diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/confetty b/confluent_client/bin/confetty
index 59dcac2f..e490ebb1 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/confetty
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/confetty
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ def print_help():
 
 
 def updatestatus(stateinfo={}):
+    global powerstate, powertime
     status = consolename
     info = []
     for statekey in stateinfo:
@@ -129,6 +130,11 @@ def updatestatus(stateinfo={}):
         # error will be repeated if relevant
         # avoid keeping it around as stale
         del laststate['error']
+    if 'state' in stateinfo:  # currently only read power means anything
+        newpowerstate = stateinfo['state']['value']
+        if newpowerstate != powerstate and newpowerstate == 'off':
+            sys.stdout.write("\x1b[2J\x1b[;H[powered off]\r\n")
+        powerstate = newpowerstate
     if 'clientcount' in laststate and laststate['clientcount'] != 1:
         info.append('clients: %d' % laststate['clientcount'])
     if 'bufferage' in stateinfo and stateinfo['bufferage'] is not None:
@@ -715,8 +721,23 @@ def conserver_command(filehandle, localcommand):
         else:
             print("Unknown power state.]\r")
 
-        #check_power_state()
-
+        check_power_state()
+    elif localcommand[0] == 'r':
+        sys.stdout.write('\x1b7\x1b[999;999H\x1b[6n')
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+        reply = ''
+        while 'R' not in reply:
+            try:
+                reply += sys.stdin.read(1)
+            except IOError:
+                pass
+        reply = reply.replace('\x1b[', '')
+        reply = reply.replace('R', '')
+        height, width = reply.split(';')
+        sys.stdout.write('\x1b8')
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+        print('sending stty commands]')
+        return 'stty columns {0}\rstty rows {1}\r'.format(width, height)
     elif localcommand[0] == '?':
         print("help]\r")
         print(".       exit console\r")
@@ -727,6 +748,7 @@ def conserver_command(filehandle, localcommand):
         print("pbs     boot to setup\r")
         print("pbn     boot to network\r")
         print("pb<ent> boot to default\r")
+        print("r       send stty command to resize terminal\r")
         print("<cr> abort command\r")
     elif localcommand[0] == '\x0d':
         print("ignored]\r")
@@ -830,21 +852,11 @@ powertime = None
 
 
 def check_power_state():
-    global powerstate, powertime
-    for rsp in session.read('/nodes/' + consolename + '/power/state'):
-        if type(rsp) == dict and 'state' in rsp:
-            newpowerstate = rsp['state']['value']
-            powertime = time.time()
-            if newpowerstate != powerstate and newpowerstate == 'off':
-                sys.stdout.write("\x1b[2J\x1b[;H[powered off]\r\n")
-            powerstate = newpowerstate
-        elif type(rsp) == dict and '_requestdone' in rsp:
-            break
-        elif type(rsp) == dict:
-            updatestatus(rsp)
-        else:
-            sys.stdout.write(rsp)
-            sys.stdout.flush()
+    tlvdata.send(
+        session.connection,
+        {'operation': 'retrieve',
+         'path': '/nodes/' + consolename + '/power/state'})
+    return
 
 
 while inconsole or not doexit:
@@ -908,8 +920,10 @@ while inconsole or not doexit:
                         tlvdata.send(session.connection, myinput)
                 except IOError:
                     pass
-        #if powerstate is None or powertime < time.time() - 60:  # Check powerstate every 60 seconds
-        #    check_power_state()
+        if powerstate is None or powertime < time.time() - 60:  # Check powerstate every 60 seconds
+            powertime = time.time()
+            powerstate = True
+            check_power_state()
     else:
         currcommand = prompt()
         try:
diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/noderun b/confluent_client/bin/noderun
index 02e22eac..8e380d84 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/noderun
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/noderun
@@ -34,21 +34,24 @@ if path.startswith('/opt'):
     sys.path.append(path)
 
 import confluent.client as client
+import confluent.sortutil as sortutil
 
 
 def run():
-    concurrentprocs = 168
-    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
-    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
     argparser = optparse.OptionParser(
-        usage="Usage: %prog node commandexpression",
+        usage="Usage: %prog noderange commandexpression",
         epilog="Expressions are the same as in attributes, e.g. "
                "'ipmitool -H {hardwaremanagement.manager}' will be expanded.")
+    argparser.add_option('-c', '--count', type='int', default=168,
+                         help='Number of commands to run at a time')
+    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
+    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
     argparser.disable_interspersed_args()
     (options, args) = argparser.parse_args()
     if len(args) < 2:
         argparser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
+    concurrentprocs = options.count
     c = client.Command()
     cmdstr = " ".join(args[1:])
 
