diff --git a/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/indices/replication/SegmentReplicationIT.java b/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/indices/replication/SegmentReplicationIT.java
index 2327ac3d53e99..5dda7ab12649a 100644
--- a/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/indices/replication/SegmentReplicationIT.java
+++ b/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/indices/replication/SegmentReplicationIT.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import org.apache.lucene.index.StandardDirectoryReader;
 import org.apache.lucene.tests.util.TestUtil;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.BytesRef;
+import org.junit.Before;
 import org.opensearch.action.ActionFuture;
 import org.opensearch.action.admin.indices.flush.FlushRequest;
 import org.opensearch.action.admin.indices.stats.IndicesStatsRequest;
@@ -95,11 +96,16 @@
 @OpenSearchIntegTestCase.ClusterScope(scope = OpenSearchIntegTestCase.Scope.TEST, numDataNodes = 0)
 public class SegmentReplicationIT extends SegmentReplicationBaseIT {
 
+    @Before
+    public void setup() {
+        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
+    }
+
     public void testPrimaryStopped_ReplicaPromoted() throws Exception {
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         client().prepareIndex(INDEX_NAME).setId("1").setSource("foo", "bar").setRefreshPolicy(WriteRequest.RefreshPolicy.IMMEDIATE).get();
@@ -125,7 +131,7 @@ public void testPrimaryStopped_ReplicaPromoted() throws Exception {
         assertHitCount(client(replica).prepareSearch(INDEX_NAME).setSize(0).setPreference("_only_local").get(), 3);
 
         // start another node, index another doc and replicate.
-        String nodeC = internalCluster().startNode();
+        String nodeC = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
         client().prepareIndex(INDEX_NAME).setId("4").setSource("baz", "baz").get();
         refresh(INDEX_NAME);
@@ -134,10 +140,10 @@ public void testPrimaryStopped_ReplicaPromoted() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testRestartPrimary() throws Exception {
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         assertEquals(getNodeContainingPrimaryShard().getName(), primary);
@@ -160,10 +166,10 @@ public void testRestartPrimary() throws Exception {
 
     public void testCancelPrimaryAllocation() throws Exception {
         // this test cancels allocation on the primary - promoting the new replica and recreating the former primary as a replica.
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         final int initialDocCount = 1;
@@ -190,8 +196,8 @@ public void testCancelPrimaryAllocation() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testReplicationAfterPrimaryRefreshAndFlush() throws Exception {
-        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startNode();
-        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
+        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         final Settings settings = Settings.builder()
             .put(indexSettings())
             .put(
@@ -233,8 +239,8 @@ public void testReplicationAfterPrimaryRefreshAndFlush() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testIndexReopenClose() throws Exception {
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
@@ -274,8 +280,8 @@ public void testMultipleShards() throws Exception {
             .put(IndexModule.INDEX_QUERY_CACHE_ENABLED_SETTING.getKey(), false)
             .put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_REPLICATION_TYPE, ReplicationType.SEGMENT)
             .build();
-        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startNode();
-        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
+        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, indexSettings);
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
@@ -310,8 +316,8 @@ public void testMultipleShards() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testReplicationAfterForceMerge() throws Exception {
-        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startNode();
-        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
+        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
@@ -351,14 +357,13 @@ public void testReplicationAfterForceMerge() throws Exception {
      * This test verifies that segment replication does not fail for closed indices
      */
     public void testClosedIndices() {
-        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
         List<String> nodes = new ArrayList<>();
         // start 1st node so that it contains the primary
-        nodes.add(internalCluster().startNode());
+        nodes.add(internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode());
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, super.indexSettings());
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
         // start 2nd node so that it contains the replica
-        nodes.add(internalCluster().startNode());
+        nodes.add(internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode());
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         logger.info("--> Close index");
@@ -373,8 +378,7 @@ public void testClosedIndices() {
      * @throws Exception when issue is encountered
      */
     public void testNodeDropWithOngoingReplication() throws Exception {
-        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
-        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(
             INDEX_NAME,
             Settings.builder()
@@ -385,7 +389,7 @@ public void testNodeDropWithOngoingReplication() throws Exception {
                 .build()
         );
         ensureYellow(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
         ClusterState state = client().admin().cluster().prepareState().execute().actionGet().getState();
         // Get replica allocation id
@@ -447,11 +451,11 @@ public void testNodeDropWithOngoingReplication() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testCancellation() throws Exception {
-        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, Settings.builder().put(indexSettings()).put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, 1).build());
         ensureYellow(INDEX_NAME);
 
