Migrating software assets from one platform to another is a common scenario that many software companies face. Whether it is due to a merger, acquisition, divestiture, or simply a change of strategy, moving software assets can be a complex and challenging process that requires careful planning and execution.
Migrating Azure DevOps instance
If you are migrating between Azure DevOps instances, you can use the Azure DevOps Migration Tools. This is a set of open-source tools that can help with migrating data between Azure DevOps instances or organizations. It supports migrating projects, repositories, work items, pipelines, test plans, artifacts, and more. It even allows you to perform a test migration and validate the results before importing them to the target instance.
Alternately, you can leverage the Azure DevOps REST API to export data from the source organization and import it into the target organization. This requires more manual effort than the migration tools, but it is more configurable for scenarios in which you have specific requirements.
Migrating Git Repository Services
Migrating your web-based Git repository service (such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket) has different challenges and considerations than an Azure DevOps migration. One of the simplest ways to migrate between instances is to back up the existing instance and restore it on the new instance. Administrators would then use the Users API to migrate users to this new instance.
You can also migrate projects using file exports. This method can be a little tedious, as you are migrating your projects one by one. This method also does not correctly preserve history.
Leveraging the REST API is an option for migrating a Git instance as well. This will still require some heavy lifting manually, but it is a great option for migrating all your data and configuring to your needs. However, you will need to migrate your Container Registry over a series of Docker pulls and pushes.
Migrating Jira Instance
If you are migrating from one Jira instance to another, you can use the Project Configurator for Jira. This tool has an export function that packs your data into a ZIP file that you can then transfer to your target server. Or, again, leveraging the REST API is an option for migrating your Jira instance.
Additionally, if you choose to migrate from Jira to Azure DevOps, there are many tools available to make this transition as simple as possible.
Key Takeaways
The method by which assets are migrated is vitally important to the success of the migration. The compatibility, interoperability, and performance of the software assets need to be ensured across different platforms, systems, and environments. This may involve testing, debugging, modifying, integrating, and deploying the software assets. The software assets may also need to be updated, patched, or upgraded to meet new standards and expectations.
In addition, it is often advisable to do a test migration to ensure this compatibility and performance. This would allow for unforeseen circumstances to be observed and handled without jeopardizing the success of the migration as a whole.
For more information, or to get started with your own migration, contact our team of experts here at PRAKTIK today.