It’s official: Atlassian is saying goodbye to self-hosted solutions.
On March 28, 2029, Atlassian will completely withdraw from data center and other self-managed products. For long-time Atlassian watchers, this move was expected. The only surprise is that it is coming a little earlier than many predicted. Most estimates pointed to 2030.
From Atlassian’s perspective, the decision makes sense. It reduces complexity, cuts costs, and allows the company to focus on a single code base. Support operations are already being streamlined. For example, the Amsterdam support team has been reduced, since many issues typical of on-premise setups such as OS versions, patch levels, and database mismatches simply do not exist in the SaaS world.
But what does this mean for organizations that still rely on self-managed solutions? Let’s break it down.
The upside: efficiency and simplified operations
Atlassian’s shift to cloud brings some undeniable advantages:
- Unified infrastructure monitored and managed entirely by Atlassian
- Faster innovation with quicker updates and feature rollouts
- Lower support overhead with no more patching, version conflicts, or manual upgrades
- Better contract terms thanks to recent improvements that make cloud licensing more attractive
These changes have removed some of the major barriers that once made companies hesitate to switch.
The challenges: legal and technical obstacles
However, two major challenges remain for many organizations.
- Data privacy and compliance risks
Legal concerns are the biggest “elephant in the room.” As the EU Cloud Act survey revealed, even tech giants like Microsoft cannot fully guarantee that data hosted in the cloud will never be accessed by US authorities.
Atlassian Cloud is operated by Atlassian and AWS, both US-based companies. This raises concerns for highly regulated industries or for organizations handling sensitive EU data. While a support ticket about a laptop request may not be risky, strategic projects or critical vulnerabilities could be another story.
Companies that have consolidated instances for cost reasons after the end-of-life of Atlassian Server now face a new challenge. They must identify which data can be migrated safely and which is too sensitive for cloud storage.
- Custom integrations and in-house developments
Self-hosted Atlassian products have long allowed teams to build custom integrations via APIs. This flexibility is limited in the cloud:
On-premise / Data Center | Atlassian Cloud |
Install any custom integration | Only certified add-ons are supported |
Full control of hosting environment | Managed infrastructure with no custom code deployments |
Direct database access | No direct DB access, must use REST APIs |
High customization freedom | Must adapt processes to fit cloud capabilities |
In the best case, the cloud version offers functionality that can replicate your processes with some effort. In the worst case, teams must rebuild custom integrations from scratch, often with a new architecture, while continuing to maintain in-house systems. This can also increase cybersecurity complexity.
Your options moving forward
If you are currently using Atlassian Data Center, you have two main paths:
- Plan your migration to Atlassian Cloud
- Conduct a full assessment of data, infrastructure, and compliance requirements
- Consolidate and clean up instances to avoid migration issues
- Re-architect custom integrations where necessary
- Move away from Atlassian entirely
- Evaluate alternative collaboration platforms
- Plan change management to onboard users to the new system
- Ensure data export and regulatory compliance throughout the transition
Both options require careful planning and support from an experienced partner.
Why start now
2029 might sound far away, but major migrations can take months or even years depending on the complexity of your environment. Starting early allows you to:
- Avoid last-minute rush and unplanned downtime
- Control costs by phasing the migration
- Reduce security and compliance risks
- Prepare users for a smooth transition
Partner with experts for a successful transition
Whatever path you choose, knowmad mood Germany can guide you through every step, from strategic planning and compliance reviews to technical execution and user adoption.
📅 Do not wait until the last minute, 2029 is closer than you think.
➡️ Talk to our Atlassian experts
