diff --git a/.github/workflows/extbuild.yml b/.github/workflows/extbuild.yml
index b0b01f785..35b9a1a3d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/extbuild.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/extbuild.yml
@@ -19,79 +19,36 @@ jobs:
       CXX: mpicxx
       CPPFLAGS: "-I/usr/include -I/usr/local/include"
       # Versions of all dependencies can be updated here
-      ESMF_VERSION: v8.3.0b13
-      PNETCDF_VERSION: pnetcdf-1.12.3
-      NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION: v4.5.2
-      PIO_VERSION: pio2_5_7
+      ESMF_VERSION: v8.4.0
+      PNETCDF_VERSION: checkpoint.1.12.3
+      NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION: v4.6.0
+      PIO_VERSION: pio2_5_10
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         # Build the ESMF library, if the cache contains a previous build
         # it will be used instead
-      - id: cache-esmf
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
-        with:
-          path: ~/ESMF
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}-ESMF
       - id: load-env
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
-          sudo apt-get install gfortran wget openmpi-bin netcdf-bin libopenmpi-dev libnetcdf-dev
-      - id: checkout-ESMF
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+          sudo apt-get install gfortran wget openmpi-bin netcdf-bin libopenmpi-dev libnetcdf-dev autotools-dev autoconf
+      - id: cache-esmf
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
         with:
-          repository: esmf-org/esmf
-          path: esmf-src
-          ref: ${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}
-      - id: build-ESMF
-        if: steps.cache-esmf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          #wget https://github.com/esmf-org/esmf/archive/${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          #tar -xzvf ${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          #pushd esmf-${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}
-          pushd esmf-src
-          export ESMF_DIR=`pwd`
-          export ESMF_COMM=openmpi
-          export ESMF_YAMLCPP="internal"
-          export ESMF_INSTALL_PREFIX=$HOME/ESMF
-          export ESMF_BOPT=g
-          make
-          make install
-          popd
+          path: ~/ESMF
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}-ESMF
       - id: cache-pnetcdf
         uses: actions/cache@v2
         with:
           path: ~/pnetcdf
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION}}-pnetcdf
-      - name: pnetcdf build
-        if: steps.cache-pnetcdf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          wget https://parallel-netcdf.github.io/Release/${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          tar -xzvf ${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          ls -l
-          pushd ${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}
-          ./configure --prefix=$HOME/pnetcdf --enable-shared --disable-cxx
-          make
-          make install
-          popd
       - name: Cache netcdf-fortran
         id: cache-netcdf-fortran
         uses: actions/cache@v2
         with:
           path: ~/netcdf-fortran
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}-netcdf-fortran
-      - name: netcdf fortran build
-        if: steps.cache-netcdf-fortran.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          wget https://github.com/Unidata/netcdf-fortran/archive/${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          tar -xzvf ${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          ls -l
-          pushd netcdf-fortran-*
-          ./configure --prefix=$HOME/netcdf-fortran
-          make
-          make install
-
-      - name: Cache PIO
-        id: cache-PIO
+      - name: Cache ParallelIO
+        id: cache-ParallelIO
         uses: actions/cache@v2
         with:
           path: ~/pio
@@ -99,23 +56,40 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}-netcdf-fortran
             ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}-pnetcdf
-
-      - id: checkout-PIO
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Build PNetCDF
+        if: steps.cache-pnetcdf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildpnetcdf@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
         with:
-          repository: NCAR/ParallelIO
-          path: parallelio-src
-          ref: ${{ env.PIO_VERSION }}
-      - name: Build PIO
-        if: steps.cache-PIO.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          mkdir build-pio
-          pushd build-pio
-          cmake -Wno-dev -DNetCDF_C_LIBRARY=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libnetcdf.so -DNetCDF_C_INCLUDE_DIR=/usr/include -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/usr -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$HOME/pio -DPIO_HDF5_LOGGING=On -DPIO_USE_MALLOC=On -DPIO_ENABLE_TESTS=Off -DPIO_ENABLE_LOGGING=On -DPIO_ENABLE_EXAMPLES=Off -DPIO_ENABLE_TIMING=Off -DNetCDF_Fortran_PATH=$HOME/netcdf-fortran -DPnetCDF_PATH=$HOME/pnetcdf ../parallelio-src
-          make VERBOSE=1
-          make install
-          popd
-
+          pnetcdf_version: ${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}
+          install_prefix: $HOME/pnetcdf
+      - name: Build NetCDF Fortran
+        if: steps.cache-netcdf-fortran.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildnetcdff@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          netcdf_fortran_version: ${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}
+          install_prefix: $HOME/netcdf-fortran
+          netcdf_c_path: /usr
+      - name: Build ParallelIO
+        if: steps.cache-ParallelIO.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildpio@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          parallelio_version: ${{ env.ParallelIO_VERSION }}
+          netcdf_c_path: /usr
+          netcdf_fortran_path: $HOME/netcdf-fortran
+          pnetcdf_path: $HOME/pnetcdf
+          install_prefix: $HOME/pio
+      - name: Build ESMF
+        if: steps.cache-esmf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildesmf@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          esmf_version: ${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}
+          esmf_bopt: g
+          esmf_comm: openmpi
+          install_prefix: $HOME/ESMF
+          netcdf_c_path: /usr
+          netcdf_fortran_path: $HOME/netcdf-fortran
+          pnetcdf_path: $HOME/pnetcdf
+          parallelio_path: $HOME/pio
       - name: Build CMEPS
         run: |
           export ESMFMKFILE=$HOME/ESMF/lib/libg/Linux.gfortran.64.openmpi.default/esmf.mk
diff --git a/.github/workflows/srt.yml b/.github/workflows/srt.yml
index 74859525d..3f156fb25 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/srt.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/srt.yml
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ name: scripts regression tests
 # events but only for the master branch
 on:
   push:
-    branches:  main 
+    branches: [ master ]
   pull_request:
-    branches:  main 
+    branches: [ master ]
 
