??From On-Prem to Cloud: How AI Supercharges Your Atlassian Migration Security

Ask any CTO about their top priorities during a cloud migration, and security is always going to make the list. It’s right up there with scalability and ensuring the whole process doesn’t break anything (which, let’s be honest, no one wants). But here’s the kicker—while the cloud can actually be more secure than on-prem solutions, that security doesn’t happen on its own. It requires meticulous planning, understanding the nuances of cloud security, and of course, taking a few smart precautions.

• Cloud vs. On-Prem: Security Showdown Studies have shown that, overall, the cloud is more secure than on-prem environments. But, as with anything in the tech world, there’s no magic button for guaranteed safety. Moving from a tightly secured on-prem system to the cloud, with its unique security needs, requires a fresh game plan. This isn’t just about taking what you have and plopping it into the cloud—it’s about rethinking and enhancing your approach to security.
• Scope Your Migration, and Don’t Underestimate It One of the biggest pitfalls in cloud migration is underestimating its scope. Some migrations may seem like a breeze, but others can be as complex as moving 20 Atlassian instances into a single cloud solution. Trust us, this isn’t something you want to realize halfway through! The key here is understanding your project’s scope early on and building in time for securing all your data, access, and processes. At Clovity, we’ve seen it all. Simple migrations that took only a few hours? Check. Complex consolidations that required serious planning and airtight security protocols? Absolutely. The trick is setting realistic expectations from the get-go and ensuring nothing—especially security—gets overlooked.
• Start with a Stack Audit Before diving into migration, your first security step is a stack audit. Understanding how your current setup manages user access is crucial. If you don’t fully grasp how things work on-prem, you’re more likely to miss red flags when moving to the cloud. So take the time to analyze everything in your stack and ensure you aren’t skipping essential security upgrades.
• User Migration: More Than Just Lifting and Shifting Here’s a pro tip from the security wizards at MajorKey Technologies: the riskiest part of any migration is often the user list. It’s easy to overlook inactive users or users with unnecessary access, and these accounts can be prime targets for breaches. So, take a moment to review your users before migrating them. Clean up inactive accounts, update access levels, and make sure everyone has the appropriate permissions for their role.

Pro tip: Reducing the number of active users can even save you money since most cloud services charge per user.        

• Know Your Data, Secure Your Data Moving messy data from server to cloud will only result in… well, messy data in the cloud. Before migrating, pause and assess how your data is currently managed and protected. If you’ve got sensitive data, it’s critical to have the right security measures in place before the move.

At Clovity, we help companies organize their data, secure it, and then move it seamlessly to the cloud—without leaving security holes.

• Document Controls and Processes Security isn’t just about firewalls and encryption—it’s also about documenting the processes and controls that keep your data safe. Pre-migration is the perfect time to assess and improve your controls. Are your security processes documented and up to date? If not, now’s your chance to fix that before you head into the cloud.

Atlassian Guard to the Rescue Speaking of user management, Atlassian Guard is your new best friend during cloud migration. Guard connects your Atlassian Cloud instance to your existing identity provider, so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for managing user access. Plus, if your identity provider isn’t already compatible, there are other ways to integrate with Atlassian, ensuring a secure and smooth migration.

• Think Long-Term Migration isn’t just about today’s problems—it’s about setting yourself up for future success. Cloud migration allows your company to scale, innovate, and stay competitive, but to reap those long-term benefits, you need to think beyond the immediate challenges. It’s worth investing in more secure, scalable solutions now, even if they take a little longer to implement.
• Find a Trusted Partner Here’s the truth: migrations can get complicated. And while you can certainly tackle one on your own, having a partner with deep security expertise makes all the difference. At Clovity, we specialize in Atlassian Cloud Migrations with a focus on security. We’ve handled migrations of all shapes and sizes, and we’re ready to help you secure your data every step of the way.
• Regular Health Checks Migration is just the beginning. Once you’re settled in the cloud, it’s important to schedule regular security health checks. These checks help ensure that no inactive users slip through the cracks, no forgotten access points leave your system vulnerable, and no potential breaches go unnoticed. Security is an ongoing process, and regular reviews help keep your cloud environment safe.

So, there you have it—securing your Atlassian cloud migration doesn’t have to be a headache. With careful planning, AI-powered tools, and the expertise of a partner like Clovity, you can rest easy knowing your data is safe, your users are managed, and your future in the cloud is looking bright. Let’s take this journey together and make your cloud migration not just secure, but seamless.

Ready to get started? Reach out to us at atlassian.clovity.com or [email protected] and let’s talk migration!