diff --git a/crates/kiss/ansible/src/config.rs b/crates/kiss/ansible/src/config.rs
index 3219efea..861a3354 100644
--- a/crates/kiss/ansible/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/kiss/ansible/src/config.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ pub struct KissConfig {
     pub group_enforce_ansible_control_planes: bool,
     pub group_force_reset: bool,
     pub group_force_reset_os: bool,
+    pub group_reset_storage: bool,
     pub kiss_cluster_name: String,
     pub kubespray_image: String,
     pub network_interface_mtu_size: u16,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ pub struct KissConfig {
     pub network_ipv4_subnet: Ipv4Net,
     pub network_nameserver_incluster_ipv4: Ipv4Addr,
     pub os_default: String,
+    pub os_kernel: String,
 }
 
 impl KissConfig {
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ impl KissConfig {
             )?,
             group_force_reset: infer(&config, "group_force_reset")?,
             group_force_reset_os: infer(&config, "group_force_reset_os")?,
+            group_reset_storage: infer(&config, "group_reset_storage")?,
             kiss_cluster_name: infer(&config, "kiss_cluster_name")?,
             kubespray_image: infer(&config, "kubespray_image")?,
             network_interface_mtu_size: infer(&config, "network_interface_mtu_size")?,
@@ -65,6 +68,7 @@ impl KissConfig {
             network_ipv4_subnet: infer(&config, "network_ipv4_subnet")?,
             network_nameserver_incluster_ipv4: infer(&config, "network_nameserver_incluster_ipv4")?,
             os_default: infer(&config, "os_default")?,
+            os_kernel: infer(&config, "os_kernel")?,
         })
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/kiss/ansible/src/lib.rs b/crates/kiss/ansible/src/lib.rs
index 6aa12416..711c7c50 100644
--- a/crates/kiss/ansible/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/kiss/ansible/src/lib.rs
@@ -149,6 +149,14 @@ impl AnsibleClient {
                 }),
                 spec: Some(PodSpec {
                     affinity: Some(crate::job::affinity()),
+                    dns_config: Some(PodDNSConfig {
+                        nameservers: Some(vec![
+                            self.kiss.bootstrapper_network_dns_server_ns1.to_string(),
+                            self.kiss.bootstrapper_network_dns_server_ns2.to_string(),
+                        ]),
+                        ..Default::default()
+                    }),
+                    host_network: Some(true),
                     priority_class_name: Some(priority_class_name.into()),
                     restart_policy: Some("OnFailure".into()),
                     service_account: Some("ansible-playbook".into()),
@@ -312,6 +320,11 @@ impl AnsibleClient {
                                 value: Some(self.kiss.group_force_reset_os.to_string()),
                                 ..Default::default()
                             },
+                            EnvVar {
+                                name: "kiss_group_reset_storage".into(),
+                                value: Some(self.kiss.group_reset_storage.to_string()),
+                                ..Default::default()
+                            },
                             EnvVar {
                                 name: "kiss_group_role".into(),
                                 value: Some(group.role.to_string()),
@@ -420,6 +433,11 @@ impl AnsibleClient {
                                 value: Some(self.kiss.os_default.to_string()),
                                 ..Default::default()
                             },
+                            EnvVar {
+                                name: "kiss_os_kernel".into(),
+                                value: Some(self.kiss.os_kernel.to_string()),
+                                ..Default::default()
+                            },
                             EnvVar {
                                 name: "kiss_power_intel_amt_host".into(),
                                 value: job
diff --git a/templates/bootstrap/bootstrap.sh b/templates/bootstrap/bootstrap.sh
index 8316c278..d7dfe8de 100755
--- a/templates/bootstrap/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/templates/bootstrap/bootstrap.sh
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ function install_kiss_cluster() {
             kubectl -n kiss rollout status deployment operator
 