@@ -76,26 +79,34 @@ def run():
         sys.exit(exitcode)
     rdy, _, _ = select.select(all, [], [], 10)
     while all:
+        pernodeout = {}
         for r in rdy:
-            data = r.readline()
             desc = pipedesc[r]
-            if data:
-                node = desc['node']
-                if desc['type'] == 'stdout':
-                    sys.stdout.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node,data))
-                    sys.stdout.flush()
+            node = desc['node']
+            data = True
+            while data and select.select([r], [], [], 0):
+                data = r.readline()
+                if data:
+                    if desc['type'] == 'stdout':
+                        if node not in pernodeout:
+                            pernodeout[node] = []
+                        pernodeout[node].append(data)
+                    else:
+                        sys.stderr.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node, data))
+                        sys.stderr.flush()
                 else:
-                    sys.stderr.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node, data))
-                    sys.stderr.flush()
-            else:
-                pop = desc['popen']
-                ret = pop.poll()
-                if ret is not None:
-                    exitcode = exitcode | ret
-                    all.discard(r)
-                    if desc['type'] == 'stdout' and pendingexecs:
-                        node, cmdv = pendingexecs.popleft()
-                        run_cmdv(node, cmdv, all, pipedesc)
+                    pop = desc['popen']
+                    ret = pop.poll()
+                    if ret is not None:
+                        exitcode = exitcode | ret
+                        all.discard(r)
+                        if desc['type'] == 'stdout' and pendingexecs:
+                            node, cmdv = pendingexecs.popleft()
+                            run_cmdv(node, cmdv, all, pipedesc)
+        for node in sortutil.natural_sort(pernodeout):
+            for line in pernodeout[node]:
+                sys.stdout.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node, line))
+        sys.stdout.flush()
         if all:
             rdy, _, _ = select.select(all, [], [], 10)
     sys.exit(exitcode)
diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell b/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell
index 061bc869..95706c55 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell
@@ -33,21 +33,25 @@ if path.startswith('/opt'):
     sys.path.append(path)
 
 import confluent.client as client
+import confluent.sortutil as sortutil
 
 
 def run():
-    concurrentprocs = 168
-    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
-    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
+
     argparser = optparse.OptionParser(
-        usage="Usage: %prog node commandexpression",
+        usage="Usage: %prog noderange commandexpression",
         epilog="Expressions are the same as in attributes, e.g. "
                "'ipmitool -H {hardwaremanagement.manager}' will be expanded.")
+    argparser.add_option('-c', '--count', type='int', default=168,
+                         help='Number of commands to run at a time')
+    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
+    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
     argparser.disable_interspersed_args()
     (options, args) = argparser.parse_args()
     if len(args) < 2:
         argparser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
+    concurrentprocs = options.count
     c = client.Command()
     cmdstr = " ".join(args[1:])
 
