Best way to migrate Jira project from SaaS version to Jira Data Center

[ashleyg]

Hi,

We have set up Jira Data Center and would like to migrate projects with most of the data which would basically mean issues with comments, attachments, history etc, from atlassian SaaS version (****.atlassian.net) to current data center version. I do understand that the versions are different here. Since its not a new out of the box thing that i am trying to accomplish and there has been several posts around it in different forums, i would like to know the best way of trying this out without impacting the current configuration of our target instance. CSV import doesn't meet the requirements here. Native Jira project import  is also a bit challenging since that would need us to set up test instance with same version as prod target instance, then try the import there and then use that XML back up to restore on prod target instance. There are a few plugins that talk about getting this done quite easily like the Project Configurator, but i'm not sure how far we can go with that since we have never tried that.

Given the requirements that we have where as of now all we would like to do is to import as much data into target instance as needed primarily comments, attachments and history without overwriting or messing up the current target instance, what would be the best way to try this out. We don't want to try several things here and would like to just know the most feasible approach to guard these requirements.

Cheers,

Ashley

[Thomas Deiler]

Dear @ashleyg,

I recommend

• Export with Backup Manager (Export for Server)
• Install backup on fresh Jira Server system
• (optional) Manipulate data to your needs (eg. user mapping)
• Extract relevant projects with Project Configurator
• Import projects with Project Configurator to JDC

But anyhow to ensure data integrity you have to dry-run this process, first.

Different way: write your own "importer" for the Cloud data (XML). You could transfer it to JSON format - an importer for JSON exists.

So long

Thomas

[ashleyg]

Thanks for the prompt response.

So you are suggesting to set up a new server system to use the SaaS backup restore?

Can we just set up an identical Data center instance (identical to prod target JDC), and then restore it from the SaaS XML backup which would ideally mean overwriting this test instance with everything what's in SaaS. Then use Project configurator in both the test instance and the prod JDC for export and import respectively?

[Thomas Deiler]

If the data is stored in DC or single system, makes no difference. This is just redundancy but not a different data quality. Set up a single system and import there. Then do the data exchange/merge with the plugin.

[ashleyg]

Ok just one thing here. The project configurator also recommends trying out the import onto a test or staging instance prior to prod. Will the below work and is it what should ideally happen? Just trying to get in depth before actually trying it out?

We set up an identical JDC (test instance) which would be exact replica of prod instance.

We export using project configurator from the SaaS instance (source) which would mean zip of both database and attachments unlike native Jira backup. Is that correct?
Then we import few projects (since we don't want all) to JDC test instance as totally new projects. This JDC will have current prod projects plus those selected projects from SaaS. Depending on how the mapping is done the SaaS projects will be imported to test instance without overwriting existing configuration. once everything is verified ok in test instance, the same export and import can be tried out for the target prod.

Please let me know if i am incorrect anywhere or missing something? We don't want to overwrite anything in prod jira but at the same time ok to add new statuses, custom fields, etc as needed for the data integrity.

[Thomas Deiler]

Dear @ashleyg,

the project configurator is not available for cloud (SaaS). So the export works via Backup Manager, then import this file on a fresh Jira Server - but the same version as the Target DC system. Afterwards extract just the projects you would like to import with the project configurator and import them on DC. Backup DC before.

And the intermediate stage with test is a good idea.

With project configurator you will not overwrite anything. New or different named fields/status/workflows are just created - exiting not renamed. But you will see on test.

So long

Thomas

[ashleyg]

Thanks Thomas for being patient with me here. I will try as you recommended and let you know how that goes. We are planning to do so in a couple of weeks from now.
Just wondering why Jira back up in DC or server doesn't include attachments while it does in the cloud version. Since the SaaS back up manager export will also include attachments, i believe we are good. But i just checked the same on our DC instance and don't see the "Include Attachments" option.

[Thomas Deiler]

With that plugin you can export the attachments, too.