diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
index b761c5316..a109cb3f9 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
@@ -2,28 +2,36 @@
 from ..utils.pretty_print import RayCluster
 from ..utils import pretty_print
 import openshift as oc
-from typing import List
+from typing import List, Optional
+
 
 class Cluster:
     def __init__(self, config: ClusterConfiguration):
-        pass
+        self.config = config
 
+    # creates a new cluser with the provided or default spec
     def up(self):
         pass
 
     def down(self, name):
         pass
 
-    def status(self, name):
-        pass
-
+    def status(self, print_to_console=True):
+        cluster = _ray_cluster_status(self.config.name)
+        if cluster:
+            if print_to_console:
+                pretty_print.print_clusters([cluster])                
+            return cluster.status
+        else:
+            return None
+        
 
 def list_all_clusters(print_to_console=True):
     clusters = _get_ray_clusters()
     if print_to_console:
         pretty_print.print_clusters(clusters)
     return clusters
-        
+
 
 # private methods
 
@@ -33,18 +41,39 @@ def _get_appwrappers(namespace='default'):
     return app_wrappers
 
 
+def _ray_cluster_status(name, namespace='default') -> Optional[RayCluster]:
+
+    with oc.project(namespace), oc.timeout(10*60):
+        cluster = oc.selector(f'rayclusters/{name}').object()
+
+    if cluster:
+        return _map_to_ray_cluster(cluster)
+    else:
+        return None
+    
+
+
+
 def _get_ray_clusters(namespace='default') -> List[RayCluster]:
     list_of_clusters = []
+
     with oc.project(namespace), oc.timeout(10*60):
         ray_clusters = oc.selector('rayclusters').objects()
-        for cluster in ray_clusters:
-            cluster_model = cluster.model
-            list_of_clusters.append(RayCluster(
-                name=cluster.name(), status=cluster_model.status.state, 
-                min_workers=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].replicas,
-                max_workers=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].replicas,
-                worker_mem_max=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].template.spec.containers[0].resources.limits.memory,
-                worker_mem_min=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].template.spec.containers[0].resources.requests.memory,
-                worker_cpu=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].template.spec.containers[0].resources.limits.cpu,
-                worker_gpu=0))
+
+    for cluster in ray_clusters:
+        list_of_clusters.append(_map_to_ray_cluster(cluster))
     return list_of_clusters
+
+
+def _map_to_ray_cluster(cluster):
+    cluster_model = cluster.model
+    return RayCluster(
+        name=cluster.name(), status=cluster_model.status.state,
+        min_workers=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].replicas,
+        max_workers=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].replicas,
+        worker_mem_max=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[
+            0].template.spec.containers[0].resources.limits.memory,
+        worker_mem_min=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[
+            0].template.spec.containers[0].resources.requests.memory,
+        worker_cpu=cluster_model.spec.workerGroupSpecs[0].template.spec.containers[0].resources.limits.cpu,
+        worker_gpu=0)
diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py
index f1bce9fa9..657c5ec87 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py
@@ -2,5 +2,8 @@
 
 @dataclass
 class ClusterConfiguration:
-    min_cpus: int
-    max_cpus: int
\ No newline at end of file
+    name: str
+    min_cpus: int = 1
+    max_cpus: int = 1
+    min_worker: int = 0
+    max_worker: int = 1
diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/pretty_print.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/pretty_print.py
index 2a927110a..6d1afae8f 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/pretty_print.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/pretty_print.py
@@ -20,10 +20,16 @@ class RayCluster:
     worker_cpu: int
     worker_gpu: int
 
+def _print_no_cluster_found():
+    pass
+
 def print_clusters(clusters:List[RayCluster], verbose=True):
     console = Console()
-
     title_printed = False
+    #FIXME handle case where no clusters are found
+    if len(clusters) == 0:
+        _print_no_cluster_found()
+        return #exit early
 
     for cluster in clusters:
         status = "Active :white_heavy_check_mark:" if cluster.status.lower() == 'ready' else "InActive :x:"
diff --git a/tests/test_clusters.py b/tests/test_clusters.py
index 7f65410e8..3a7f4b88e 100644
--- a/tests/test_clusters.py
+++ b/tests/test_clusters.py
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
-from codeflare_sdk.cluster.cluster import _get_ray_clusters
-from codeflare_sdk.utils.pretty_print import print_clusters
+from codeflare_sdk.cluster.cluster import list_all_clusters
+from codeflare_sdk.cluster.cluster import Cluster, ClusterConfiguration
+
+#for now these tests assume that the cluster was already created
 def test_list_clusters():
-    clusters = _get_ray_clusters()
-    print_clusters(clusters)
+    clusters = list_all_clusters()
+
+def test_cluster_status():
+    cluster = Cluster(ClusterConfiguration(name='raycluster-autoscaler'))
+    cluster.status()
+
+