Migrate JIRA server users and groups to Azure AD

[Manoj]

Hello,

We are trying to move the user and group management from jira server (crowd) to Azure AD. i.e. JIRA server would still be on-prem, but just the users and groups will be managed by Azure AD and will be sync'ed to JIRA. The articles I have found are talking about JIRA cloud to Azure cloud integrations. Can someone route me to any article(s) which could help me with this?

[Luis Plaza]

Hi @Manoj 

Jira internally has tables for directories and users. Each user is linked with a Directory ( Database schema https://developer.atlassian.com/server/jira/platform/database-schema/ ).

Depending on the status of your crowd directoy it can be simple or needs working with SQL and Jira CLI to migrate existing users from one directory to another inside the Jira database and you need a detailed cutover plan.

• Create a Sandbox environment with a cloned database.
• A Jira server account has an identifier that uniquely identifies it. The same happends for user accounts in Azure AD defined by the IDP Administrator ( email or other.
• You may  export a list of users from the jira database and match if they exist in Azure AD.
  
  • Analyze the mapping of users using an external tool ( csv, excel, etc..)
  • Verify that the jira uses in the databse have the attribute needed in Azure AD to identify them
    • emails
    • emails not duplicated
    • etc..

• You may add the Azure AD directory in Jira has a second directory using as userId the attribute your organization uses ( email or other ) https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/saas-apps/jiramicrosoft-tutorial
• You may update or copy the Jira user records in the Jira database from one directory (crowd) to the new linked to Azure AD diredtory
  • Using SQL
  • Using CLI ( recommended )

In resume, it can be complicated... take a look at the features Jira CLI app has to help you perfom actions like get/set internally to the jira database to avoid sql operations:  https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JCLI/pages/70785560/getUserList

Greetings