Atlassian has announced the end of Data Center support, and the deadline is firm
Subscribe to our newsletter
Be the first to find out all the latest new, products and trends.
🚨 The Announcement That Changes Everything
Remember when Atlassian ended Server support in 2021? Now they're doing the same with Data Center. March 28, 2029 is the final date for Data Center products – no more security updates, no support, and your on-premises setup will no longer be maintained.
The Timeline That Actually Matters
- March 30, 2026: No new DC sales for new customers
- March 30, 2028: No more expansions or new marketplace apps for existing customers
- March 28, 2029: Final deadline – DC becomes read-only
What's Getting the Axe
Everything you'd expect: Jira Software DC, Jira Service Management DC, Confluence DC, Bamboo DC, Crowd DC, plus all those marketplace apps you've grown attached to.
The exceptions? Bitbucket DC continues in a hybrid model, and Jira Align DC isn't part of this transition.
Why Atlassian Is Doing This
Atlassian is concentrating all investment in Cloud to deliver innovation faster. Every development resource is going into Cloud features like Atlassian Intelligence, cross-product analytics, and automation that works without extensive technical knowledge.
The important change: Cloud in 2025 has evolved significantly from its early versions in 2020. It now offers capabilities that exceed Data Center functionality.
📈 What This Actually Means for Your Day-to-Day Reality
Let's look at what this transition really means for your organization beyond the marketing materials.
The Good News (Yes, There Is Some)
- Scale problems solved: 100k Jira users, 150k Confluence users on single Cloud sites
- Compliance covered: FedRAMP Moderate/High, IL5 coming, plus residency options
- AI that actually works: Search that finds things, summaries that make sense
- Marketplace maturity: Most popular DC apps now have Cloud versions (even our License Cleanup Application https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1220581/my-user-manager-for-jira )
The Challenges to Consider
Your custom integrations won't transfer directly. Groovy scripts, direct database calls, file system dependencies – Cloud operates differently and doesn't support these approaches.
Cost calculations will need review. Per-user pricing appears higher initially until you include infrastructure, upgrades, security patches, and ongoing maintenance time.
The Migration Timeline
You should complete migration by early 2029, which means starting your migration project by late 2026. This allows time for discovery, pilots, custom app development, and addressing unexpected integration issues.
🛠️ Your Game Plan: Making This Transition Actually Work
Instead of lengthy planning cycles, focus on proving the approach works quickly, then expand.
The 90-Day Sprint That Changes Everything
Weeks 1-2: Complete Inventory Assessment Document everything properly. Not just "we have Jira," but "we have Jira with 4700 custom fields, 1287 post-functions, and legacy automations that require careful review."
Weeks 3-4: Key Architecture Decisions
- Which Cloud plan fits your requirements?
- Where does your data need to reside?
- How will you manage identity and access control?
Weeks 5-8: Pilot Implementation Choose something important but not business-critical. Migrate selected Jira projects and a Confluence space, then use them for actual work. Test with real workflows, not demonstrations.
Weeks 9-12: Custom Development For business-critical customizations, you have three options:
- Find a marketplace app that meets most requirements
- Rebuild functionality using Forge platform
- Modify processes to work with standard Cloud features
The Migration Process
Your migration will require careful planning regardless:
- Prepare data according to pre-migration checklists
- Document your rollback procedures
- Test with production data multiple times
- The first test reveals unknown issues
- The second test resolves most problems
- The actual migration may still present challenges, but proper expertise minimizes risks
After Migration Completion
Avoid recreating Data Center configurations in Cloud. Enable AI features, implement cross-product analytics, and automate repetitive processes.
Important note: Most organizations that complete this transition successfully report significant improvements after six months. Not because migration was simple, but because Cloud capabilities exceed their previous environments such as DC or server.
Next Steps
March 28, 2029 will arrive regardless of preparation status. The choice is whether you'll be operating smoothly in your Cloud environment, or dealing with urgent migration issues.
Ready to begin planning? Schedule a 60-minute workshop with ONETEEM. We'll identify your main challenges, recommend buy-versus-build decisions, and design a pilot that validates the approach without significant risk.
ONETEEM combines TEEMFORCE consulting, TEEMDEV custom development, TEEMLEARN enablement, and TEEMAPPS marketplace solutions to ensure your Atlassian Cloud migration becomes a success story you can share with confidence.