         # Register the boxes
-        for node in ${nodes}; do
+        for node in $@; do
             __log 'INFO' "Registering the box: ${node} ..."
             cat <<EOF | $(__shell "${node_first}") kubectl create -f -
 ---
diff --git a/templates/bootstrap/kiss-config.yaml b/templates/bootstrap/kiss-config.yaml
index 90c3b220..47e9208c 100644
--- a/templates/bootstrap/kiss-config.yaml
+++ b/templates/bootstrap/kiss-config.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ data:
   group_enforce_ansible_control_planes: "false"
   group_force_reset: "false"
   group_force_reset_os: "false"
+  group_reset_storage: "true"
 
   ###########################################################################
   # Bootstrapper Node Configuration
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ data:
   # OS Configuration
   ###########################################################################
   os_default: rocky9 # One of: flatcar, rocky9 (default)
+  os_kernel: stable # One of: edge, stable (default)
 
   ###########################################################################
   # Service/CSI Configuration
diff --git a/templates/bootstrap/node/ansible/defaults/all.yaml b/templates/bootstrap/node/ansible/defaults/all.yaml
index 99f788a3..b3974406 100644
--- a/templates/bootstrap/node/ansible/defaults/all.yaml
+++ b/templates/bootstrap/node/ansible/defaults/all.yaml
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ all:
           # @schema
           # -- Enable installation of PodCIDR routes between worker
           # nodes if worker nodes share a common L2 network segment.
-          autoDirectNodeRoutes: false
+          autoDirectNodeRoutes: true
 
           # -- Enable bandwidth manager to optimize TCP and UDP workloads and allow
           # for rate-limiting traffic from individual Pods with EDT (Earliest Departure
@@ -248,13 +248,22 @@ all:
             # preallocateMaps: false
             # -- (string) Mode for Pod devices for the core datapath (veth, netkit, netkit-l2, lb-only)
             # @default -- `veth`
-            datapathMode: netkit
+            datapathMode: netkit # FIXME: migrate OS from Rocky to Ubuntu that supports `CONFIG_NETKIT`
             # @schema
             # type: [null, boolean]
             # @schema
             # -- (bool) Enable native IP masquerade support in eBPF
             # @default -- `false`
             masquerade: true
+            # @schema
+            # type: [null, boolean]
+            # @schema
+            # -- (bool) Configure whether direct routing mode should route traffic via
+            # host stack (true) or directly and more efficiently out of BPF (false) if
+            # the kernel supports it. The latter has the implication that it will also
+            # bypass netfilter in the host namespace.
+            # @default -- `false`
+            hostLegacyRouting: false
             # -- Allow cluster external access to ClusterIP services.
             lbExternalClusterIP: true
 
@@ -532,7 +541,7 @@ all:
           # direct routing and the Kubernetes CIDR is included in the native routing CIDR,
           # the user must configure the routes to reach pods, either manually or by
           # setting the auto-direct-node-routes flag.
-          # ipv4NativeRoutingCIDR: "{{ kiss_network_ipv4_subnet }}"
+          ipv4NativeRoutingCIDR: "10.0.0.0/8"
 
           ipv6:
             # -- Enable IPv6 support.
@@ -548,7 +557,7 @@ all:
           # direct routing and the Kubernetes CIDR is included in the native routing CIDR,
           # the user must configure the routes to reach pods, either manually or by
           # setting the auto-direct-node-routes flag.
-          # ipv6NativeRoutingCIDR: "{{ kiss_network_ipv6_subnet }}"
+          ipv6NativeRoutingCIDR: "fd00::/100"
 
           # -- Configure Kubernetes specific configuration
           k8s:
diff --git a/templates/contrib/speed-test/iperf3/daemonset.yaml b/templates/contrib/speed-test/iperf3/daemonset.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1e756a40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/contrib/speed-test/iperf3/daemonset.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: DaemonSet
+metadata:
+  name: iperf3-ds
+  namespace: default
+spec:
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      app: iperf3
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        app: iperf3
+    spec:
+      containers:
+        - name: iperf3
+          image: docker.io/leodotcloud/swiss-army-knife:latest
+          imagePullPolicy: Always
+          ports:
+            - containerPort: 5201
diff --git a/templates/kiss/matchbox/boot/rocky9.ks b/templates/kiss/matchbox/boot/rocky9.ks
index 6f90241f..3a0f79b2 100644
--- a/templates/kiss/matchbox/boot/rocky9.ks
+++ b/templates/kiss/matchbox/boot/rocky9.ks
@@ -196,15 +196,6 @@ echo 'timeout=300' >>/etc/dnf/dnf.conf
 echo 'fastestmirror=True' >>/etc/dnf/dnf.conf
 echo 'max_parallel_downloads=5' >>/etc/dnf/dnf.conf
 
