Back to Overview

Atlassian Cloud Migration: From Server to Cloud

Migrating Atlassian Server products (Jira, Confluence, etc.) to Atlassian Cloud moves self-managed instances to a cloud-hosted platform. Typical benefits include reduced operational overhead, access to current features, and options for data residency useful for GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) considerations. This article summarizes why organizations migrate, migration paths, the Cloud Migration Assistant (CMA), common pitfalls, and concise FAQs.

Quick Answer

Atlassian ended support for Server products on February 15, 2024, which removes security updates and makes continued Server operation risky. Organizations typically either perform a fast "lift and shift" to Cloud or clean up and consolidate before migrating; Atlassian provides the Cloud Migration Assistant (CMA) to help migrate standard data, while complex third‑party app data often needs manual or vendor-specific handling.

Why migrate now

End of Server support: Atlassian officially ended support for Server products on February 15, 2024. Server products no longer receive updates, bug fixes, or critical security patches.
Data Center lifecycle: Atlassian Data Center remains an on‑premise option but Atlassian has announced an end‑of‑life for Data Center on March 28, 2029.
Cloud benefits: Organizations often migrate to reduce on‑premise infrastructure maintenance, access the latest product features, and simplify operations. For organizations in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and others subject to GDPR, Atlassian Cloud plans include data residency options that can pin data to EU locations (for example, Frankfurt).

Key acronyms and terms

GDPR — General Data Protection Regulation.
CMA — Cloud Migration Assistant (Atlassian’s free migration app for Jira and Confluence).
UAT — User Acceptance Testing.
DACH — Germany, Austria, Switzerland.
CTO — Chief Technology Officer.

Migration path options

Organizations migrating from Server generally choose one of two approaches:

Lift and Shift (optimize later)
- Move data to Atlassian Cloud quickly to eliminate Server security exposure.
- Perform workflow and app optimizations after the migration.
Clean up and Migrate (optimize first)
- Use the migration as an opportunity to archive old projects, consolidate workflows, and evaluate which third‑party apps are necessary before moving to Cloud.
- Recommended for older or heavily customized instances to avoid transferring legacy issues.

The Cloud Migration Assistant (CMA)

The Cloud Migration Assistant (CMA) is a free app provided by Atlassian for Jira and Confluence that is installed on the Server instance.
CMA assists with environment assessment, app compatibility checks, and migrating users, groups, and standard project data to Atlassian Cloud.
Caveat: CMA covers standard data; complex data managed by third‑party apps often requires manual intervention or vendor‑specific migration paths.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Insufficient planning and underestimating app compatibility complexity can cause downtime and feature loss.
Skipping data clean‑up transfers legacy issues and can increase cloud storage costs.
Omitting User Acceptance Testing (UAT) can leave critical issues undiscovered until after migration.
Failing to properly manage user identities and correctly map them to Atlassian Access (identity and access controls) can lock users out of the new Cloud environment.

Practical considerations (concise)

Assess app compatibility early; identify which third‑party app data needs vendor support.
Decide whether to prioritize speed (lift and shift) or cleanliness (archive and consolidate).
Plan UAT cycles and user identity mapping prior to cutover.
Review data residency requirements and select Cloud plan options (Standard, Premium, Enterprise) that meet regulatory needs.