# Transfer the master role? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [December 8, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654 "2015-12-08T16:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tuckerpm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/tuckerpm/32/102756_2.png) [@tuckerpm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tuckerpm)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/1 "2015-12-08T16:03:48Z")
We have to take down one of our master nodes, it is the current master, to replace some hardware and are wondering if it is possible to transfer the role prior to shutting down Elasticsearch? The version of Elasticsearch is 1.7.3. Thanks, Pat ---
**Author:** ![vtst2412](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/vtst2412/32/6228_2.png) [@vtst2412](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/vtst2412)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/2 "2015-12-08T16:37:22Z")
You should only have one master node... You must mean **master-eligible**. In this case, assuming your cluster is green and that you have at least one replica (or if your master-eligible nodes are exclusively master and contain no data), you can simply shutdown ES on that node and a new master will be elected. ---
**Author:** ![tuckerpm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/tuckerpm/32/102756_2.png) [@tuckerpm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tuckerpm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/3 "2015-12-09T18:19:49Z")
I am aware that we can take the node down and a new master will be elected. We were just wondering if it is possible to transfer the role prior to shutting down the server to avoid any time where there is no master. Thanks, Pat ---
**Author:** ![vtst2412](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/vtst2412/32/6228_2.png) [@vtst2412](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/vtst2412)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/4 "2015-12-09T19:06:03Z")
> [@tuckerpm](#): > > We were just wondering if it is possible to transfer the role prior to shutting down the server to avoid any time where there is no master. I fail to see the purpose of this. What are you trying to accomplish (or avoid) with this requirement? There can never be more than one master per cluster at any time. Whether the master promotion occurred manually by a user ( **if this is supported** ) or by automatic election, there will always technically be a gap of time (no matter how minute) where the cluster has no master. ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/5 "2015-12-10T03:33:58Z")
The answer is no. ---
**Author:** ![tuckerpm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/tuckerpm/32/102756_2.png) [@tuckerpm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tuckerpm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/6 "2015-12-15T21:54:35Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/transfer-the-master-role/36654/7 "2017-07-05T23:30:48Z")