Atlassian’s decision to end support for its Data Center products on March 28, 2029, places enterprise technology teams in a critical planning cycle. The impact reaches across support continuity, compliance obligations, resource planning, and long-term platform strategy. Organizations now have to evaluate three clear directions: move to Atlassian Cloud, continue with the Data Center for a defined period, or shift to an alternative platform such as GitLab.

In this blog, VivaOps experts outline the facts behind the change and offer a structured approach to selecting the path that fits your goals, constraints, and growth strategy.

Understanding Atlassian’s EoS: What’s Changing, and Why?

Atlassian will retire support for all Data Center products, including Jira Software, Jira Service Management, Confluence, Bamboo, Crowd, and related Marketplace apps, on March 28, 2029.

Several Long-Term Support releases reach the end of support earlier, including:

• Bamboo 9.4 (LTS): 26 October 2025
• Jira Service Management 5.12 (LTS): 29 November 2025
• Jira Software 9.12 (LTS): 29 November 2025
• Confluence 8.5 (LTS): 15 December 2025

After the 2029 deadline:

• Environments will shift to read-only mode.
• Feature releases and security updates will end across the entire Data Center suite.
• Marketplace vendors may stop supporting or maintaining Data Center app versions.
• Operating the platform will become progressively harder due to security exposure, compatibility issues, and unsupported plugins.

Atlassian has already concentrated its investment and innovation roadmap on Atlassian Cloud, which will continue to receive updates, performance improvements, and enterprise-grade capabilities.

Your Post-EoS Choices: Navigating Cloud, Data Center, or Beyond

Atlassian Cloud

Atlassian Cloud offers automatic upgrades, enterprise security features, and reduced operational overhead. Organizations aiming for simplified management or global scalability often prioritize this route.
Key considerations include data residency requirements, identity integration, and differences in Marketplace app functionality.

Data Center (Short-Term Extension)

Some enterprises may choose to remain in the Data Center for a limited period to complete compliance checks, handle complex customizations, or align budgets. This is a temporary strategy with a fixed end date. Once support ends, the environment becomes harder to secure, update, or operate reliably.

Beyond Atlassian (e.g., GitLab)

GitLab remains a strong option for teams seeking consolidation of code management, CI/CD, security, and deployment operations. It supports cloud, on-prem, and hybrid models, and aligns well with modern DevSecOps practices.

This path appeals to organizations aiming to streamline toolchains or reduce dependency on multiple vendors.

Decision Criteria: Matching Your Organization’s Needs With The Right Path

A structured evaluation helps teams select the most appropriate direction:

A decision matrix based on compliance, integrations, customization level, global footprint, and internal capabilities can bring clarity to the selection process.

Migration Preparation: Strategic Steps No Matter Which Path You Choose

Before executing any migration, you must:

• Map your applications, dependencies, and third-party add-ons (especially Marketplace apps)
  
  
• Engage stakeholders (IT, security, business owners, compliance) and plan budget accordingly
  
  
• Build a risk-mitigation strategy: identify common pitfalls such as unsupported apps, custom automations, or data residency mismatch
  
  
• At VivaOps, we apply a phased, data-driven approach: assess - plan - pilot - scale.

For reference on app assessment and migration methods: Atlassian’s cloud migration guide covers app audit, migration assistants, and post-migration tasks. 

Deep Dive: Why GitLab May Be the Better Choice For “Beyond” Atlassian

Choosing GitLab is not simply a fallback; it can be a strategic upgrade. GitLab provides a unified DevSecOps platform, consolidating code repository, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, release orchestration and operations. For organisations ready to modernise their toolchains, reduce vendor-sprawl and invest in one platform aligned to software delivery, the move can create cost savings, agility gains, and future readiness. 

Recommended Read: The Clock Is Ticking: Atlassian End-of-Support Timeline & Why GitLab Is a Better Path

VivaOps’ Role: How We Guide Your Transition to GitLab

• VivaOps supports your move from the Atlassian stack to GitLab with a structured, outcome-focused approach:
• A detailed assessment and migration roadmap aligned with your industry, operating regions, current Atlassian usage, and future delivery goals.
• Deep expertise in Atlassian-to-GitLab migration, covering Cloud and Data Center environments, with clear guidance on the most practical path forward.
• Built-in compliance and risk controls to support data residency needs, audit requirements, and uninterrupted delivery operations during the shift.
• Governance and execution support across cutover planning, change management, and team onboarding to ensure a smooth and predictable transition.

FAQs & Decision Pitfalls

Q: Should we wait until 2029 to act?
No, waiting reduces your options, increases cost, and raises risk (read-only, unsupported apps, security exposure). Atlassian warns that after March 28 , 2029 your Data Center environment will become read-only.

Q: What happens to our Marketplace apps?
Third-party apps built for Data Center may be deprecated, unsupported, or require re-build on Cloud. Audit early.

Q: How complex is GitLab migration if we rely on custom workflows in Atlassian?
Complexity increases with custom scripts, plugins, and cross-tool automations. A phased sandbox approach reduces risk.

Conclusion: Don’t Stand Still, Choose Your Strategic Path With Confidence

Atlassian’s end-of-support timeline requires a clear and well-planned response. Each direction, Cloud, short-term Data Center continuation, or a transition to GitLab, carries advantages and operational implications.

A structured approach reduces uncertainty and prepares your teams for a smooth transition. VivaOps supports organizations through assessment, planning, governance, execution, and managed services to ensure the selected path delivers long-term value and operational stability.

If you’re preparing for the next phase and want guidance, you can connect with our team to walk through your options.