Symptoms

JIRA cannot be started up.

The following appears in the Browser or the atlassian-jira.log:

JIRA Cluster License Check failed: JIRA is configured with a cluster.properties file but not licensed for clustered operation. 

Diagnosis

JIRA Data Center instance is configured to point to a new, empty database as part of a migration task or installation, and you have configured a cluster.properties file in the JIRA Data Center Home Directory.

Cause

When JIRA starts up, it finds that it has a cluster.properties file in the JIRA Home Directory, which means that it is being configured for Data Center usage. However, since the database at that point in time is empty (as mentioned in Diagnosis step, if you are connecting to a new, empty database), the Data Center license was not detected and JIRA fails to start.

Resolution

Removing the cluster.properties file will force JIRA to revert back to a standard, non-clustered installation, and you can then proceed with the Setup process in the browser and enter the Data Center license there.

• Stop JIRA.
• Temporarily remove the cluster.properties file from the JIRA Home Directory.

• Restart JIRA.

• Accessing the JIRA URL should bring you to the standard Setup process in the browser. Proceed to enter the Data Center license key from here.

• After setup completes, stop JIRA and put the cluster.properties file back into the Home Directory, and you are good to go.