Important Date
Atlassian Data Center support ends March 28, 2029. While that seems far away, enterprise migrations typically take 12-24 months. Plan now.
Atlassian has confirmed that Data Center support will end on March 28, 2029. For the thousands of European enterprises running on Data Center, this isn't just a technical milestone, it's a strategic decision point. Here's everything you need to know.
What "End of Support" Actually Means
After March 2029, Atlassian will no longer provide:
- Security patches and bug fixes
- New feature development
- Technical support
- Marketplace app compatibility guarantees
Your Data Center instances won't stop working on that date, but running unsupported software in an enterprise environment creates unacceptable security and compliance risks.
Your Options
Option 1: Migrate to Atlassian Cloud
The path Atlassian wants you to take. Cloud offers automatic updates, reduced admin overhead, and access to the latest features including AI capabilities. However, it also means:
- Giving up infrastructure control
- Potential cost increases at certain user tiers
- Data residency considerations under GDPR
- App ecosystem changes and potential functionality gaps
Option 2: Migrate to Alternative Platforms
Some organizations use this as an opportunity to evaluate alternatives entirely. This makes sense if:
- You're only using basic Jira/Confluence functionality
- You have specific requirements Cloud can't meet
- Your organization is already standardizing on Microsoft or Google
Option 3: Stay on Data Center (Not Recommended)
Technically possible but inadvisable. Unsupported software accumulates security vulnerabilities, and compliance frameworks like ISO 27001 and SOC2 typically require vendor-supported software.
Planning Your Timeline
Four years seems like plenty of time, but enterprise migrations rarely go according to plan:
- 2025: Assessment and strategy - audit current state, evaluate options, build business case
- 2026: Preparation - standardize configurations, clean up data, plan integrations
- 2027: Pilot migration - migrate non-critical instances first, learn and refine
- 2028: Full migration - migrate production instances with comprehensive testing
- Early 2029: Buffer - address any remaining issues before end of support
Quick Start Checklist
- Inventory all Atlassian products and versions in use
- Catalog marketplace apps and their Cloud compatibility
- Map all custom integrations and automations
- Identify data residency and compliance requirements
- Estimate Cloud licensing costs at current user levels
- Identify stakeholders and decision-makers
- Engage works council early (if applicable)
Don't wait until 2028 to start planning. Our cloud migration services help enterprises develop a comprehensive migration strategy. Talk to a migration expert today.