Exporting and importing JIRA from local laptop to a server

[Deleted user]

How do I go about exporting the JIRA schema from a local JIRA installation on my laptop that uses the H evaluation database and importing it into another JIRA installation on a server that is using a SQL database?  

I really do not want to rebuild everything on this other server.

[Joe Pitt · Accepted solution]

Use the backup function and then import the backup to the other system. The import will rebuild the database. You'll need to pre-define the SQL database space. 

[Deleted user]

Joe, when you say "import the backup" you mean import using "Project import" not "Restore system", right?

If there are 2 or more projects in our JIRA instance will we be asked which to import or will it import all of them?

[Andy Heinzer]

No I think Joe means you should use the System restore.  The project restore can use the same XML backup zip file, but it can only import a single project at a time.   The system restore will completely overwrite your existing database though on your destination Jira instance.  So that is something to be aware of.

In the case where you want to simply migrate to a supported database, please follow the steps in Switching databases.  It explains the steps you can take in order to make this kind of database migration.

However if your destination Jira instance already has other Jira data that you want to maintain, then the process to merge these two instance is a lot more tedious to complete.  You would have to follow the steps in the Restoring a project from a backup for each project that you want to move over to the other instance.

[Deleted user]

Thanks Andrew.  For me, this is turning out to be a nightmare. We did a backup, from our intranet. Sent the zip file to another location where there is no outside contact - no phones, no internet, nothing - everything is highly controlled. We DID do a system restore onto this other JIRA installation and promptly, as you noted, overwrote everything - including their paths and users - including the JIRA SYS Admin.

That is why I asked specifically about using  restore VS import project.  By the way - in our JIRA instance it we had 4 projects and the restore just moved all of them to the secured JIRA target - we weren't asked which project we wanted to restore/import.

Thank You for the links to documentation - I'll read them all.

Jim

[Deleted user]

PS - they are restoring their setup from the latest backup . . .so we get to try again, soon.