diff --git a/docs/how-to-run.adoc b/docs/how-to-run.adoc
index 11505406a8..6ce0ac8f17 100644
--- a/docs/how-to-run.adoc
+++ b/docs/how-to-run.adoc
@@ -25,6 +25,24 @@ Any additional prerequisite software may be installed with the following script:
 $ ./tools/install_prerequisites.sh
 ----
 
+=== Make me a Gimlet!
+
+The sled agent expects to manage a real Gimlet. However, until those are built,
+developers generally make do with something else, usually a commodity machine.
+To make your machine "look" like a Gimlet, the
+`./tools/create_virtual_hardware.sh` script can be used. This creates a few
+file-based ZFS vdevs and ZFS zpools on top of those, and a couple of VNICs. The
+vdevs model the actual U.2s that will be in a Gimlet, and the VNICs model the
+two Chelsio NIC ports.
+
+You can clean up these resources with `./tools/destroy_virtual_hardware.sh`. Be
+aware that this is a best effort script. If the sled agent or other Omicron
+zones are still running, the zpools cannot be deleted. The script will warn you
+about the things it cannot remove, so you can do so yourself. Also note that all
+the networking bits are temporary, so a reboot should always clear them.
+
+Both scripts must be run as root, e.g, `pfexec ./tools/create_virtual_hardware.sh`.
+
 == Deploying Omicron
 
 The control plane repository contains a packaging tool which bundles binaries
diff --git a/tools/create_virtual_hardware.sh b/tools/create_virtual_hardware.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..eac2be4fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/create_virtual_hardware.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Make me a Gimlet!
+#
+# The entire control plane stack is designed to run and operate on the Oxide
+# rack, in each Gimlet. But Gimlet's don't quite exist yet. In the meantime,
+# this script can be used to create a few pieces of virtual hardware that
+# _simulate_ a Gimlet, allowing us to develop software that approximates the
+# eventual operation on Oxide hardware.
+#
+# See `docs/how-to-run.adoc` section "Make me a Gimlet" for more details.
+
+set -e
+set -u
+set -x
+
+SOURCE_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )"
+OMICRON_TOP="$SOURCE_DIR/.."
+
+# Select the physical link over which to simulate the Chelsio links
+if [[ $# -ge 1 ]]; then
+    PHYSICAL_LINK="$1"
+else
+    PHYSICAL_LINK="$(dladm show-phys -p -o LINK | head -1)"
+fi
+echo "Using $PHYSICAL_LINK as physical link"
+
+function success {
+    echo -e "\e[1;36m$1\e[0m"
+}
+
+# Create the ZFS zpools required for the sled agent, backed by file-based vdevs.
+function ensure_zpools {
+    # Find the list of zpools the sled agent expects, from its configuration
+    # file.
+    readarray -t ZPOOLS < <( \
+            grep '"oxp_' "$OMICRON_TOP/smf/sled-agent/config.toml" | \
+            sed 's/[ ",]//g' \
+        )
+    for ZPOOL in "${ZPOOLS[@]}"; do
+        VDEV_PATH="$OMICRON_TOP/$ZPOOL.vdev"
+        if ! [[ -f "$VDEV_PATH" ]]; then
+            truncate -s 10GB "$VDEV_PATH"
+        fi
+        success "ZFS vdev $VDEV_PATH exists"
+        if [[ -z "$(zpool list -o name | grep $ZPOOL)" ]]; then
+            zpool create "$ZPOOL" "$VDEV_PATH"
+        fi
+        success "ZFS zpool $ZPOOL exists"
+    done
+}
+
+# Create VNICs to represent the Chelsio physical links
+#
+# Arguments:
+#   $1: Optional name of the physical link to use. If not provided, use the
+#   first physical link available on the machine.
+function ensure_simulated_chelsios {
+    local PHYSICAL_LINK="$1"
+    VNIC_NAMES=("vioif0" "vioif1")
+    for VNIC in "${VNIC_NAMES[@]}"; do
+        if [[ -z "$(dladm show-vnic -p -o LINK "$VNIC")" ]]; then
+            dladm create-vnic -t -l "$PHYSICAL_LINK" "$VNIC"
+        fi
+        success "VNIC $VNIC exists"
+        if [[ -z "$(ipadm show-addr -p -o ADDR "$VNIC/v6")" ]]; then
+            ipadm create-addr -t -T addrconf "$VNIC/v6"
+        fi
+        success "IP address $VNIC/v6 exists"
+    done
+
+    # Create an address on the underlay network
+    UNDERLAY_ADDR="lo0/underlay"
+    if [[ -z "$(ipadm show-addr -p -o ADDR "$UNDERLAY_ADDR")" ]]; then
+        ipadm create-addr -t -T static -a fd00:1::1/64 lo0/underlay
+    fi
+    success "IP address $UNDERLAY_ADDR exists"
+}
+
+function ensure_xde_driver {
+    # Always remove the driver first. There seems to be a bug in the driver,
+    # preventing it from showing up in `modinfo` on boot, even if it's actually
+    # installed.