 # A workflow run is made up of one or more jobs that can run sequentially or in parallel
 jobs:
@@ -18,132 +18,139 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.8, 3.9]
+        python-version: [ 3.10.9 ]
     env:
       CC: mpicc
       FC: mpifort
       CXX: mpicxx
       CPPFLAGS: "-I/usr/include -I/usr/local/include"
       # Versions of all dependencies can be updated here
-      PNETCDF_VERSION: pnetcdf-1.12.2
-      NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION: v4.5.2
-      MCT_VERSION: MCT_2.11.0
-      PARALLELIO_VERSION: pio2_5_4
+      PNETCDF_VERSION: checkpoint.1.12.3
+      NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION: v4.6.0
+      ESMF_VERSION: v8.4.0
+      PARALLELIO_VERSION: pio2_5_10
       NETCDF_C_PATH: /usr
       NETCDF_FORTRAN_PATH: ${HOME}/netcdf-fortran
       PNETCDF_PATH: ${HOME}/pnetcdf
       CIME_MODEL: cesm
-      CIME_DRIVER: mct
-
+      CIME_DRIVER: nuopc
+      GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
     # Steps represent a sequence of tasks that will be executed as part of the job
     steps:
       # Checks-out your repository under $GITHUB_WORKSPACE, so your job can access it
 
-      - name: cime checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
-        with:
-          repository: ESMCI/cime
-
-      - name: share checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
-        with:
-          repository: ESCOMP/CESM_share
-          path: share
-
-      - name: cpl7 checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
-        with:
-          repository: ESCOMP/CESM_CPL7andDataComps
-          path: components/cpl7
-
       - id: load-env
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
-          sudo apt-get install libxml2-utils pylint wget gfortran openmpi-bin netcdf-bin libopenmpi-dev cmake libnetcdf-dev
+          sudo apt-get install libxml2-utils pylint wget gfortran openmpi-bin netcdf-bin libopenmpi-dev cmake libnetcdf-dev autotools-dev autoconf
 
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-
-      - name: mct install
-        run: |
-          git clone -b ${{ env.MCT_VERSION  }} https://github.com/MCSclimate/MCT libraries/mct
-          ls -l libraries/mct
-
-      - name: parallelio install
+      - run: echo "PyYAML" > requirements.txt
+      - name: Install PyYAML
+        run: pip install -r requirements.txt
+      # use the latest cesm master
+      - name: cesm checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          repository: ESCOMP/CESM
+          path: cesm
+      # this cmeps commit
+      - name: cmeps checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          path: cesm/components/cmeps
+          
+      # Checkout cesm datamodels and support
+      # cpl7 is needed - i think that's a bug
+      - name: checkout externals
         run: |
-          git clone -b ${{ env.PARALLELIO_VERSION  }} https://github.com/NCAR/ParallelIO libraries/parallelio
-          ls -l libraries/parallelio
-
+          pushd cesm
+          ./manage_externals/checkout_externals ccs_config cdeps cime share mct cpl7 parallelio
+          
+      - name: Cache ESMF
+        id: cache-esmf
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
+        with:
+          path: ~/ESMF
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}-ESMF
       - name: cache pnetcdf
         id: cache-pnetcdf
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
         with:
           path: ~/pnetcdf
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION}}-pnetcdf-redo
-
-      - name: pnetcdf build
-        if: steps.cache-pnetcdf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          wget https://parallel-netcdf.github.io/Release/${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          tar -xzvf ${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          ls -l
-          pushd ${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}
-          ./configure --prefix=$HOME/pnetcdf --enable-shared --disable-cxx
-          make
-          make install
-          popd
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION}}-pnetcdf
 
