diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/docs-backend b/inventory/group_vars/docs-backend
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..15782b1c28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/docs-backend
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+lvm_size: 50000
+mem_size: 1024
+num_cpus: 1
+# for systems that do not match the above - specify the same parameter in
+# the host_vars/$hostname file
+
+tcp_ports: [ 873 ]
+fas_client_groups: sysadmin-noc
diff --git a/inventory/host_vars/docs-backend01.phx2.fedoraproject.org b/inventory/host_vars/docs-backend01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c896579c3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inventory/host_vars/docs-backend01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+nm: 255.255.255.0
+gw: 10.5.124.254
+dns: 10.5.126.21
+ks_url: http://10.5.126.23/repo/rhel/ks/kvm-rhel-6
+ks_repo: http://10.5.126.23/repo/rhel/RHEL6-x86_64/
+volgroup: /dev/vg_guests00
+eth0_ip: 10.5.126.45
+vmhost: virthost14.phx2.fedoraproject.org
+datacenter: phx2
diff --git a/inventory/inventory b/inventory/inventory
index 2a573fcc66..aca8aeb881 100644
--- a/inventory/inventory
+++ b/inventory/inventory
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@ datagrepper01.stg.phx2.fedoraproject.org
 [datagrepper-stg]
 datagrepper01.stg.phx2.fedoraproject.org
 
+[docs-backend]
+docs-backend01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
+
 [fedmsg]
 busgateway01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
 
diff --git a/playbooks/groups/docs-backend.yml b/playbooks/groups/docs-backend.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0b37252d92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/groups/docs-backend.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+- name: make docs-backend server
+  hosts: docs-backend
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: False
+
+  vars_files: 
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - ${private}/vars.yml
+   - ${vars}/${ansible_distribution}.yml
+
+  tasks:
+  - include: $tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: $handlers/restart_services.yml
+
+- name: make the box be real
+  hosts: docs-backend
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: True
+
+  vars_files: 
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - ${private}/vars.yml
+   - ${vars}/${ansible_distribution}.yml
+
+  roles:
+  - /srv/web/infra/ansible/roles/base
+  - /srv/web/infra/ansible/roles/rkhunter
+  - /srv/web/infra/ansible/roles/denyhosts
+  - /srv/web/infra/ansible/roles/nagios_client
+  - /srv/web/infra/ansible/roles/fas_client
+  - /srv/web/infra/ansible/roles/yum-cron
+
+  tasks:
+  # this is how you include other task lists
+  - include: $tasks/hosts.yml
+  - include: $tasks/yumrepos.yml
+  - include: $tasks/2fa_client.yml
+  - include: $tasks/collectd/client.yml
+  - include: $tasks/motd.yml
+  - include: $tasks/sudo.yml
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: $handlers/restart_services.yml