-# Kernel Configuration
-## Install Bleeding-edge kernel
-dnf install --enablerepo='elrepo-kernel' -y \
-    kernel-ml \
-    kernel-ml-core \
-    kernel-ml-devel \
-    kernel-ml-modules \
-    kernel-ml-modules-extra
-
 # Advanced Network configuration
 mkdir -p /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/
 ## Wireless - WIFI
diff --git a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/storage.yaml b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/storage.yaml
index 9b2a4c4c..27733d84 100644
--- a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/storage.yaml
+++ b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/storage.yaml
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@
 
 - name: Cleanup disks
   when:
+    - kiss_group_reset_storage is not defined or kiss_group_reset_storage
     - kiss_group_role_is_member is defined and kiss_group_role_is_member
     - not kiss_os_exists or kiss_os_dirty
     - not kiss_storage_exists
diff --git a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-kernel-upgrade.yaml b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-kernel-upgrade.yaml
index 7208a41e..e21da7f7 100644
--- a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-kernel-upgrade.yaml
+++ b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-kernel-upgrade.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - name: Check whether the latest kernel is running
+  when: kiss_os_kernel is defined and kiss_os_kernel == 'edge'
   block:
     - name: Check whether the latest kernel is running - Flatcar Container Linux
       when: kiss_os_default == 'flatcar'
@@ -8,11 +9,12 @@
     - name: Check whether the latest kernel is running - RockyLinux
       when: kiss_os_default == 'rocky9'
       set_fact:
-        kiss_is_kernel_latest: "{{ '.elrepo.' in ansible_facts.kernel }}"
+        kiss_is_kernel_latest: "{{ '.fc' in ansible_facts.kernel }}"
       register: boot_file
 
 - name: Upgrade kernel - RockyLinux
   when:
+    - kiss_os_kernel is defined and kiss_os_kernel == 'edge'
     - not kiss_is_kernel_latest
     - kiss_os_default == 'rocky9'
   block:
@@ -21,32 +23,54 @@
         name: "*"
         state: latest
 
-    - name: Upgrade kernel - RockyLinux - Add ELRepo Repository
+    - name: Upgrade kernel - RockyLinux - Install dependencies
       dnf:
         name:
-          - elrepo-release
+          - koji
           - grubby
           - sqlite
-        enablerepo: elrepo-kernel
+        enablerepo: epel
         state: latest
 
-    - name: Upgrade kernel - RockyLinux - Remove Stable Kernel
-      dnf:
-        name:
-          - kernel
-          - kernel-core
-          - kernel-devel
-          - kernel-modules
-          - kernel-modules-core
-        state: absent
-        autoremove: no
+    - name: Upgrade kernel - RockyLinux - Get the latest kernel version
+      shell:
+        cmd: >
+          koji list-builds --package=kernel --state=COMPLETE
+          | awk '{print $1}'
+          | grep -P '^kernel-[0-9\.-]+\.fc[0-9]+$'
+          | sort -V
+          | tail -n1
+      register: kiss_kernel_version
+
+    - name: Upgrade kernel - RockyLinux - Install Bleeding-edge Kernel ({{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout }})
+      vars:
+        kiss_kernel_dir: /tmp/kernel-koji
+      shell:
+        cmd: >
+          mkdir -p "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}"
+          && cd "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}"
+          && koji download-build --noprogress --arch="{{ ansible_architecture }}" "{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout }}"
+          && dnf install -y
+          "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}/kernel-{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout[7:] }}.{{ ansible_architecture }}.rpm"
+          "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}/kernel-core-{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout[7:] }}.{{ ansible_architecture }}.rpm"
+          "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}/kernel-devel-{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout[7:] }}.{{ ansible_architecture }}.rpm"
+          "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}/kernel-modules-{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout[7:] }}.{{ ansible_architecture }}.rpm"
+          "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}/kernel-modules-core-{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout[7:] }}.{{ ansible_architecture }}.rpm"
+          && cd /
+          && rm -rf "{{ kiss_kernel_dir }}"
+          && grubby --set-default="/boot/vmlinuz-{{ kiss_kernel_version.stdout[7:] }}.{{ ansible_architecture }}"
+          && grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
 
 - name: Reboot the boxes if upgraded (The task will be restarted)
-  when: not kiss_is_kernel_latest
+  when:
+    - kiss_os_kernel is defined and kiss_os_kernel == 'edge'
+    - not kiss_is_kernel_latest
   reboot:
     reboot_timeout: 3600 # 1h (booting can take a long time)
 
 - name: Assert rebooting
-  when: not kiss_is_kernel_latest
+  when:
+    - kiss_os_kernel is defined and kiss_os_kernel == 'edge'
+    - not kiss_is_kernel_latest
   fail:
     msg: The nodes should be rebooted!
diff --git a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-systemd.yaml b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-systemd.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c483334f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system-systemd.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+# See: https://docs.cilium.io/en/v1.16/operations/performance/tuning/#stop-irqbalance-and-pin-the-nic-interrupts-to-specific-cpus
+- name: Disable irqbalance
+  systemd:
+    name: irqbalance.service
+    state: stopped
+    enabled: false
+    daemon_reload: true
diff --git a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system.yaml b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system.yaml
index c18fb000..5ce8aaac 100644
--- a/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system.yaml
+++ b/templates/kiss/tasks/commission/system.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - name: Provision Kernel
   include_tasks: system-kernel.yaml
+
+- name: Provision SystemD
+  include_tasks: system-systemd.yaml
diff --git a/templates/kiss/tasks/common/playbook-common.yaml b/templates/kiss/tasks/common/playbook-common.yaml
index 28a213cb..faf84593 100644
--- a/templates/kiss/tasks/common/playbook-common.yaml
+++ b/templates/kiss/tasks/common/playbook-common.yaml
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
         kiss_group_enable_default_cluster: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_enable_default_cluster') == 'true' }}"
         kiss_group_force_reset: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_force_reset') == 'true' }}"
         kiss_group_force_reset_os: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_force_reset_os') == 'true' }}"
+        kiss_group_reset_storage: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_reset_storage') == 'true' }}"
         kiss_group_role: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_role') }}"
         kiss_group_role_is_domain_specific: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_role_is_domain_specific') }}"
         kiss_group_role_is_member: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_group_role_is_member') == 'true' }}"
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@
         kiss_network_wireless_wifi_ssid: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_network_wireless_wifi_ssid') }}"
         kiss_os_default: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_os_default') }}"
         kiss_os_hot_install: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_os_default') in ['flatcar'] }}"
+        kiss_os_kernel: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_os_kernel') }}"
         kiss_power_intel_amt_host: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_power_intel_amt_host') }}"
         kiss_power_intel_amt_username: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_power_intel_amt_username') }}"
         kiss_power_intel_amt_password: "{{ lookup('env', 'kiss_power_intel_amt_password') }}"
diff --git a/templates/kiss/tasks/join/add-node-role.yaml b/templates/kiss/tasks/join/add-node-role.yaml
index 82fb7e4a..5a231010 100644
--- a/templates/kiss/tasks/join/add-node-role.yaml
+++ b/templates/kiss/tasks/join/add-node-role.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,18 @@
 ---
+- name: Post-install | Wait for apiserver to be operated
+  hosts: target
+  tasks:
+    - command: "{{ bin_dir }}/kubectl version"
+      delegate_to: "{{ groups['kube_control_plane'] | first }}"
+      retries: 10
+      delay: 5
+
+    - command: >
+        {{ bin_dir }}/kubectl get nodes {{ inventory_hostname }} --output name
+      delegate_to: "{{ groups['kube_control_plane'] | first }}"
+      retries: 10
+      delay: 5
+
 - hosts: target
   tasks:
     - name: Mark the bootstrapped node as "{{ kiss_group_role }}"