Atlassian Cloud Migration Checklist: What to Prepare
Before you move Jira or Confluence to Atlassian Cloud, you need a clear checklist covering data cleanup, user management, app compatibility, and integration testing. This article outlines exactly what to prepare—from auditing your current instance to planning the cutover—so the migration goes smoothly and your team isn’t left without access.
Why Migrate to Atlassian Cloud?
Atlassian is pushing customers toward its cloud products, and for many teams, the benefits are clear: no server hardware to maintain, automatic updates, and built-in security and compliance features. Cloud also offers better collaboration for remote teams, with real-time editing in Confluence and a consistent experience across devices. However, moving from Server or Data Center is not a simple lift-and-shift. The tools, permissions, and even some features differ between the platforms, so preparation is key.
Key Differences Between Server/Data Center and Cloud
Understanding what changes is the first step. In Cloud, Jira and Confluence are hosted by Atlassian, so you lose some admin control but gain simplicity. Some features are not yet available in Cloud, such as certain advanced project templates or the ability to run custom scripts on the server. Also, the way users are managed changes—Cloud uses Atlassian accounts and, for larger teams, SAML single sign-on (SSO) or SCIM for user provisioning. Your existing plugins may not have Cloud equivalents, so you’ll need to check compatibility early.
Pre-Migration Audit: What to Clean Up First
Before you even start the technical migration, spend time auditing your current instance. This reduces the amount of data you need to move and avoids carrying over clutter. Here’s what to review:
- Projects and spaces: Archive or delete any that are no longer active. In Jira, consider merging duplicate projects; in Confluence, remove obsolete spaces.
- Issues and pages: Bulk-delete old, resolved issues that are past your retention period. For Confluence, remove outdated pages or move them to an archive space.
- Users and groups: Remove inactive users and clean up group memberships. This simplifies license management and permission mapping.
- Attachments and file storage: Large attachments can slow the migration. Consider moving large files to a shared drive or cloud storage and linking them instead.
- Custom fields and workflows: In Jira, review custom fields—many may be unused. Similarly, simplify workflows if they have too many statuses that don’t add value.
Checklist: What to Prepare Before You Move
Once your audit is done, work through this checklist. It covers the practical steps to ensure nothing is missed.
- Inventory your apps and add-ons: List every app you use in Jira or Confluence. Check the Atlassian Marketplace for Cloud versions. If an app has no Cloud equivalent, plan a replacement or accept losing the functionality.
- Map your permissions: Cloud uses a different permission model, especially for project roles and space permissions. Document who has access to what in your current system, then recreate those permissions in Cloud.
- Set up your Cloud site: Create your Atlassian Cloud organization and site. Choose your URL carefully—it’s permanent. Configure your user directory, and if you use SSO, set that up before migrating users.
- Test the migration with a sandbox: Use Atlassian’s migration assistant to do a trial run in a test Cloud site. This shows you what will and won’t transfer and lets you fix issues before the real thing.
- Plan for email and notifications: During the migration, users will receive emails from the new Cloud site. Prepare a communication plan to explain what’s happening and what to expect.
- Schedule the cutover: Choose a low-activity time (weekend or after hours). The migration can take hours, and you’ll need to freeze changes to your Server instance during the final sync.
- Back up your Server instance: Even though you’re moving to Cloud, keep a full backup of your Server data. This is your safety net if something goes wrong.
Common Problems and How to Avoid Them
Many teams hit the same issues during migration. Knowing them in advance helps you avoid the pitfalls.
- App incompatibility: The most common problem. Some Server apps have no Cloud version, or the Cloud version lacks features. Check the Marketplace early and line up alternatives.
- Data loss or corruption: Usually happens when you don’t clean up data first, or when you have custom fields with invalid values. The migration assistant will flag some issues, but a pre-clean is safer.
- Permission errors: Users may lose access if groups don’t map correctly. Test permissions in your sandbox and adjust before going live.
- Performance issues: If your Cloud site is slow after migration, it’s often because of too many custom fields or complex workflows. Simplify where possible.
- User login problems: If you’re using SSO, misconfigurations can lock users out. Test SSO with a small group before the full migration.
Costs and Licensing Considerations
Moving to Cloud changes your cost structure. You’ll pay a per-user subscription fee, which varies based on the number of users and the tier (Free, Standard, Premium, Enterprise). There are no server hardware or maintenance costs, but you may need to budget for additional apps that are paid in Cloud. Also, if you have more than a certain number of users, you’ll need a data residency option or Enterprise plan for compliance. Review your current Server licensing to understand how many users you’re actually paying for, and compare it to the Cloud subscription cost.
Migration Tools and Alternatives
Atlassian provides a free Migration Assistant for Jira and Confluence that helps you move data from Server or Data Center to Cloud. This tool automates much of the process, but it has limitations—it may not transfer all apps or customizations. For complex migrations, you might consider third-party tools (like those from the Marketplace) or professional services. Alternatively, you could stay on Server if you have a valid license, but Atlassian has announced end-of-life dates for Server, so long-term, Cloud is the sustainable path.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a typical Atlassian Cloud migration take?
It depends on the size of your instance. A small Jira site with a few projects might take a few hours, while a large Data Center with years of data could take several days. The migration assistant gives an estimate, but plan for more time than you expect.
Will my custom fields and workflows transfer to Cloud?
Most custom fields and workflows do transfer, but some may need manual adjustment. For example, custom field options that contain special characters might cause issues. The migration assistant will report any problems, and you can fix them in the Cloud site after migration.
Can I run Jira and Confluence on the same Cloud site?
Yes, you can have multiple products in one Cloud site. This is actually recommended because it allows users to access both tools with the same login and makes permission management easier.
What happens to my apps after migration?
Apps do not transfer automatically. You’ll need to install Cloud versions from the Marketplace after migration. Some apps have free Cloud versions if you already own the Server version, but not all. Check the Marketplace listing for each app.
Do I need to worry about data residency?
If your company has compliance requirements about where data is stored, Atlassian offers data residency options in certain regions (like the US, EU, and Australia). You can choose the region when you set up your Cloud site, but moving data between regions later is not straightforward, so choose carefully.
Can I keep my old Server instance after migrating?
Yes, but Atlassian recommends decommissioning it once you’re confident the Cloud migration is successful. Keeping it running means paying for a license and maintaining two systems, which is wasteful. You can keep a backup for a few months for safety.
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