diff --git a/inventory.yaml b/inventory.yaml
index 3f31df3..47a45c1 100644
--- a/inventory.yaml
+++ b/inventory.yaml
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ en1:
       ansible_host: 10.42.101.200
       skylab_description: Local Monitor Node
       skylab_targets: [network]
-      skylab_roles:
-        - server
 
   children:
 
@@ -33,10 +31,6 @@ en1:
       vars:
         skylab_targets: [cluster, datastore]
         skylab_compose_version: 3.8
-        skylab_roles:
-          - server
-          - datastore
-          - swarm
 
       hosts:
         pegasus:  # jupiter
@@ -158,4 +152,3 @@ en2:
       skylab_hostname: hubble.en2.enp.one
       skylab_description: Cloud Web Server
       skylab_targets: [cloud]
-      skylab_roles: [server]
diff --git a/playbooks/configure.yaml b/playbooks/configure.yaml
index 51e309c..75824c7 100644
--- a/playbooks/configure.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/configure.yaml
@@ -16,13 +16,17 @@
     - include_tasks: tasks/meta/bootstrap-remote-env.yaml
 
 
-- name: Configure hosts by role
-  hosts: linux
+# "server", here, is a word used to mean "not a workstation"
+- name: Configure servers
+  hosts: linux:!workstation
   gather_facts: false
   roles:
     - role: server
-      when: "'server' in skylab_roles | default([])"
+
+
+- name: Configure cluster
+  hosts: linux:&cluster
+  gather_facts: false
+  roles:
     - role: datastore
-      when: "'datastore' in skylab_roles | default([])"
     - role: swarm
-      when: "'swarm' in skylab_roles | default([])"
diff --git a/playbooks/node-up.yaml b/playbooks/node-up.yaml
index a10cee6..517960c 100644
--- a/playbooks/node-up.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/node-up.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
       private: true
   roles:
     - role: datastore
-      when: "'datastore' in skylab_roles | default([])"
   tasks:
     - name: Fetch node swarm ID
       ansible.builtin.command:
diff --git a/roles/swarm/tasks/gluster.yaml b/roles/swarm/tasks/gluster.yaml
index 8a43de4..83e9232 100644
--- a/roles/swarm/tasks/gluster.yaml
+++ b/roles/swarm/tasks/gluster.yaml
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 
 - name: Determine gluster servers
   run_once: true
-  when: "'datastore' in hostvars[item].skylab_roles | default([])"
   vars:
     _docker_glusterfs_hostnames: []
   ansible.builtin.set_fact: