A worker node runs a Service Manager task. It does not run any management tasks, nor does it run the Administrator tool. The worker node also cannot connect to the domain database because it lacks the functionality to do so. There can be any number of worker nodes in a domain, provided that there is a minimum of one gateway node. You can change a worker node to a gateway node, and you can change a gateway node to a worker node, but not dynamically. See the sections in the Command Reference for ‘infacmd SwitchToGatewayNode’ and ‘infacmd SwitchToWorkerNode’ to address these changes.

A gateway node can run the management tasks, the Administrator tool, and update the domain database, but that does not necessarily mean that it does. A running gateway node is prepared to perform those tasks, only if needed, in addition to any application services that it is also running.

A master gateway node performs the management tasks. It runs the Administrator tool, updates the domain database, and runs the management tasks. A domain can have an unlimited number of worker nodes, an unlimited number of gateway nodes, and one master gateway node.