Migrating to Atlassian's Data Center sounds straightforward until you're knee-deep in the process. Whether you're moving from Server or upgrading your existing setup, these migrations have a way of revealing every weak spot in your planning.

We've seen teams stumble through the same pitfalls over and over again. The good news? Most of these mistakes are totally avoidable once you know what to look for.

Mistake #1: Skipping the Deep Infrastructure Dive

Here's what usually happens: Someone declares "We need to migrate!" and teams jump straight into planning the move. But without understanding what you actually have, you're basically packing for a trip without checking what's in your closet first.

The fix: Start with a complete infrastructure assessment. Go rack-by-rack, component-by-component. Document every custom field, workflow, app integration, and configuration quirk your team has built over the years. Yes, it's tedious. Yes, it takes time. But finding out mid-migration that your critical workflow depends on a deprecated plugin is way worse.

Create an inventory spreadsheet and assign owners to audit different areas. You'll probably discover unused projects, outdated configurations, and zombie apps that nobody remembers installing. Clean house before you move house.

Mistake #2: Playing Musical Chairs with Leadership

Migration projects die when nobody knows who's actually in charge. We've watched teams spiral into decision paralysis because five different people thought they were the project lead, or worse: nobody did.

The fix: Pick one person to be the migration owner and make it crystal clear to everyone. This person doesn't have to do all the work, but they need authority to make decisions when things get sticky. Create a RACI matrix if you want to get fancy, or just send an email that says "Sarah is running this show, all migration questions go to her."

Set up regular check-ins and make sure your decision-maker is actually available during critical migration windows. Nothing kills momentum like waiting three days for approval on a simple configuration change.

Mistake #3: Ignoring the Dependency Web

Your Jira instance isn't just a collection of independent pieces: it's an interconnected ecosystem. Custom fields reference each other, workflows trigger automations, and third-party apps often depend on specific configurations to function properly.

The fix: Map your dependencies before you start moving anything. Test your migration in a sandbox environment first. Pay special attention to:

• Workflow validators and post-functions
• Custom field dependencies and calculations
• App integrations and their configuration requirements
• Shared filters, dashboards, and reporting setups

When you find dependencies that won't survive the migration, document them and plan workarounds. Sometimes this means updating configurations beforehand, sometimes it means accepting that certain automations will need to be rebuilt.

Mistake #4: Forgetting to Ask the Actual Users

Technical teams love to declare migrations successful based on data transfer completion. But your users don't care about your database statistics: they care about whether their daily workflows still function.

The fix: Build business validation into your migration timeline. Before you flip the switch, have representatives from each team actually use the new system. Let them run through their typical tasks, check their dashboards, and verify their integrations work as expected.

Create test scenarios that mirror real usage patterns. If your support team relies on specific Jira automations to route tickets, make sure those scenarios work perfectly before you announce the migration complete.

Mistake #5: Wildly Underestimating Time Requirements

Production migrations always take longer than test migrations. Always. Factor in data volume differences, network constraints, and the simple fact that you can't afford downtime during business hours.

The fix: Work backwards from your target date and build in serious buffer time. Atlassian provides time estimates, but treat those as absolute minimums. Add at least 50% more time than you think you need, especially for the data transfer phase.

Schedule your migration during low-usage periods and communicate timeline expectations clearly. It's better to under-promise and surprise people with an early completion than to blow past deadlines while everyone's waiting to get back to work.

Mistake #6: Treating Migration Like a "Set and Forget" Process

Some teams think migration is like moving apartments: once you're in, you're done. But Data Center migrations require ongoing attention, especially around security monitoring and performance optimization.

The fix: Treat your migration as the beginning of a continuous process. Set up monitoring for unusual activity patterns, failed login attempts, or unexpected data exports. Use Atlassian's built-in security dashboards and configure alerts for anomalies.

Schedule quarterly security reviews to assess new risks and update policies. Your threat landscape changes, your team grows, and new vulnerabilities emerge. Stay on top of these changes instead of hoping everything stays stable forever.

Mistake #7: Declaring Victory Too Early

The biggest mistake? Thinking you're done once the migration completes. Your new Data Center environment needs optimization, scaling consideration, and ongoing performance tuning.

The fix: Develop a post-migration optimization strategy. Monitor performance metrics and be prepared to scale infrastructure as usage grows. Continue refining configurations, updating IAM policies, and ensuring encryption is properly configured.

Most importantly, maintain a rollback plan even after you've declared the migration successful. Assign someone ownership of rollback procedures and keep emergency contacts readily available. Issues can emerge weeks or months after migration, and you want to be prepared to respond quickly.

The Security and Compliance Layer

Don't forget about the less obvious considerations. App compatibility issues can surface days after migration when specific workflows trigger problematic integrations. Verify that all your current apps will work in your target Data Center environment before you migrate.

Security and compliance requirements also deserve special attention. Ensure data residency aligns with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, properly configure IAM policies, and enable encryption both in transit and at rest. Set up comprehensive audit logging before migration begins, not after.

Making Migration Work for Your Team

Data Center migrations don't have to be disasters waiting to happen. With proper planning, clear ownership, and realistic timelines, you can avoid the mistakes that trip up most teams.

The key is respecting the complexity of what you're doing while staying focused on the business outcomes you're trying to achieve. Your users need their tools to work reliably, your data needs to stay secure, and your team needs to maintain productivity throughout the transition.

Start planning early, test everything twice, and don't be afraid to slow down when you encounter unexpected complications. Better to handle migration carefully than to rush through it and spend months fixing the consequences.

Ready to tackle your own Data Center migration? Take the time to audit your current setup thoroughly, establish clear project leadership, and build in plenty of buffer time for the unexpected. Your future self will thank you for the extra preparation.