1. A method for automated cluster member management based on node capabilities, the method comprising: retrieving, from a data storage device, a membership policy for a cluster, the membership policy specifying a nodal configuration required for a node in the cluster; evaluating nodes in a computing environment against the membership policy for the cluster; and associating cluster members in the cluster only to those of the nodes having respective configurations meeting the nodal configuration of the membership policy, wherein the evaluating comprises comparing a cached configuration of each of the nodes in the computing environment to a required configuration specified in the membership policy.