       - name: Cache netcdf-fortran
         id: cache-netcdf-fortran
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
         with:
           path: ~/netcdf-fortran
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}-netcdf-fortran-redo
-
-      - name: netcdf fortran build
-        if: steps.cache-netcdf-fortran.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          sudo apt-get install libnetcdf-dev
-          wget https://github.com/Unidata/netcdf-fortran/archive/${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          tar -xzvf ${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}.tar.gz
-          ls -l
-          pushd netcdf-fortran-*
-          ./configure --prefix=$HOME/netcdf-fortran
-          make
-          make install
-
-      - name: link netcdf-c to netcdf-fortran path
-        # link netcdf c library here to simplify build
-        run: |
-          pushd ${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_PATH }}/include
-          ln -fs /usr/include/*netcdf* .
-          pushd ${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_PATH }}/lib
-          clibdir=`nc-config --libdir`
-          ln -fs $clibdir/lib* .
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}-netcdf-fortran
 
+      - name: Cache ParallelIO
+        id: cache-ParallelIO
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
+        with:
+          path: ~/pio
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.PARALLELIO_VERSION }}.pio
       - name: Cache inputdata
         id: cache-inputdata
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
         with:
           path: $HOME/cesm/inputdata
           key: inputdata
-#
-#      The following can be used to ssh to the testnode for debugging
-#      see https://github.com/mxschmitt/action-tmate for details
-#      - name: Setup tmate session
-#        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3
+      - name: Build PNetCDF
+        if: steps.cache-pnetcdf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildpnetcdf@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          pnetcdf_version: ${{ env.PNETCDF_VERSION }}
+          install_prefix: $HOME/pnetcdf
+      - name: Build NetCDF Fortran
+        if: steps.cache-netcdf-fortran.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildnetcdff@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          netcdf_fortran_version: ${{ env.NETCDF_FORTRAN_VERSION }}
+          install_prefix: $HOME/netcdf-fortran
+          netcdf_c_path: /usr
+      - name: Build ParallelIO
+        if: steps.cache-PARALLELIO.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildpio@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          parallelio_version: ${{ env.ParallelIO_VERSION }}
+          netcdf_c_path: /usr
+          netcdf_fortran_path: $HOME/netcdf-fortran
+          pnetcdf_path: $HOME/pnetcdf
+          install_prefix: $HOME/pio
+      - name: Build ESMF
+        if: steps.cache-esmf.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        uses: ESCOMP/CDEPS/.github/actions/buildesmf@e06246b560d3132170bb1a5443fa3d65dfbd2040
+        with:
+          esmf_version: ${{ env.ESMF_VERSION }}
+          esmf_bopt: g
+          esmf_comm: openmpi
+          install_prefix: $HOME/ESMF
+          netcdf_c_path: /usr
+          netcdf_fortran_path: $HOME/netcdf-fortran
+          pnetcdf_path: $HOME/pnetcdf
+          parallelio_path: $HOME/pio
 
       - name: scripts regression tests
         run: |
           mkdir -p $HOME/cesm/scratch
           mkdir -p $HOME/cesm/inputdata
-          cd $HOME/work/CESM_share/CESM_share/scripts/tests
-          ls -l $HOME/work/CESM_share/CESM_share
+          cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/cesm/cime/CIME/tests
+          export CIME_TEST_PLATFORM=ubuntu-latest
+          export PIO_INCDIR=$HOME/pio/include
+          export PIO_LIBDIR=$HOME/pio/lib
+          export PIO_VERSION_MAJOR=2
+          export PIO_TYPENAME_VALID_VALUES="netcdf,pnetcdf,netcdf4p,netcdf4c"
           export NETCDF=$HOME/netcdf-fortran
-          export PATH=$NETCDF/bin:$PATH
+          export PATH=$NETCDF/bin:$PATH:$HOME/netcdf-fortran/bin
           export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$NETCDF/lib:$HOME/pnetcdf/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+          export ESMFMKFILE=$HOME/ESMF/lib/libg/Linux.gfortran.64.openmpi.default/esmf.mk
           ./scripts_regression_tests.py  --no-fortran-run --compiler gnu --mpilib openmpi --machine ubuntu-latest
 
 #     the following can be used by developers to login to the github server in case of errors