-        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
 
         final SegmentReplicationSourceService segmentReplicationSourceService = internalCluster().getInstance(
             SegmentReplicationSourceService.class,
@@ -506,7 +510,7 @@ public void testCancellation() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testStartReplicaAfterPrimaryIndexesDocs() throws Exception {
-        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, Settings.builder().put(indexSettings()).put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, 0).build());
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
@@ -529,7 +533,7 @@ public void testStartReplicaAfterPrimaryIndexesDocs() throws Exception {
                 .prepareUpdateSettings(INDEX_NAME)
                 .setSettings(Settings.builder().put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, 1))
         );
-        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         assertHitCount(client(primaryNode).prepareSearch(INDEX_NAME).setSize(0).setPreference("_only_local").get(), 2);
@@ -544,8 +548,8 @@ public void testStartReplicaAfterPrimaryIndexesDocs() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testDeleteOperations() throws Exception {
-        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startNode();
-        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
+        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
 
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
@@ -591,7 +595,6 @@ public void testDeleteOperations() throws Exception {
      */
     public void testReplicationPostDeleteAndForceMerge() throws Exception {
         assumeFalse("Skipping the test with Remote store as its flaky.", segmentReplicationWithRemoteEnabled());
-        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
         final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
@@ -649,7 +652,6 @@ public void testReplicationPostDeleteAndForceMerge() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testUpdateOperations() throws Exception {
-        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
         final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureYellow(INDEX_NAME);
@@ -703,7 +705,6 @@ public void testDropPrimaryDuringReplication() throws Exception {
             .put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, replica_count)
             .put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_REPLICATION_TYPE, ReplicationType.SEGMENT)
             .build();
-        final String clusterManagerNode = internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
         final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, settings);
         final List<String> dataNodes = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNodes(6);
@@ -743,7 +744,6 @@ public void testDropPrimaryDuringReplication() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testReplicaHasDiffFilesThanPrimary() throws Exception {
-        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
         final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, Settings.builder().put(indexSettings()).put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, 1).build());
         ensureYellow(INDEX_NAME);
@@ -797,7 +797,6 @@ public void testReplicaHasDiffFilesThanPrimary() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testPressureServiceStats() throws Exception {
-        internalCluster().startClusterManagerOnlyNode();
         final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
@@ -850,7 +849,7 @@ public void testPressureServiceStats() throws Exception {
             assertEquals(0, replicaNode_service.nodeStats().getShardStats().get(primaryShard.shardId()).getReplicaStats().size());
 
             // start another replica.
-            String replicaNode_2 = internalCluster().startNode();
+            String replicaNode_2 = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
             ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
             String docId = String.valueOf(initialDocCount + 1);
             client().prepareIndex(INDEX_NAME).setId(docId).setSource("foo", "bar").get();
@@ -889,10 +888,10 @@ public void testPressureServiceStats() throws Exception {
     public void testScrollCreatedOnReplica() throws Exception {
         assumeFalse("Skipping the test with Remote store as its flaky.", segmentReplicationWithRemoteEnabled());
         // create the cluster with one primary node containing primary shard and replica node containing replica shard
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         // index 100 docs
@@ -983,7 +982,7 @@ public void testScrollWithOngoingSegmentReplication() throws Exception {
         );
 
         // create the cluster with one primary node containing primary shard and replica node containing replica shard
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         prepareCreate(
             INDEX_NAME,
             Settings.builder()
@@ -991,7 +990,7 @@ public void testScrollWithOngoingSegmentReplication() throws Exception {
                 .put("index.refresh_interval", -1)
         ).get();
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
 
         final int initialDocCount = 10;
@@ -1106,10 +1105,10 @@ public void testScrollWithOngoingSegmentReplication() throws Exception {
     }
 
     public void testPitCreatedOnReplica() throws Exception {
-        final String primary = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primary = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
-        final String replica = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replica = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
         client().prepareIndex(INDEX_NAME)
             .setId("1")
@@ -1236,13 +1235,13 @@ public void testPitCreatedOnReplica() throws Exception {
      */
     public void testPrimaryReceivesDocsDuringReplicaRecovery() throws Exception {
         final List<String> nodes = new ArrayList<>();
-        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String primaryNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         nodes.add(primaryNode);
         final Settings settings = Settings.builder().put(indexSettings()).put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, 0).build();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, settings);
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
         // start a replica node, initially will be empty with no shard assignment.
-        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startNode();
+        final String replicaNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         nodes.add(replicaNode);
 
         // index a doc.