision_node_aws(created_instance['private_dns_name'], pool_name, new_vmname) if to_provision(pool_name) == 'true' || to_provision(pool_name) == true
 
           created_instance
         end
 
-        def provision_node_aws(vm, pool_name)
-          AwsSetup.setup_node_by_ssh(vm, pool_name)
+        def provision_node_aws(vm, pool_name, new_vmname)
+          aws_setup = AwsSetup.new(@logger, new_vmname)
+          aws_setup.setup_node_by_ssh(vm, pool_name)
         end
 
         def get_block_device_mappings(image_id, volume_size)
@@ -373,13 +385,14 @@ module Vmpooler
         def vm_ready?(pool_name, vm_name)
           begin
             # TODO: we could use a healthcheck resource attached to instance
-            domain_set = domain || global_config[:config]['domain']
+            domain_set = domain
             if domain_set.nil?
-              vm_ip = get_vm(pool_name, vm_name)['private_ip_address']
+              vm_ip = get_vm(pool_name, vm_name)['private_dns_name']
               vm_name = vm_ip unless vm_ip.nil?
             end
             open_socket(vm_name, domain_set)
-          rescue StandardError => _e
+          rescue StandardError => e
+            @logger.log('s', "[!] [#{pool_name}] '#{vm_name}' instance cannot be reached by vmpooler on tcp port 22; #{e}")
             return false
           end
           true
@@ -430,10 +443,11 @@ module Vmpooler
           end
         end
 
+        # returns lifetime in hours in the format Xh defaults to 1h
         def get_current_lifetime(vm_name)
           @redis.with_metrics do |redis|
-            lifetime = redis.hget("vmpooler__vm__#{vm_name}", 'lifetime') || '1h'
-            return lifetime
+            lifetime = redis.hget("vmpooler__vm__#{vm_name}", 'lifetime') || '1'
+            return "#{lifetime}h"
           end
         end
 
@@ -511,7 +525,7 @@ module Vmpooler
         def debug_logger(message, send_to_upstream: false)
           # the default logger is simple and does not enforce debug levels (the first argument)
           puts message if ENV['DEBUG_FLAG']
-          logger.log('[g]', message) if send_to_upstream
+          @logger.log('[g]', message) if send_to_upstream
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/helpers.rb b/spec/helpers.rb
index 4b2dff6..eefcb04 100644
--- a/spec/helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ end
 # Mock an object which represents a Logger.  This stops the proliferation
 # of allow(logger).to .... expectations in tests.
 class MockLogger
-  def log(_level, string); end
+  def log(_level, string);
+    puts "#{string}"
+  end
 end
 
 def expect_json(ok = true, http = 200)
diff --git a/vmpooler-provider-ec2.gemspec b/vmpooler-provider-ec2.gemspec
index a569143..dd6986a 100644
--- a/vmpooler-provider-ec2.gemspec
+++ b/vmpooler-provider-ec2.gemspec
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.add_development_dependency 'pry'
   s.add_development_dependency 'rack-test', '>= 0.6'
   s.add_development_dependency 'rspec', '>= 3.2'
-  s.add_development_dependency 'rubocop', '~> 1.1.0'
+  s.add_development_dependency 'rubocop', '~> 1.28.2'
   s.add_development_dependency 'simplecov', '>= 0.11.2'
   s.add_development_dependency 'thor', '~> 1.0', '>= 1.0.1'
   s.add_development_dependency 'yarjuf', '>= 2.0'