Cloud migration methods for Jira

Depending on your needs, you may need to use one or more of the following methods to migrate to Jira Cloud. Read Choose a Cloud migration method for advice on how to choose the migration method that meets your needs.

Jira Cloud Migration Assistant (recommended)

The Jira Cloud Migration Assistant is a free Atlassian app that can be installed on your Jira Server or Data Center instance. The migration assistant is the easiest and most reliable way to move from Server or Data Center to Jira Cloud.

Learn more about what's migrated with the Jira Cloud Migration Assistant

Benefits	Limitations
As part of a lift and shift migration, you can choose which of your data — product data, users, attachments and apps — and migrate it to cloud with as little downtime as possible. Choose to migrate only attachments Choose to migrate only users and groups. You can also migrate users managed by external directories. Choose to migrate only users related to the projects you want to migrate Choose what projects you want to migrate Migrate in phases if needed Assess and migrate your apps The assistant will not overwrite existing data in your Cloud site Migrate Jira Service Management customer accounts Migrate Advanced Roadmaps Be guided through the migration with an easy-to-use interface Identify any problems with your data before you migrate Download pre- and post-migration reports	You need to be on a supported self-managed version of Jira

Benefits

Limitations

As part of a lift and shift migration, you can choose which of your data — product data, users, attachments and apps — and migrate it to cloud with as little downtime as possible.
Choose to migrate only attachments
Choose to migrate only users and groups. You can also migrate users managed by external directories.
Choose to migrate only users related to the projects you want to migrate
Choose what projects you want to migrate
Migrate in phases if needed
Assess and migrate your apps
The assistant will not overwrite existing data in your Cloud site
Migrate Jira Service Management customer accounts
Migrate Advanced Roadmaps
Be guided through the migration with an easy-to-use interface
Identify any problems with your data before you migrate
Download pre- and post-migration reports

You need to be on a supported self-managed version of Jira

Jira Cloud CSV import

This isn’t a recommended migration method due to its limitations. Only use it when Jira Cloud Migration Assistant is not an option for your needs.

This method allows you to import issues from Jira Server or Cloud into a Cloud site. Learn more about using CSV import

Merge in Jira Server

If you manage multiple Server or Data Center instances, merging them might be a prerequisite step to your migration to Cloud. However, you may be able to skip this step depending on which migration method you choose. For example, if you’re using the Jira Cloud Migration Assistant, you don’t need to consolidate Server instances before importing issues to Cloud.

Learn more about merging instances in Jira Server

Use this method when you need to:

merge multiple Jira Cloud sites
merge multiple Jira Server instances
import only specific projects from one Cloud site to another

Benefits	Limitations
Jira Service Management (formerly Jira Service Desk) can be migrated	Apps and app data won’t be migrated. This means you'll need to reinstall apps, and you’ll lose data from apps that were installed in the source site. Learn more about assessing apps Users won’t be migrated. Learn about options for user migration Knowledge of how to install and set up a server application is required Merging sites usually takes time to complete, especially for large sites

More information and support

We have a number of channels available to help you with your migration.

For migration planning information, visit the Atlassian Migration Program website.
For technical issues or support with strategy and best practices, get in touch with our support team.
For peer advice, ask the Atlassian Community.
For expert guidance, work with an Atlassian Partner.
For more help, check out the Cloud migration guide or register for our Cloud migration demos with live chat Q&A.

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