+    if [[ -z "$(modinfo | grep xde)" ]]; then
+        rem_drv xde
+        add_drv xde
+    fi
+}
+
+function ensure_run_as_root {
+    if [[ "$(id -u)" -ne 0 ]]; then
+        echo "This script must be run as root"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+ensure_run_as_root
+ensure_zpools
+ensure_simulated_chelsios "$PHYSICAL_LINK"
+ensure_xde_driver
diff --git a/tools/destroy_virtual_hardware.sh b/tools/destroy_virtual_hardware.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..13e903a43c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/destroy_virtual_hardware.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Unmake me a Gimlet!
+#
+# This tool undoes the operations of `./tools/create_virtual_hardware.sh`,
+# destroying VNICs and ZFS zpools, to the extent possible. Note that if an
+# operation fails, for example because a VNIC link is busy, a warning is
+# printed. The user is responsible for deleting these entirely.
+
+set -u
+set -x
+
+SOURCE_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )"
+cd "${SOURCE_DIR}/.."
+OMICRON_TOP="$PWD"
+
+if [[ "$(id -u)" -ne 0 ]]; then
+    echo "This must be run as root"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+function warn {
+    echo -e "\e[1;31m$1\e[0m"
+}
+
+function success {
+    echo -e "\e[1;36m$1\e[0m"
+}
+
+function try_uninstall_xde {
+    RC=0
+    if ! [[ -z "$(modinfo | grep xde)" ]]; then
+        rem_drv xde
+        RC=$?
+    fi
+
+    if [[ $RC -eq 0 ]]; then
+        success "XDE kernel module uninstalled"
+    else
+        warn "Failed to uninstall XDE kernel module"
+    fi
+}
+
+function try_remove_address {
+    local ADDRESS="$1"
+    RC=0
+    if [[ "$(ipadm show-addr -p -o addr "$ADDRESS")" ]]; then
+        ipadm delete-addr "$ADDRESS"
+        RC=$?
+    fi
+    if [[ $RC -eq 0 ]]; then
+        success "Address $ADDRESS destroyed"
+    else
+        warn "Failed to delete address $ADDRESS"
+    fi
+}
+
+function try_remove_vnic {
+    local LINK="$1"
+    RC=0
+    if [[ "$(dladm show-vnic -p -o LINK "$LINK")" ]]; then
+        dladm delete-vnic "$LINK"
+        RC=$?
+    fi
+    if [[ $RC -eq 0 ]]; then
+        success "VNIC link $LINK destroyed"
+    else
+        warn "Failed to delete VNIC link $LINK"
+    fi
+}
+
+function try_remove_vnics {
+    try_remove_address "lo0/underlay"
+    VNIC_LINKS=("vioif0" "vioif1")
+    for LINK in "${VNIC_LINKS[@]}"; do
+        try_remove_address "$LINK/v6"
+        try_remove_vnic "$LINK"
+    done
+}
+
+function try_destroy_zpools {
+    readarray -t ZPOOLS < <(zfs list -d 0 -o name | grep "^oxp_")
+    for ZPOOL in "${ZPOOLS[@]}"; do
+        RC=0
+        VDEV_FILE="$OMICRON_TOP/$ZPOOL.vdev"
+        zfs destroy -r "$ZPOOL" && zfs unmount "$ZPOOL" && zpool destroy "$ZPOOL" && rm -f "$VDEV_FILE"
+        RC=$?
+
+        if [[ $RC -eq 0 ]]; then
+            success "Removed ZFS pool and vdev: $ZPOOL"
+        else
+            warn "Failed to remove ZFS pool and vdev: $ZPOOL"
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
+try_uninstall_xde && try_remove_vnics
+try_destroy_zpools
diff --git a/tools/install_opte.sh b/tools/install_opte.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..842eab947a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/install_opte.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Small tool to install OPTE and the xde kernel driver and ONU bits.
+
+set -e
+set -u
+set -x
+
+if [[ "$(uname)" != "SunOS" ]]; then
+    echo "This script is intended for Helios only"
+fi
+
+if [[ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]]; then
+    echo "This must be run as root"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+SOURCE_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )"
+cd "${SOURCE_DIR}/.."
