docs: def _start_node(node):
          """
          Start the given node VM.
  
          :return: bool -- True on success, False otherwise
          """
          log.debug("_start_node: working on node `%s`", node.name)
          # FIXME: the following check is not optimal yet. When a node is still
          # in a starting state, it will start another node here, since the
          # `is_alive` method will only check for running nodes (see issue #13)
          if node.is_alive():
              log.info("Not starting node `%s` which is "
                       "already up&running.", node.name)
              return True
          else:
              try:
                  node.start()
                  log.info("Node `%s` has been started.", node.name)
                  return True
              except Exception as err:
                  log.exception("Could not start node `%s`: %s -- %s",
                                node.name, err, err.__class__)
                  return False