Comparing Atlassian Cloud vs. Server vs. Data Center

When you’re entering the Atlassian ecosystem, you’ve got plenty on your plate, from determining what pricing model makes sense to which Atlassian platforms you want to adopt. One of the most critical decisions you have to make is choosing among Atlassian’s three available hosting options: Atlassian Cloud, Server, and Data Center.

Does your enterprise require the control and customizability of Server and Data Center, or would it benefit more from the ease of use that comes with Cloud? Let’s find out!

To get started, here’s a high level look at each hosting option, before getting into the weeds of what differentiates them.

Cloud

Atlassian Cloud allows you to run Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, and other software while Atlassian hosts and runs your Jira deployment. In addition to the standard benefits that come with any quality cloud hosting service, like scalability and reliability, Atlassian Cloud offers the convenience of a quickly available Jira instance that requires only minimal setup. You can also take advantage of automatic updates to your Atlassian products.

Who should use Atlassian Cloud?

In general, Atlassian Cloud makes the most sense for organizations that want a software-as-a-service (SaaS) experience and don’t require the customizability or control offered by Atlassian Server and Data Center. It’s also a good choice for organizations whose needs fluctuate wildly from month-to-month, as its tiered pricing solution is based on the number of users who have accessed your instance in the last month.

Server and Data Center

Both Atlassian Server and Data Center let you host Atlassian’s products on your own infrastructure or by using a third party cloud provider. Running and maintaining Atlassian software yourself does require more work — and technical expertise — than using Atlassian Cloud, but it provides control over all aspects of your deployment, from updates to security. In addition, depending on your setup, these options may perform better than Cloud.

As Atlassian Server has been deprecated as of February 2, 2021, and new licenses are no longer sold, Data Center is now the only option for organizations who are new to the Atlassian ecosystem. Thankfully, Atlassian Data Center provides superior security, customizability, and reliability compared to Server, though at a higher cost. Data Center is the most performant, robust option available, and it can meet the needs of even the largest enterprises.

Who should use Atlassian Data Center?

Organizations that require control over their infrastructure due to performance, security and compliance, or integration needs should look to Data Center. And if disruptions to service have a serious impact on your company, Data Center’s multiple node instances and high availability are great ways to maximize uptime.

To learn more about Contegix fully managed data center solution, download our comparison PDF.

The Big Differences Between Atlassian Cloud, Server, and Data Center

Now that you have a basic understanding of your options, it’s time to get into the details. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know to make an informed decision between Atlassian Cloud, Server, and Data Center.

Cloud vs. Server vs. Data Center for Jira and Confluence

The differences between Atlassian Cloud, Server, and Data Center extend to Atlassian’s individual products. These include Jira — a comprehensive project management platform — and Confluence — an easy-to-use knowledge base tool.

Jira Cloud lacks some capabilities offered by Server and Data Center. Many relate to customizability, accessibility, and extensibility, as indicated above. For instance, you won’t be able to use the features of some Jira plugins — like many of the scripting functions of ScriptRunner or the Dashboard Gadgets of BigPicture — on Cloud, or tailor email templates outside of some limited customization offered by Jira Service Management.

However, Jira Cloud does provide some advantages and features that aren’t present by default in self-hosted Jira deployments. As an example, Jira Advanced Roadmaps (formerly Portfolio), an Atlassian-developed project portfolio management tool, is available natively on Cloud Premium but only as a plugin on Server and Data Center. And next-gen projects are only available on Jira Cloud, so if you ever migrate to Data Center, you’ll have to move the relevant issues to standard projects.

Confluence Cloud shares some of the same relative limitations as Jira, but also comes with some of its own. These include the inability to customize themes, import text files into Confluence, or use multiple fonts.

If you’d like more information, Atlassian has a comprehensive look at the functional differences between Server or Data Center and Cloud for both Jira and Confluence.

If Atlassian Cloud isn’t performing well or offering your organization the features it needs, it’s time to consider moving to Data Center. To prepare for the migration, you should first back up your Cloud instance as often as possible. This is every 48 hours, but you can reach out to Atlassian if you require more frequent backups. You’ll also want to create a test environment with the latest version of Jira, a database (preferably using MySQL or PostgreSQL), the proper licenses for any Atlassian products you’re using, and a written plan for carrying out the migration.

You have several options when it comes to the migration itself, depending on what Atlassian products you need to move. Atlassian offers migration assistant apps for both Jira and Confluence that can streamline the process. You can also handle the migration yourself. With Jira, you can export your entire instance, which is likely the best manual option if you require your current Jira setup largely intact. Confluence only requires you to export your spaces to an XML file and then import that file to your new Confluence instance. You can choose to include all your attachments as well, regardless of their size.

You’ll want to test the new instance thoroughly in the environment you set up before it goes live. During this process of user acceptance testing (UAT), look for major differences between your current deployment and the new one, and prepare for any training you’ll need to give your team. Look for any potential incompatibilities, bugs, or other issues that the migration may cause as well so you can resolve them before they disrupt operations. And make sure you announce the migration well in advance, so employees can prepare themselves for the transition and any accompanying downtime.

What about moving from Server to Cloud or Data Center?

If you’re interested in migrating from Server to Cloud instead to streamline your operations or due to Server’s deprecation, you’ll need to ensure that your version of Server is compatible, you’ve cleaned the data in your Server instance, and you’ve selected the correct Cloud plan for your user base, among other tasks. Cleaning data in particular can be a complicated process, involving everything from removing duplicate information to standardizing custom workflows. You have the option of then either using the Jira Cloud Migration Assistant app or simply importing your database into your new Server instance.

Your migration timeline can be hard to estimate, and the process may be longer than you think — up to several months, in some instances. Running a test migration helps ensure your assessment is accurate. You’ll also have to assess relevant factors, like the state of your data and the impact of the migration on your business and customers.

Check whether your current plugins are compatible with Cloud as well. You don’t want to find out that an app your team relies on is unavailable after you’ve migrated. See whether there are alternatives available on the Atlassian Marketplace for any incompatible plugins.

Migrating from Server to Data Center is relatively straightforward. Once you’ve upgraded your license and updated any plugins, you’re set, other than potentially changing your setup to run Data Center as a cluster.

Atlassian has excellent resources covering these and aspects of migrating, but even with this guidance, seeking assistance from an Atlassian Solution Partner is prudent when carrying out such a complicated and important process.

Deciding between Atlassian’s three offerings isn’t a choice to take lightly. You must carefully evaluate your organization’s needs both now and in the future, taking into account what Atlassian products you’ll be using and which option makes the most financial sense. When considering all these factors, it helps to have a team of experts at your back.

Contegix is an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner with the expertise to align your Atlassian deployment with your business needs. From hosting — whether on Contegix’s BlackMesh Cloud or elsewhere — to installation to migrations, Contegix is your holistic Atlassian resource.