Preparing for the end of Atlassian Server – one year to go

We’ve prepared some frequently asked questions to help guide your Server end of life decisions: 

There are many factors that affect how long it takes to migrate. Firstly, whether you’re moving to Atlassian Cloud or staying on-premise with Data Center. On top of the deployment, factors like how much data you’re moving over, the complexity of your set-up, and the add-ons you rely on, all make a difference. These are just some of the variables that can affect the timeline of your migration, alongside your internal processes and ensuring your stakeholders keep the project on track. 

Migrate to Atlassian Cloud

Move your Server data to Cloud, either as a complete migration or partial move that gets you off Server but might not have everything you need on day one – allowing for flexibility with the deadline.

Your migration timeframe, budget, and complexity will influence how you approach moving to the cloud and what you take with you at the start.

Migrate to Atlassian Data Center

Moving to a single-node Data Center set-up gives you the benefit of a faster and likely smoother migration. However, moving to multi-node gives you all the benefits of Data Center.

Consider whether you plan to stay on-premise long-term, or whether you’re using it as a stepping stone on your journey to Cloud.

Our managed services, helping with daily tool administration, infrastructure management and public cloud hosting, can provide an easier transition to Data Center – allowing your teams to focus on long-term strategy, not tool management. 

Start fresh on Cloud or Data Center

If moving your existing data is not essential, or you’re happy with some manual work recreating your current set-up, then starting fresh might be a good option. You’ll purchase new licences and start your instances from scratch.

The benefit is being able to follow best practices from the start and set-up a new clean tool for your users. But if there’s anything you want from your existing tools then there’s work involved in reestablishing your platforms.

Explore other options

Review your Atlassian set-up. Does it fit the long-term goals of your organisation, and what requirements do your teams have for your tools? Other options like GitLab or monday.com could provide the right fit for different department needs. 

Yes, but it is definitely not recommended. The problem with using unsupported software is bigger than not getting new updates or bug fixes. Security issues are one of the main concerns and could mean your data is compromised – which could cost you even more in the long run.

If budget and timeline are big blockers for migration, a simple move to single-node Data Center could be the best option for your organisation, at least in the short term to stay supported.  

Understand your current set-up, perform housekeeping activities and clean up your instances so you’re ready to only take essential data over to your new platform.

Create a thorough migration strategy and plan to ensure your move is kept on track and continues to meet business requirements.

Ensure all major stakeholders are informed and available to provide information and help during your migration.

There are often significant differences between on-prem apps and their Cloud counterparts. This is because Atlassian Cloud infrastructure is different to the on-premise infrastructure – these key differences in access points and technologies on Atlassian Cloud mean that features have to be built in different ways. Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as mimicking what has already been created for on-premise.

Adaptavist and other app creators are working closely with Atlassian to deliver outstanding features, but if you rely heavily on apps, these differences are worth understanding and may reinforce Data Center as your preferred choice.