Are you considering moving to Atlassian cloud, but have some concerns about what’s entailed? If so, you aren’t alone.

Every day, we hear from customers moving to cloud about the benefits of making the switch: lower IT workloads, cost savings, and greater agility – not to mention meeting the need for mobility and remote work. Yet despite these benefits, we also hear many misconceptions about our cloud products, and what a migration journey from server or Data Center looks like.

During our recent Remote Summit, we shared the 10 most common myths about moving to Atlassian cloud:

  1. Cloud and server are the same
  2. Keeping data on-premises is safer than in the cloud
  3. Managing on-premise applications is cheaper than cloud
  4. Big enterprises aren’t using the cloud
  5. The production migration requires the most work
  6. Organizations don’t need to cleanup before moving to the cloud
  7. Apps aren’t available in the cloud
  8. Apps don’t migrate to the cloud
  9. Migration isn’t flexible enough to suit my organization’s needs
  10. Cloud migration is too much for my organization to handle

Have you wondered about any of the above? Keep reading. You can also download our guide or watch the full presentation.

Busted! 10 common migration myths (and the real facts)

The biggest difference between server and cloud

Myth #1: Cloud and server are one and the same

False. Atlassian’s cloud products provide the same benefits as our server products, but there are differences in features, functionality, and user experience (for both administrators and end-users). It’s essential when considering migration to compare platform differences, as well as learn about features specific to each product in cloud.

The best way to learn about these features is to explore cloud and try them for yourself. To make this easier for you, we offer free extended cloud trials for all current server and Data Center customers.  

Myth #2: Keeping data on-premises is safer than in the cloud

Rarely. We call this the “it’s safe because I can see it” fallacy – having direct access to your hardware may feel like greater control, but in reality, it can create a single point of failure for the entire system.

However, with Atlassian’s cloud products, you get enterprise-grade access to security, encryption, and privacy right out of the box. Our cloud products exceed industry-wide compliance and data privacy standards, and data is safeguarded through encryption in transit and at rest.

But don’t just take our word for it. We publish our SOC2/SOC3 reports, Cloud Security Alliance status, and more on the Atlassian Trust Center.

Myth #3: Managing on-premise applications is cheaper than cloud

Not when you include hidden costs. Total cost of ownership is often lower for cloud than on-premise, as on-premise deployments have many hidden costs, including maintenance, upgrades and scheduled and unscheduled downtime.

To estimate your savings in cloud, we’ve created a cloud value calculator to help you identify hidden costs associated with your self-managed deployment and find areas where cloud can help you save money and time (not to mention sanity). Additionally, we provide several cost-saving offers for current customers, including credit for unused server maintenance, loyalty pricing for enterprise customers, and discounted academic and community pricing – as well as the aforementioned free cloud migration trials.

Myth #4: Big enterprises aren’t using the cloud

Busted. In fact, 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies have an Atlassian cloud license, and more than 90 percent of new customers choose cloud first.

Atlassian server and Data Center customers are migrating to the cloud in higher numbers than ever before, taking advantage of our recently announced Premium and Enterprise plans to get exactly the features and support they need at scale.

Myth #5: The production migration requires the most work

Nope. While the production migration gets lots of attention, it’s the planning, preparing, and testing that have the greatest impact on migration success.

Most of the work takes place before the migration, in preparing for the move, and after the migration, as users and administrators alike adjust to the new system. Below is just one example, but you’ll notice the actual “migration” doesn’t happen until you’re nearly through the process.

To learn more about creating your migration plan, visit our Cloud Migration Planning guide.

Myth #6: Organizations don’t need to cleanup before moving to the cloud

Untrue. A “spring clean” is extremely important.

Some organizations view pre-migration cleanup as “nice to have,” rather than essential. But before a cloud migration, it’s important to organize your self-managed instance, including taking the time to remove/consolidate outdated projects, workflows, and users.

Making time for cleanup has three main benefits:

  1. It makes the migration faster and smoother, reducing the risk of extended downtime.
  2. Once the migration is complete, performance is also often improved thanks to less data and bloat.
  3. Performing a cleanup can help you standardize common workflows and issue types, increasing transparency and collaboration between teams.

Myth #7: Apps aren’t available in cloud

Nonsense! There are more than 1,000 apps and integrations available today in cloud, and app developers are building more all the time.

The Atlassian Marketplace has added more than 250 cloud apps and integrations in the last 12 months alone. Almost all of our most popular server apps now have cloud versions, such as Insight Asset Management, Jira Workflow Toolbox, JSU Automation for Jira, Structure, and ConfiForms.

Explore the most popular cloud apps

Myth #8: Apps don’t migrate to the cloud

Getting better. Many apps already migrate data between the platforms, and we’re continuing to increase our investment in app migration over the next 12 months.

More than 60 percent of customers use apps from the Atlassian Marketplace, and that number is even higher for server customers. That’s why the Migrations team is working directly with Marketplace vendors and partners to simplify app assessment and app migration.

Learn more about app migration

Myth #9: Migration isn’t flexible enough to suit my organization’s needs

Doubt it. Atlassian has developed flexible migration tools that enable you to move to the cloud at your own pace, migrate in stages, or use a hybrid approach.

Free tools that help customers migrate include:

Myth #10: Cloud migration is too much for my organization to handle

Fiction. Atlassian can help your organization with every step of the migration.

Our assistance includes a dedicated migration support team, weekend support, enhanced support for large migrations, and for complex cases, helping you connect with the right partner.

Every organization is different when it comes to cloud migration. However, if you’ve been on the fence because of complexity, security, price, or support, know that Atlassian is here to help you move to the cloud every step of the way.

Visit our Cloud Migration Center for tips and resources to help your team get started in cloud.

10 myths about moving to Atlassian cloud