 Upgrading JIRA 4.4 to latest version.

[CALQ]

Upgrading JIRA 4.4 to latest version. Can we install a fresh new up-to-date JIRA on a new server and THEN import data from our old JIRA database without the version-by-version upgrades?

[Sid · Accepted solution]

Hi @CALQ ,

JIRA 4.4 is two old and you cannot upgrade directly to latest version. So you need to incremental upgrades

I would also recommend looking at https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiraserver073/skipping-major-versions-when-upgrading-jira-applications-861253103.html

You certainly don't need to upgrade to every version in between, but there are a few key versions I would recommend going to as a means to make sure that your data can be upgraded successfully.  I would recommend this upgrade path:

4.4.5 -> 5.2.11 -> 7.0.11 -> 7.10.X - 8.2.3

You're probably also going to need the archived versions of these Jira installs which you can find in the Jira Downloads Archive.

There is also good overview KB in https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiraserver/upgrading-jira-applications-938846936.html

This KB explains that you have to also pay attention to the supported platforms of each version. 

I'd recommending using the Fallback method for Upgrading Jira.

[CALQ]

Thank you. I also understand that the only way to upgrade the database is to run the entire Upgrade process.

If we want to transfer our JIRA to another server WITHOUT changing version, I suppose we have to install JIRA 4.4 on the new server and then transfer database easily as it is in the same version? Does a JIRA 4.4 run on a Windows Server 2016 ?

[Sid]

Actually not required to install same version. You can install recoomanded higher version and do the import and verify if you have all the data.  I would say do it in non production (test first)

[CALQ]

Thanks again but I'm a little bit confused. Isn't what I asked in the first place ?  (...)Can we install a fresh new up-to-date JIRA on a new server and THEN import data from our old JIRA database (...)? If so, It would be the easiest way to move and upgrade our JIRA. Our old server with JIRA 4.4.4 would be our fallback.

[Sid]

Here you should not jump to 8 directly, you need to install version 5.2 is what I meant

[CALQ]

Ok. Thank you. So our understanding is that our path should be this: Create the new server and install new instance of JIRA 5.2.11 (or 4.4.5?) and database. Export data from old server with JIRA 4.4.4 and import it into new instance of JIRA (old JIRA 4.4.4 and its database is kept as our fallback). Upgrade new JIRA to higher versions (following recommended upgrade path) ?

[Sid]

yes, You need to import data to every version and check everything is working fine, if any issues or errors you need to fix it before you go to next versions