Will you have an on-prem version of Confluence that is supported after Feb 2, 2024?

[Alan Vickers]

We are currently using on-prem version of Confluence and may not be able to migrate to the cloud version. Do you have an on-prem version of Confluence (server or Data Center) that is supported after Feb 2, 2024?

[Bill Bailey · Accepted solution]

Hello @Alan Vickers , we are in the same situation. Atlassian is only end of lifing the server version. But Data Center will remain an option after Feb 2024, only at $$$.

[Alan Vickers]

Thanks @Bill Bailey . Do you happen to know if we're on server now, can we purchase Data Center license and migrate content before Feb 2024? We have two instances of Confluence. Would likely need to combine when we migrate. 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

You can migrate any time you want.  Your server licence is actually "perpetual", which means it won't stop working after it ends (you just don't get any support or upgrades any more, which is where you'll be on after Feb 2024 anyway)

Also, if you're on a relatively recent version, there is a really easy migration path - you can apply DC licences to your server and it'll simply become a DC install with a single node.  You can then add more nodes into the cluster, and drop the old machine completely if you want.

[Bill Bailey]

@Nic Brough -Adaptavist-  with the assist!

[Bill Bailey]

Yes @Alan Vickers  we are also counting on the same path being there in Feb 2024. I did a LOT of research on our options when Atlassian started forcing server customer to the Cloud.

[Alan Vickers]

Thanks @Bill Bailey  and @Nic Brough -Adaptavist- . Not sure if what we have qualifies as relatively recent. :) We're on 7.4.11. 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

For Jira, it was implemented in 8.3 or 8.4, but we never got it to work smoothly until 8.5. 

From a much fuzzier memory, I think it was implemented in Confluence 7.0, but I didn't try it until 7.2, where it was definitely working fine.  So your 7.4 is well within "relatively recent"!

[Alan Vickers]

Good news, thanks!

[Daniel Eads]

I would suggest Jira 8.8 for single-node conversion to be on the safe side.

References:

• Jira versions cheatsheet 
• Confluence versions cheatsheet 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Yes, I've got a few anecdotes about various versions, but it's anecdotal.  I have not run into problems with 8.5, 8.6 or 8.7, but I've not seen enough of them to be a good sample size (Two). 

We've done a lot more with later versions, mostly the long-term-support ones, and seen no problems.  8.13 has a much better sample size - dozens of Server -> DC conversions done by just pasting a new set of licences in!

The higher the version, the better.  (Applies to Confluence too, with different version numbers of course)

[Alan Vickers]

@Bill Bailey @Nic Brough -Adaptavist-  Just confirming that moving from Confluence Server 7.13.xx to Data Center is fairly seamless. Need to plan for next year. This is basically an upgrade and not a migration, correct?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

It's more of a migration than an upgrade, but it is quite simple compared with a big upgrade or moving to Cloud

It's more complex than this, but the bigger steps are:

• Build your new DC install (even if it's just a single node to begin with), with the shared storage and database backend you want
• Install Confluence 7.13 DC on it
• Get it running, to the point where an admin can log in and start creating stuff
• Add all the apps you're going to be using
• Stop it
• Copy all the data files from the old server (attachments) 
• Restore the backup of the old database into the new database
• Restart Confluence
• Trigger a full re-index

If you want to upgrade Confluence (the version), I would do that as a separate piece of work, to be done before or after migration, not at the same time (although it's fine to do them back to back over a weekend, say)

In theory, you could convert your old server into a DC node, but that's not recommended as a server install won't be ready to be clustered and you still have to move stuff around on file systems.  It's better to build on servers built to be DC nodes.

[Alan Vickers]

@Nic Brough -Adaptavist- Cool, thanks a bunch, Nic! Think we're in good shape. REALLY appreciate the help and quick response.