Cluster architecture rules

The architecture of a cluster, including the appointment of masters, is governed by numerous rules.

• A node must be a registered member of the cluster before it can be promoted to a master. The only exception is the primary master when there are no other nodes in the cluster.
• At a minimum, you must specify a primary master for the cluster.
• You must activate the product on the primary master of the cluster before any other node. If you use the internal runtime database in an Advanced Access Control-activated cluster, activate the Advanced Access Control-activated appliance on the secondary master before the other nodes.

  Ensure that the product is activated on the masters before it is activated on any of the individual nodes in the cluster.

• The primary and secondary masters of the cluster must be activated at the highest level of all the nodes in the cluster. If any node in the cluster is activated with Security Verify Identity Access base, the primary and secondary masters must also be activated with Verify Identity Access base. Similarly, if any node in the cluster is activated with Advanced Access Control, the primary and secondary masters must also be activated with Advanced Access Control. Activation levels are validated when:
  • A node joins the cluster. Such validation is to ensure that the primary and secondary masters are activated to at least the same level.
  • A new primary or secondary master is set. Such validation is to ensure that the activation level of the new master is at least at the same level as the current primary master.
• You cannot specify a master without first specifying each of the prior masters. For example, you must specify the secondary master before you can specify a tertiary master.
• If you specify a secondary master, you must also specify the master external reference entity (ERE).
• You can modify the cluster policy on the primary master only, unless you are promoting a local node to primary master in a disaster recovery situation.