A cluster-wide published configuration system and method is provided for assigning host nodes to virtual interfaces (VIFs) in a cluster of data storage systems. A coordinating VIF manager publishes a set of failover rules in a VIF configuration table using a replication database. In the event of a VIF failure, the coordinating VIF manager publishes a reassignment of host nodes using a single read-write transaction of a replication database service. Secondary VIF managers in the cluster must perform VIF hosting in accordance to the reassignment or publish a new configuration table. Each VIF manager instance in a quorum reads the VIF configuration table upon each VIF failover to perform error checking event regardless of whether the VIF manager is affected by the VIF failover event.