2) The cluster id and cluster password are different on both nodes. Whats the cluster id? The cluster group number and the cluster password must be the same on all nodes in the cluster. The easiest way to achieve this is to copy sys$common:[sysexe]cluster_authorize.dat from one to the other. If the cluster group numbers are different, you will end up trying to form two different clusters. If the passwords are different, the results will probably be something like you are seeing, nodes failing to completely join the cluster. There may also be some messages in the operator.log Regards, Peter.