By Published On: 03/24/2022Categories:

Executive Summary

Our team successfully executed a complex migration of over 600 projects from multiple application lifecycle management (ALM) systems—including 5 Azure DevOps instances, YouTrack, and various JIRA Cloud instances—into a unified JIRA and Confluence environment. The six-month project involved migrating nearly 100,000 work items, 700+ users, and establishing GitHub Enterprise as the centralized code repository system. Through meticulous planning, technical expertise, and comprehensive change management, we delivered a consolidated ALM ecosystem that improved collaboration, standardized workflows, and enhanced productivity across the organization.

 

Client Challenge

A large enterprise client faced significant challenges managing their development ecosystem across fragmented platforms:

  • System Fragmentation: Development activities spread across 5 Azure DevOps instances, YouTrack, and multiple JIRA Cloud instances

  • Inconsistent Processes: Different teams following varied workflows and methodologies

  • Knowledge Silos: Critical documentation scattered across multiple wikis and repositories
  • Operational Inefficiency: Maintaining multiple systems created administrative overhead

  • Resistance to Change: Development teams had strong preferences for their existing tools

The client needed a partner with deep migration expertise to consolidate these environments while minimizing disruption to 700+ users across 600+ projects.

Strategic Approach

Discovery and Planning Phase

We initiated the project with a comprehensive discovery phase:

  • Conducted detailed inventory and analysis of all existing systems
  • Mapped current workflows, custom fields, and process dependencies
  • Developed migration priority matrices based on project criticality
  • Created detailed data mapping specifications for each source system
  • Established robust validation protocols to ensure data integrity

Technical Migration Strategy

Our migration approach prioritized data integrity and business continuity:

  • Data Mapping: Created precise field-level mappings from source systems to JIRA/Confluence
  • Custom Migration Tools: Developed specialized utilities to transform ADO wiki markdown content to Confluence format
  • Workflow Preservation: Custom-configured JIRA workflows to maintain familiarity for teams transitioning from ADO
  • Testing: Implemented multi-stage validation processes with source-to-target verification
  • Test Management: Migrated test cases from ADO to specialized JIRA test management plugins
  • Code Migration: Transferred repositories and CI/CD pipelines to GitHub Enterprise

Change Management Framework

Recognizing that technical migration alone wouldn’t ensure success, we implemented a comprehensive change management strategy:

  • Stakeholder Workshops: Conducted sessions with project owners to understand specific needs
  • Executive Alignment: Regular briefings with leadership to maintain strategic alignment
  • Custom Training Program: Developed role-based training modules for different user personas
  • Champions Network: Identified and empowered internal advocates within development teams
  • Communication Plan: Multi-channel approach to keep all stakeholders informed throughout the process

Technical Implementation

JIRA Configuration

  • Customized field configurations, screens, and issue types to match familiar workflows
  • Implemented project-specific permission schemes and security controls
  • Configured dashboards and reporting tools to provide immediate value to teams
  • Established custom workflows reflecting the processes from source systems

Data Migration Execution

  • Developed a phased migration approach to minimize business disruption
  • Created data validation scripts ensuring 100% accuracy of migrated content
  • Implemented automated testing of migrated workflows
  • Established rollback procedures for risk mitigation

Special Challenges Overcome

  • Complex Work Item Relationships: Preserved intricate parent-child relationships and dependencies between work items across different projects
  • Custom Field Mapping: Successfully mapped hundreds of custom fields while preserving data integrity
  • Attachment Migration: Transferred over 50GB of attachments with proper context and relationships
  • Wiki Translation: Converted thousands of markdown pages to Confluence format while preserving formatting and relationships

Results and Impact

The migration delivered significant measurable outcomes:

  • Consolidated Infrastructure: Reduced ALM platforms from 8+ systems to a single unified JIRA/Confluence/GitHub ecosystem
  • Improved Visibility: Enabled cross-project reporting and portfolio-level insights previously impossible
  • Standardized Processes: Established consistent workflows while preserving team-specific customizations
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitated knowledge sharing across previously siloed teams
  • Reduced Administrative Overhead: Decreased system maintenance costs by approximately 40%
  • Successful User Adoption: Achieved 98% active user engagement within two months of migration

Key Success Factors

Several factors were critical to the project’s success:

  1. Early Stakeholder Involvement: Project owners participated in planning and testing
  2. Phased Implementation: Gradual migration minimized business impact
  3. Robust Validation: Multi-stage verification ensured data integrity
  4. Comprehensive Training: Role-based training sessions accelerated adoption
  5. Post-Migration Support: Dedicated resources available during the transition period

Contact Us for Your Migration Project

Facing the challenge of consolidating multiple ALM systems? Our proven methodology and technical expertise can help your organization successfully migrate to a unified platform with minimal disruption. Contact us today to discuss how we can support your ALM consolidation initiative.

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