In September of this year, Atlassian announced its final Data Center End of Life (EOL) date for March 28, 2029. Since then, questions have been flying about the next best steps and what the transition means for each customer, and rightly so. This marks a major shift for organizations that still rely on self-managed Jira, Confluence, and related tools. For many teams, Jira Data Center has been the backbone of their development, IT Service Management, and collaboration environments for years.
While 2029 seems far off, these EOL projects have a way of sneaking up on us, and the decisions required to prepare for this change can’t wait until a few months before. Licensing restrictions will begin much sooner, and the planning, testing, and execution required for a successful transition to the Atlassian Cloud take time. Below, we break down Atlassian’s Data Center End Of Life announcement and what that means for you.
What is Happening?
Atlassian has announced that its Data Center products will reach End of Life (EOL) on March 28, 2029, at 23:59 PST. At that time, all affected Data Center subscriptions and Marketplace apps will expire, and those environments will transition to a read-only state. Teams will still be able to view historical data; however, their create, edit, and collaborate privileges within the platform will be revoked.
Although EOL is several years away, the transition begins much earlier. Atlassian will continue to provide technical support, critical security updates, and migration tooling throughout the ramp-down period, but key licensing milestones will affect customers well before 2029:
- March 30, 2026: New customers lose the ability to purchase data center subscriptions or Data Center Marketplace apps.
- March 30, 2028: Existing customers face their final opportunity to buy new Data Center subscriptions, expand user tiers, or purchase additional Marketplace apps.
- March 28, 2029: All impacted Data Center products and apps expire and become fully read-only.
This End Of Life announcement impacts the full suite of Atlassian Data Center offerings, including Jira Software, Jira Service Management, Confluence, Bamboo, Crowd, Data Center mobile apps, and all Data Center Marketplace apps. Two products fall outside this change: Bitbucket Data Center, which will continue under a new Hybrid License model, and Jira Align Data Center, which is not part of this EOL timeline.
These dates are important, as they will impact annual budgeting, compliance planning, and general operations. Pushing decisions into the later years will compress timelines and increase your organization’s risk.
What Should Customers Do Now?
Even with a 2029 deadline, organizations should begin preparing now. Atlassian environments are often larger and more interconnected than they appear, and discovery work frequently exposes hidden dependencies. Begin by building a full inventory of products, user roles, workflows, integrations, and customizations. Atlassian’s migration tools can support early assessment, but a successful transition requires collaboration across IT, security, development, and business teams. Early planning ensures decisions are made strategically, keeping businesses proactive.
Evaluate Atlassian Cloud and Alternative Models
For most organizations, Atlassian Cloud will be the primary destination. Cloud deployment eliminates infrastructure overhead, keeps environments continuously updated, and enables the newest AI-driven capabilities. If your organization has strict regulatory or data governance requirements, explore the specialized deployment options Atlassian provides, including FedRAMP-aligned solutions. These models often require deeper architectural planning, making early conversations crucial.
Bitbucket User’s Unique Alternative
Bitbucket Data Center customers have a unique path forward. Atlassian’s Bitbucket Hybrid License allows organizations to continue running Bitbucket Data Center while leveraging Bitbucket Cloud. This dual model supports teams with complex source control structures or compliance requirements that make immediate migration unrealistic.
Inventory Marketplace Apps and Dependencies
Marketplace apps often power mission-critical workflows and automations. Because all Data Center Marketplace apps will expire in 2029, teams should evaluate how each app translates to the cloud, whether a cloud version exists, if the data is portable, and/or if alternative solutions are needed. This step is frequently underestimated and is a common cause of migration delays or scope expansion.
What Happens If We Forget About The Update?
If no action is taken before March 28, 2029, Data Center environments will shift to read-only mode, licenses and apps will expire, and support will end. Once a platform is no longer maintained, security and compliance risk can grow quickly, and operations will slow. These systems play a central role in how teams deliver services and collaborate, so waiting until the last minute creates unnecessary pressure. Setting a paced plan and starting early gives your organization the space to plan thoughtfully, avoid disruption, and make the move to a modern platform on your own terms.
Forty8Fifty’s Suggestion to Impacted Organizations
The Atlassian Data Center End of Life announcement is impacting a large global base of organizations. While inconvenient, it does offer an opportunity for organizations to give themselves the time and space to modernize thoughtfully and set themselves ahead of the competition. At Forty8Fifty Labs, we highly recommend avoiding the stress of last-minute decisions or unexpected complexity. With our experience, we have seen how those who wait will face tighter timelines, harder trade-offs, and fewer options. However, this transition doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Forty8Fifty Labs, we’ve helped organizations of all sizes navigate major Atlassian shifts, untangle complex environments, and build migration plans that actually work in the real world. If your team is beginning to think through what this change means, we’re here to guide you through each step. Check out our Atlassian solutions or reach out to one of our experts today for guidance on your migration plan, or check out Atlassian’s latest blog on the update for more information.
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