@@ -76,26 +80,34 @@ def run():
         sys.exit(exitcode)
     rdy, _, _ = select.select(all, [], [], 10)
     while all:
+        pernodeout = {}
         for r in rdy:
-            data = r.readline()
             desc = pipedesc[r]
-            if data:
-                node = desc['node']
-                if desc['type'] == 'stdout':
-                    sys.stdout.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node,data))
-                    sys.stdout.flush()
+            node = desc['node']
+            data = True
+            while data and select.select([r], [], [], 0):
+                data = r.readline()
+                if data:
+                    if desc['type'] == 'stdout':
+                        if node not in pernodeout:
+                            pernodeout[node] = []
+                        pernodeout[node].append(data)
+                    else:
+                        sys.stderr.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node, data))
+                        sys.stderr.flush()
                 else:
-                    sys.stderr.write('{0}: {1}'.format(node, data))
-                    sys.stderr.flush()
-            else:
-                pop = desc['popen']
-                ret = pop.poll()
-                if ret is not None:
-                    exitcode = exitcode | ret
-                    all.discard(r)
-                    if desc['type'] == 'stdout' and pendingexecs:
-                        node, cmdv = pendingexecs.popleft()
-                        run_cmdv(node, cmdv, all, pipedesc)
+                    pop = desc['popen']
+                    ret = pop.poll()
+                    if ret is not None:
+                        exitcode = exitcode | ret
+                        all.discard(r)
+                        if desc['type'] == 'stdout' and pendingexecs:
+                            node, cmdv = pendingexecs.popleft()
+                            run_cmdv(node, cmdv, all, pipedesc)
+        for node in sortutil.natural_sort(pernodeout):
+            for line in pernodeout[node]:
+                sys.stdout.ouwrite('{0}: {1}'.format(node, line))
+        sys.stdout.flush()
         if all:
             rdy, _, _ = select.select(all, [], [], 10)
     sys.exit(exitcode)
diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent/sortutil.py b/confluent_client/confluent/sortutil.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..109eacbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent/sortutil.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Copyright 2014 IBM Corporation
+# Copyright 2015-2016 Lenovo
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import re
+
+numregex = re.compile('([0-9]+)')
+
+
+def naturalize_string(key):
+    """Analyzes string in a human way to enable natural sort
+
+    :param key: The node name to analyze
+    :returns: A structure that can be consumed by 'sorted'
+    """
+    return [int(text) if text.isdigit() else text.lower()
+            for text in re.split(numregex, key)]
+
+
+def natural_sort(iterable):
+    """Return a sort using natural sort if possible
+
+    :param iterable:
+    :return:
+    """
+    try:
+        return sorted(iterable, key=naturalize_string)
+    except TypeError:
+        # The natural sort attempt failed, fallback to ascii sort
+        return sorted(iterable)
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/messages.py b/confluent_server/confluent/messages.py
index e81060e4..b89f4505 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/messages.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/messages.py
@@ -446,23 +446,13 @@ class InputExpression(ConfluentMessage):
     # so that it can make it intact to the pertinent configmanager function
     def __init__(self, path, inputdata, nodes=None):
         self.nodeattribs = {}
-        nestedmode = False
         if not inputdata:
             raise exc.InvalidArgumentException('no request data provided')
         if nodes is None:
             self.attribs = inputdata
             return
         for node in nodes:
-            if node in inputdata:
-                nestedmode = True
-                self.nodeattribs[node] = inputdata[node]
-        if nestedmode:
-            for key in inputdata:
-                if key not in nodes:
-                    raise exc.InvalidArgumentException
-        else:
-            for node in nodes:
-                self.nodeattribs[node] = inputdata
+            self.nodeattribs[node] = inputdata
 
     def get_attributes(self, node):
         if node not in self.nodeattribs:
@@ -484,7 +474,6 @@ class InputAttributes(ConfluentMessage):
     # to the client
     def __init__(self, path, inputdata, nodes=None):
         self.nodeattribs = {}
-        nestedmode = False
         if not inputdata:
             raise exc.InvalidArgumentException('no request data provided')
         if nodes is None:
@@ -509,16 +498,7 @@ class InputAttributes(ConfluentMessage):
                             'expression': self.attribs[attrib]}
             return
         for node in nodes:
-            if node in inputdata:
-                nestedmode = True
-                self.nodeattribs[node] = inputdata[node]
-        if nestedmode:
-            for key in inputdata:
-                if key not in nodes:
-                    raise exc.InvalidArgumentException
-        else:
-            for node in nodes:
-                self.nodeattribs[node] = inputdata
+            self.nodeattribs[node] = inputdata
 
     def get_attributes(self, node):
         if node not in self.nodeattribs:
@@ -555,7 +535,6 @@ class InputCredential(ConfluentMessage):
 
     def __init__(self, path, inputdata, nodes=None):
         self.credentials = {}
-        nestedmode = False
         if not inputdata:
             raise exc.InvalidArgumentException('no request data provided')
 
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/configuration/attributes.py b/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/configuration/attributes.py
index 1139f3f5..06e061c0 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/configuration/attributes.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/configuration/attributes.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import confluent.exceptions as exc
 import confluent.messages as msg
 import confluent.config.attributes as allattributes
+import confluent.util as util
 
 
 def retrieve(nodes, element, configmanager, inputdata):
@@ -175,8 +176,11 @@ def _expand_expression(nodes, configmanager, inputdata):
         expression = expression['expression']
     if type(expression) is dict:
         expression = expression['expression']
+    pernodeexpressions = {}
     for expanded in configmanager.expand_attrib_expression(nodes, expression):
-        yield msg.KeyValueData({'value': expanded[1]}, expanded[0])
+        pernodeexpressions[expanded[0]] = expanded[1]
+    for node in util.natural_sort(pernodeexpressions):
+        yield msg.KeyValueData({'value': pernodeexpressions[node]}, node)
 
 
 def create(nodes, element, configmanager, inputdata):