Upgrade checklist
Use this checklist as a guide to ensure you are set up for success for your Jira Software Server upgrade. Keep in mind that every instance is unique, and this guide should be supplemented with tasks and customizations specific to your instance.
You can use this template and make additions to suit your Jira Software instance.
| Stage | Task | Notes | Status/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research & decision | Decide which version to upgrade to |
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| Outline upgrade stakeholders (optional) |
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| Preparation & testing | Check maintenance status |
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| Check supported platforms |
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| Set up your testing environment |
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| Run an instance health check |
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| Check the compatibility of your apps |
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| Determine your optimal upgrade method | Choose a Jira upgrade method: If you are starting from Jira 6.4 or earlier, you need to upgrade to Jira 7.x (for example: 7.13) first before you upgrade to 8.x.
Pro Tip: Depending on your OS or whether you are running a DC or a standalone Jira Server, there might be some restrictions to the upgrade method you can choose. See Upgrade methods.
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| Do the upgrade | CLUSTER When you upgrade, you perform all the pre-upgrade steps, next you perform an upgrade and do the post-upgrade task on one node. Next you create a template and upgrade all other nodes. Only then can you make post-upgrade steps for the entire DC. | ||
JIRA 8.0Decide when to reindex | Jira 8.0 will automatically remove the old incompatible index and start a full re-index on startup. You might want to postpone reindexing to upgrade your apps first, as some apps will require an additional reindexing. For more information, see Disabling automatic reindexing. | ||
| Start Jira | |||
| Upgrade your apps | Now you can upgrade the apps with the Compatible if both upgraded status. | ||
| Re-apply any modifications and increase pool-max-size | Test customizations in your testing environment prior to upgrading your production instance, because there is a chance that changes during the upgrade will make your Jira Software customizations unusable.
Details
If you're unsure which files you might have modified, take a look at the list of important files in the Jira installation directory. Also, you might want to look in the logs for the Modifications section:
If you use the installer method, then the following parameters were migrated from your existing Jira Software installation:
All other customizations need to be reapplied manually. If you used the manual upgrade method, be sure to reapply all customizations manually (including those listed above). To do this, follow these steps:
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| Test the upgrade with users |
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| Document learnings (optional) |
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| Create a timeline and communicate |
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| Preparation & execution | Check maintenance status |
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| Check supported platforms |
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| Run an instance health check |
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| Check the compatibility of apps |
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| Back up your instance data |
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| Back up your directories |
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JIRA 8.0Decide when to reindex | Jira 8.0 will automatically remove the old incompatible index and start a full re-index on startup. You might want to postpone reindexing to upgrade your apps first, as some apps will require an additional reindexing. For more information, see Disabling automatic reindexing. | ||
| Execute upgrade in production environment | You have the following upgrade methods: If you are starting from Jira 6.4 or earlier, you need to upgrade to Jira 7.x first before you upgrade to 8.x.
Pro Tip: Depending on your OS or whether you are running a DC or a standalone Jira Server, there might be some restrictions to the upgrade method you can choose. See Upgrade methods.
CLUSTER When you upgrade, you perform all the pre-upgrade steps, next you perform an upgrade and do the post-upgrade task on one node. Next you create a template and upgrade all other nodes. Only then can you make post-upgrade steps for the entire DC. | ||
| Upgrade the database driver (if using Oracle or MySQL) | To start Jira successfully: | ||
JIRA 8.0Decide when to reindex | Jira 8.0 will automatically remove the old incompatible index and start a full re-index on startup. You might want to postpone reindexing to upgrade your apps first, as some apps will require an additional reindexing. For more information, see Disabling automatic reindexing . | ||
| Start Jira | |||
| Upgrade your apps | Now you can upgrade the apps with the Compatible if both upgraded status. | ||
| Re-apply any modifications | If you're unsure which files you might have modified, take a look at the list of important files in the Jira installation directory. Also, you might want to look in the logs for the Modifications section:
If you use the installer method, then the following parameters were migrated from your existing Jira Software installation:
All other customizations need to be reapplied manually. If you used the manual upgrade method, be sure to reapply all customizations manually (including those listed above). To do this, follow these steps:
| ||
| Post-upgrade | Test the upgrade with users |
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| Communicate to end users | Include major feature additions and contact information for questions | ||
| Complete an upgrade retrospective (optional) | Document what went well, what didn't, and what to change for next time. This will help your next upgrade run even smother. |
Resources
Caught between a rock and a hard place? Here are a few resources to consult if you have questions. We recommend proceeding in this order:
- Browse or search the Jira Software documentation site and the Jira Software Server Knowledge Base. (Be sure to select the appropriate version in the dropdown.)
- Search our Atlassian Community site for articles and discussions pertaining to your topic. Or, ask a question to tap into Community experts both inside and outside of Atlassian.
- Create an issue at our support site so that our support engineers can assist you.
- If you purchased your license through an authorized Solution Partner, consult them to learn more about troubleshooting your instance.
- Looking for more assistance? We also offer Premier Support, which includes 24 x 7 support availability, health checks, dedicated senior support engineers, and more. Check out our Premium Support offerings for more information.
All good?