Importing a Confluence Space Between Free Tier cloud Instances

Danny Nilsson_66d3fh

I made a guide to help all the poor souls that has been struggling with this bug that Atlassian don't want to fix. I saw multiply tickets of bug reports that was just closed regarding this issue. so at least now its possible to import data to a free tier

Description

This document outlines the limitations and workarounds associated with importing a Confluence space between two free tier instances.

Due to restrictions imposed by the free tier, directly importing a space from one free tier instance to another will result in the imported space being hidden due to permission issues. To successfully import and access the space, it is necessary to upgrade at least the importing instance to a paid premium tier or make use of the trial.

This document will provide detailed steps on how to perform the import, address the permission issue by upgrading to a premium tier, and subsequently recover the imported space.

Requirements

To successfully import a Confluence space from one free tier instance to another, you will need three Confluence sites:

1. Source Confluence Site: The original Confluence instance containing the space to be imported.

2. Destination Confluence Site: The target Confluence instance where the space will be imported.

3. Temporary Confluence Site: A temporary Confluence instance used solely for activating the premium tier to resolve permission issues. This site will be deleted after the import process is complete.

Note: The temporary Confluence site is required because it is not possible to import a space from one free tier instance to another and maintain access to the imported space. Activating a premium tier on either the source or destination site is necessary to resolve permission-related issues. For cost-efficiency, using a temporary site for a trial period is recommended.

 

Export Confluence Space

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Access Space Settings:

   • Navigate to the desired space on your source Confluence site.

   • Click on the gear icon (space settings) located on the left sidebar.

2. Initiate Export:

   • In the space settings, find and select the "Export space" option.

3. Choose Export Format:

   • Select "CSV" as the export format.

Import Confluence Space to Temp instance

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Access Import Function:

   • Log in to your temporary Confluence site as an administrator.

   • Navigate to the administration section.

   • Locate and access the "Data management" or "Import spaces" function. This option might be under different menus depending on your Confluence version.

2. Initiate Import:

   • Browse for the exported CSV file you created in the previous step.

   • Click the "Import" button to start the import process.

Resolving Permission Issues and Recovering the Space

1. Activate Premium Tier:

   • Ensure that your temporary Confluence site has an active premium tier. If not, activate a trial period.

2. Recover Space Permissions:

   • Once the premium tier is active, you should see a "Recover" button related to the imported space's permissions. Click this button to restore the space's visibility.

3. Adjust Space Permissions:

   • Navigate to the "Security" section of the space settings.

   • Access the "Space Permissions" configuration.

   • Grant appropriate permissions to users and groups to ensure correct access to the space.

Import to the destination instance

These steps will make the permission be the same between the temp and destination and not require you to recover after import.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Export Space from Temporary Confluence Site:

   • Follow the same steps as outlined previously to export the space from the temporary Confluence site as a CSV file.

2. Import Space into Destination Confluence Site:

   • Use the same import process described earlier to import the CSV file into your destination Confluence site.

Important Considerations

• Verify Permissions: Before proceeding with the final import, double-check that the space permissions are configured correctly on the temporary Confluence site. Incorrect permissions could lead to access issues on the destination site and might require significant troubleshooting or even data loss if the space cannot be deleted.

• Test on a Separate Instance: If this is your first time performing this process, it is highly recommended to test the entire procedure on a separate Confluence instance to avoid potential issues with your production environment.

Clean up subscriptions

Step-by-Step Guide

Note: These steps are specific to cloud-based Confluence instances. If you're using a self-managed Confluence instance, the process will differ.

1. Access Billing and Subscriptions:

   • Log in to your Atlassian cloud account.

   • Navigate to Administration > Billing > Manage subscriptions.

2. Locate the Temporary Confluence Instance:

   • Identify the Confluence instance you want to delete from the list of subscriptions.

3. Initiate Deletion:

   • Click the three dots (ellipsis) next to the Confluence instance.

   • Select Delete.

   • Type the word "DELETE" in the confirmation field.

   • Confirm the deletion.

Adward Platin

Unfortunately, directly importing a Confluence space between free tier cloud instances is not a straightforward process.

Understanding the Limitations

Data Size Restrictions: Free tier instances often have limitations on storage and data transfer, which can impact the import process, especially for larger spaces.

API Restrictions: Free tier instances might have limitations on API usage, which could affect tools or scripts used for migration.

Feature Limitations: Some features or functionalities might be restricted in free tier instances, affecting the import process or the imported space's behavior.

Potential Workarounds

While not ideal, here are some potential workarounds to consider:

1. Manual Export and Import:

Export the space: From the source instance, export the space as a backup.
Transfer the backup: Manually transfer the backup file to the destination instance.
Import the space: In the destination instance, import the space from the backup file.
Note: This method is time-consuming and error-prone, especially for large spaces.

2. Upgrade to a Paid Plan:

Temporary upgrade: Consider temporarily upgrading one of the instances to a paid plan to leverage additional features and resources for the migration.
Perform the import: Once upgraded, perform the import using the standard Confluence import process.

Downgrade to free tier: After the import, downgrade the instance back to the free tier.
Note: This method involves additional costs but provides a more reliable and efficient way to migrate the space.

3. Third-Party Migration Tools:

Explore options: Research third-party migration tools that might support Confluence cloud-to-cloud migrations.

Evaluate compatibility: Check if the tool supports free tier instances and has the required features.

Consider costs: Many third-party tools come with costs, so evaluate if the benefits outweigh the expenses.

Note: The effectiveness of third-party tools can vary, and it's essential to test them thoroughly before relying on them for a critical migration.

Important Considerations:

Data Loss: Be prepared for potential data loss during the migration process.
Permissions: Ensure proper permissions are set up for the imported space in the destination instance.

Testing: Thoroughly test the imported space to verify its functionality and data integrity.
Backup: Create a backup of the source space before starting the migration process.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on the size of the space, the available resources, and your specific requirements. Carefully evaluate these factors before choosing a method.