# Designer cannot connect backup node of a redundant pair **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Tags:** ignition81\ **Created:** [January 31, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/designer-cannot-connect-backup-node-of-a-redundant-pair/101699 "2025-01-31T21:54:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sfrahm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@sfrahm1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/sfrahm1)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/designer-cannot-connect-backup-node-of-a-redundant-pair/101699/1 "2025-01-31T21:54:04Z")
GatewayException: The target gateway is the backup node of a redundant pair. The designer can only connect to the master. Hello, I was told by Sales if we wanted to perform development on a separate system before migrating our old Ignition Gateway version 7.6 to version 8.1 that our mutual customer should purchase a redundancy license. Which they did and I began development and everything was working fine just over a week ago. Now I am not allowed to log in and get the above error message detailed. How may I resolve this issue? Thank You Steve ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/designer-cannot-connect-backup-node-of-a-redundant-pair/101699/2 "2025-01-31T22:09:35Z")
You cannot launch the designer against the 'backup' node; this is an intended restriction to help prevent "split brain" scenarios where the backup and master system have to reconcile project conflicts. Only the known 'master' can have its settings or projects changed. The resolution is to swap redundancy control back to the master node.