A seamless Atlassian Cloud migration with zero customer disruption

Element Logic, a leading provider of warehouse automation solutions, had relied on Atlassian’s Data Center tools—Jira Software, Jira Service Management (JSM), and Confluence—for decades. While cloud migration was on their radar, data compliance concerns delayed the transition. Their legal team required detailed documentation on Atlassian Cloud’s security, data hosting, and governance before moving forward.

After Atlassian expanded its security and compliance documentation, Element Logic gained the confidence to revisit the migration. Rising server costs further reinforced the need for a change, and in early 2024, the company made the decision to move to the cloud.

Initially, the plan was to migrate in two phases—starting with Jira Software as a simple lift-and-shift, followed by a more complex restructuring of Jira Service Management. However, in October 2024, the IT team announced that on-premise servers would be decommissioned by year-end, cutting the migration timeline from 7-8 months to under 3.

Despite this challenge, Eficode’s experts adapted quickly, accelerating the project while ensuring a smooth transition with no service disruptions.

The challenge

• Tight timeline: The project shifted from a carefully phased approach to a full migration in just two months.
• Complexity: Migrating a 19-year-old, highly customized Atlassian setup with 350 Jira and 400 Confluence users.
• Data compliance: Ensuring security, governance, and access control in the cloud.
• Application compatibility: Adapting custom scripts and workflows for cloud functionality.
• No downtime allowed: With 24/7 customer support, uninterrupted service was critical.

The solution

As Element Logic’s long-term Atlassian partner, we led the migration with a team of consultants, cloud readiness experts, and project managers. We worked closely with Element Logic’s IT and business teams to deliver a smooth transition.

Key actions taken included:

• Cloud Readiness Assessment (CRA): Originally planned as a standard migration assessment, the CRA was adjusted to fit the shorter timeline.
• Temporary license extension: Eficode coordinated with Atlassian to extend on-premise licenses, preventing service disruptions.
• Automation updates: On-premise ScriptRunner automation was replaced with Atlassian Cloud-native automation tools.
• Security & access improvements: Single Sign-On (SSO) was implemented to enhance security and simplify user access.
• Enhanced reporting & dashboards: New cloud-based tools improved visibility for support teams and customers who had previously relied on more basic charts and dashboards.

“We knew migrating to the cloud would be a big shift, but having a clear plan—and the flexibility to adapt—made all the difference. Running our on-premise and cloud systems in parallel helped us minimize risk and keep operations smooth throughout the transition.” - Des Currivan, European Support Director, Element Logic

The benefits

• Fast deployment: The migration was completed in four days with zero customer disruptions.
• Increased efficiency: Cloud adoption improved scalability, reduced IT maintenance, and streamlined access control.
• Stronger security and compliance: SSO eliminated reliance on proprietary hardware, allowing secure global access, which was especially convenient for teams located outside the EU. Another finding is that despite keeping their local environment updated, Element Logic experiences better security in the cloud.
• Cost savings: Shutting down on-premise infrastructure saved €20,000 annually, with further savings expected from acquisitions.
• Improved collaboration: Standardized workflows across Jira Software and Jira Service Management boosted team efficiency. Moreover, being on the premium plan has empowered the team to test workflows and make changes faster.
• New growth opportunities: The cloud environment enabled seamless integration with tools like SAP and Microsoft Dynamics, unlocking automation and data consolidation possibilities.

Insights and lessons for successful cloud migration

One of the key success factors in this project was the highly collaborative approach from Element Logic. Their ‘all hands on deck’ attitude ensured our consultants had the necessary resources and support to execute the migration efficiently. According to Des Currivan, European Support Director at Element Logic:

“Everything was extremely smooth, which is rare for an IT project of this scale. Thanks to Eficode’s expertise and strategic planning, we managed to complete the migration with zero downtime for our 400 customers.” - Des Currivan, European Support Director, Element Logic

Key takeaways for other organizations:

1. Address security and compliance early: Reviewing security documentation and working closely with legal teams ensures compliance requirements are met before committing to a cloud migration.
2. Be prepared to adapt: A phased migration plan may need adjustments due to unforeseen IT or business decisions.
3. Run systems in parallel: Keeping on-premise and cloud environments active during migration minimizes risk.
4. Lean on expert guidance: An experienced Atlassian partner, like Eficode, can navigate complexities, advise on security concerns, and optimize workflows and license allocation. 
5. Prioritize security & access control: SSO implementation simplified user management while improving security.
6. Unlock new opportunities: Beyond cost savings, cloud migration introduced automation and analytics capabilities that transformed support operations.

Future plans and continued cloud optimization

With the main migration complete, Element Logic is now focusing on:

• Enhancing Jira Service Management workflows to improve service operations—this step was initially part of phase two but was postponed due to the accelerated timeline.
• Integrating 100 Jira users of a recently acquired German company, consolidating environments and thereby further reducing IT costs. The cloud setup now makes it much easier to onboard future organizations and unify their global workforce in one environment.
• Exploring the use of AI across its Atlassian platform to enhance customer interactions and response quality. The cloud migration has unlocked new ways to analyze support data, for example, allowing sales teams to provide faster, more informed responses to customer inquiries.

Moving to the cloud wasn’t just about cost savings. It unlocked new automation and analytics capabilities that transformed the way we support our teams. With expert guidance, we turned a complex migration into a real business advantage. - Des Currivan, European Support Director, Element Logic

Eficode is proud to have partnered with Element Logic to accelerate their cloud journey, ensuring a seamless transition under tight time constraints.