+OMICRON_TOP="$PWD"
+OUT_DIR="$OMICRON_TOP/out"
+mkdir -p "$OUT_DIR"
+
+# Compute the SHA256 of the path in $1, returning just the sum
+function file_sha {
+    sha256sum "$1" | cut -d ' ' -f 1
+}
+
+# Download a file from $1 and compare its sha256 to the value provided in $2
+function download_and_check_sha {
+    local URL="$1"
+    local FILENAME="$(basename "$URL")"
+    local OUT_PATH="$OUT_DIR/$FILENAME"
+    local SHA="$2"
+
+    # Check if the file already exists, with the expected SHA
+    if ! [[ -f "$OUT_PATH" ]] || [[ "$SHA" != "$(file_sha "$OUT_PATH")" ]]; then
+        curl -L -o "$OUT_PATH" "$URL" 2> /dev/null
+        local ACTUAL_SHA="$(sha256sum "$OUT_PATH" | cut -d ' ' -f 1)"
+        if [[ "$ACTUAL_SHA" != "$SHA" ]]; then
+            echo "SHA mismatch downloding file $FILENAME"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    else
+        echo "File $FILENAME already exists with correct SHA"
+    fi
+}
+
+# Download a SHA-256 sum output from $1 and return just the SHA
+function sha_from_url {
+    local SHA_URL="$1"
+    curl -L "$SHA_URL" 2> /dev/null | cut -d ' ' -f 1
+}
+
+OPTE_P5P_URL="https://buildomat.eng.oxide.computer/wg/0/artefact/01G0MRWX9Y0X46HBEJBW245DJY/PM097Agvf89uKmVRZ890z6saoeLp6RCcVsbYRa5PDv9DnLDT/01G0MRX6GMBV34CNANABXZXX25/01G0MSFZZWPFEQBW7JRS7ST99G/opte-0.1.58.p5p"
+OPTE_P5P_SHA_URL="https://buildomat.eng.oxide.computer/wg/0/artefact/01G0MRWX9Y0X46HBEJBW245DJY/PM097Agvf89uKmVRZ890z6saoeLp6RCcVsbYRa5PDv9DnLDT/01G0MRX6GMBV34CNANABXZXX25/01G0MSG01CGP6TH9THNY39G88Z/opte-0.1.58.p5p.sha256"
+OPTE_P5P_REPO_PATH="$OUT_DIR/$(basename "$OPTE_P5P_URL")"
+XDE_URL="https://buildomat.eng.oxide.computer/wg/0/artefact/01G0DM53XR4E008D6ET5T8DXP6/wBWo0Jsg1AG19toIyAY23xAWhzmuNKmAsF6tL18ypZODNuHK/01G0DM5DMQHF5B89VGHZ05Z4E0/01G0DMHNYQ1NS7DBX8VG3JPAP0/xde"
+XDE_SHA_URL="https://buildomat.eng.oxide.computer/wg/0/artefact/01G0DM53XR4E008D6ET5T8DXP6/wBWo0Jsg1AG19toIyAY23xAWhzmuNKmAsF6tL18ypZODNuHK/01G0DM5DMQHF5B89VGHZ05Z4E0/01G0DMHP47353961S3ETXBSD2T/xde.sha256"
+
+download_and_check_sha "$OPTE_P5P_URL" "$(sha_from_url "$OPTE_P5P_SHA_URL")"
+XDE_SHA="$(sha_from_url "$XDE_SHA_URL")"
+download_and_check_sha "$XDE_URL" "$XDE_SHA"
+
+# Move the XDE driver into it the expected location to allow operating on it
+# with `add_drv` and `rem_drv`
+DRIVER_DIR="/kernel/drv/amd64"
+XDE_FILENAME="$(basename "$XDE_URL")"
+XDE_PATH="$DRIVER_DIR/$XDE_FILENAME"
+if ! [[ -f "$XDE_PATH" ]] || [[ "$XDE_SHA" != "$(file_sha "$XDE_PATH")" ]]; then
+    echo "Replacing XDE driver"
+    mv -f "$OUT_DIR/$XDE_FILENAME" "$XDE_PATH"
+else
+    echo "XDE driver already exists with correct SHA"
+fi
+
+# Add the OPTE P5P package repository (at the top of the search order) and
+# update the OS packages. This may require a reboot.
+pkg set-publisher -p "$OPTE_P5P_REPO_PATH" --search-first
+pkg set-publisher --non-sticky helios-dev
+RC=0
+pkg update || RC=$?;
+if [[ "$RC" -eq 0 ]] || [[ "$RC" -eq 4 ]]; then
+    exit 0
+else
+    exit "$RC"
+fi
diff --git a/tools/install_prerequisites.sh b/tools/install_prerequisites.sh
index 8ef1ba5544..a579451c0d 100755
--- a/tools/install_prerequisites.sh
+++ b/tools/install_prerequisites.sh
@@ -100,6 +100,15 @@ fi
 ./tools/ci_download_cockroachdb
 ./tools/ci_download_clickhouse
 
+# Install OPTE
+#
+# OPTE is a Rust package that is consumed by a kernel module called xde. This
+# installs the `xde` driver and some kernel bits required to work with that
+# driver.
+if [[ "${HOST_OS}" == "SunOS" ]]; then
+    pfexec ./tools/install_opte.sh
+fi
+
 # Validate the PATH:
 expected_in_path=(
   'pg_config'