rconfig does not recognize cluster environment

rconfig is a command line tool to convert single instance database to RAC. It got introduced from 10gR2. We were trying to convert single instance 11gR1 database to RAC database using 11gR2 grid. After installing grid, we verified the cluster status using "crs_stat". All the cluster services are running fine. But when we try to invoke rconfig from 11gR1 Oracle Home, we got this below error;

Operation Failed

Clusterware is not configured

On Further analysis in rconfig log file in $ORACLE_HOME/cfgtoollogs/rconfig, we notice that

11gR1 Oracle home could not communicate with CRS services.

...

oracle.ops.mgmt.cluster.ClusterException: PRKH-1010 : Unable to communicate with CRS services.

....

Then we come across this metalink note 946332.1, which states that "unable to create lower version database in 11gR2 grid"

Cause:

RAC nodes were not pinned:

$11gR2_ORACLE_HOME/grid/bin/olsnodes -t

oranode1 Unpinned

oranode2 Unpinned

oranode3 Unpinned

This is a known issue when trying to configure lower version of database with fresh 11gR2 grid infrastructure. The fix is manually need to pin RAC nodes. Run below command as root in any 1 node.

# crsctl pin css -n oranode1 oranode2 oranode3

CRS-4664: Node oranode1 successfully pinned.

CRS-4664: Node oranode2 successfully pinned.

CRS-4664: Node oranode3 successfully pinned.

Check the status, node should be "Pinned"

$11gR2_ORACLE_HOME/grid/bin/olsnodes -t

oranode1 Pinned

oranode2 Pinned

oranode3 Pinned

Note: This issue will occur even when trying to create database using dbca from lower version Oracle home IN 11gR2 grid.

Reference

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1. Unable To Create 10.1 or 10.2 or 11.1 ASM RAC Databases (ORA-29702) Using Brand New 11gR2 Grid Infrastructure Installation. [946332.1]