Removing nodes from a cluster

Last published : Aug 05, 2026
This topic describes how to remove nodes from a multiple node VCS cluster. To remove a node from a single-node cluster, you must delete the cluster.
To remove nodes from a cluster
  1. Verify that no service groups are online on the node to be removed.
  2. Remove the node from the SystemList of all service groups.
  3. Launch the Cluster Configuration Wizard from theApps menu on the Start screen.
  4. Read the information on the Welcome panel and click Next.
  5. In the Configuration Options panel, click Cluster Operations and clickNext.
  6. In the Domain Selection panel, select or type the name of the domain in which the cluster resides and select the domain discovery options.
To discover information about all the systems and users in the domain:
  • Uncheck the Specify systems and users manually check box.
  • Click Next.
  • Proceed to step 10.
To specify systems and user names manually (recommended for large domains):
  • Check the Specify systems and users manually check box.
Additionally, you may instruct the wizard to retrieve a list of systems and users in the domain by selecting appropriate check boxes.
  • Click Next.
  • If you checked Retrieve system list from domain , proceed to step 8. Otherwise proceed to the next step.
  1. In the System Selection panel, type the name of the system and click Add.
Proceed to step 10.
  1. In the System Selection panel, specify the systems for the cluster from which you will be removing the nodes.
Enter the system name and click Add to add the system to theSelected Systems list. Alternatively, you can select the systems from theDomain Systems list and click the right-arrow icon.
If you specify only one node of an existing cluster, the wizard discovers all nodes for that cluster.
  1. The System Report panel displays the validation status, whether Accepted or Rejected, of all the systems you specified earlier.
A system can be rejected for any of the following reasons:
  • The system does not respond to a ping request.
  • WMI access is disabled on the system.
  • The wizard is unable to retrieve information about the system's architecture or operating system.
  • VCS is either not installed on the system or the version of VCS is different from what is installed on the system on which you are running the wizard.
Click on a system name to see the validation details. If you wish to include a rejected system, rectify the error based on the reason for rejection and then run the wizard again.
Click Next to proceed.
  1. In the Cluster Configuration Options panel, click Edit Existing Cluster and then clickNext.
  2. In the Cluster Selection panel, select the cluster to be edited and click Next.
If you chose to specify the systems manually in step 6, only the clusters configured with the specified systems are displayed.
  1. In the Edit Cluster Options panel, click Remove Nodes and then clickNext.
In the Cluster User Information panel, enter the user name and password for a user with administrative privileges to the cluster and click OK.
The Cluster User Information dialog box appears only when you remove a node from a non-secure cluster.
  1. In the Cluster Details panel, select the check boxes next to the nodes to be removed and click Next.
  2. If you want to remove the VCS Helper service user account from the administrative group of the nodes being removed from the cluster, click Yes from the informational dialog box. Otherwise, clickNo.
  3. The wizard validates the selected nodes. After the nodes have been validated, click Next. If a node does not get validated, review the message associated with the failure and restart the wizard after rectifying the problem.
An informational dialog box appears if you are removing all but one nodes of a multiple node cluster. In the dialog box, specify whether you want to retain or remove the private link heartbeat.
  1. Review the summary information and click Remove.
The wizard starts running commands to remove the node from the cluster.
  1. After the commands have been successfully run, click Finish.
More Information
Deleting a cluster configuration
Reconfiguring a cluster