Atlassian Hosting: Internal vs. Cloud vs. Managed Hosting

When it comes to hosting Atlassian applications, like many other software solutions, you’ve got three main options: SaaS, internal hosting, or having your hosting managed by a specialist. Here we’ll run through your options.

Remember, you can be flexible! It’s possible to migrate from any of the below to a managed solution. 

Atlassian Cloud (SaaS)

A simple way to get started is Atlassian Cloud. This is an affordable way to manage the likes of JIRA, Confluence and Bamboo, hosted by Atlassian.

Pros

• It’s simple to set up. You don’t need to be technical to get this up and running!
• It’s affordable. 10 users for JIRA, for example, only costs $20/month.
• You can toggle applications on or off. Only pay for what you use.
• It’s secure – all Atlassian Cloud sites enforce SSL by default and are hosted in a secure US-based hosting facility.
• It’s reliable and safe – 99.9% SLA with round the clock support from Atlassian.

Cons

• Unlike on-premises Atlassian applications, you’re limited to Cloud-only Add-ons.
• Generally speaking, all functions performed by a System Administrator in the downloaded versions of the applications are restricted in Cloud.
• There’s no file or database access.
• You can’t use your own domain name.
• Each Atlassian Cloud subscription has a disk storage limit.

Hosted internally

A DIY job – you get complete control, with the pesky hindrance of complete responsibility. However you can of course outsource to an external IT team and rely on the application knowledge of an Atlassian consultant.

Pros

• You can install what you want!
• You get full access to admin functions and integrations with other applications. Expand storage, add user licenses, etc. as needed.
• It’s a sensible option for organisations with a large capable IT team; in this instance, one with Atlassian application knowledge as well.

Cons

• Starting from nothing is a big task. We obviously won’t go into this here, but you’ll need to have a good grasp of the reliability, scalability, and server space requirements, as well as the necessary hardware and software skills needed.
• Physical servers are expensive, and they’re depreciating assets.
• There are ongoing costs of maintaining servers, both monetary and environmental.
• Ongoing support needs should also be considered, as well as the opportunity costs of your technical resources working on internal IT projects over “real work”.

Clearvision managed hosting

As an Atlassian Expert, with our own in house support team and a team of consultants around the world, we’re perfectly positioned to deliver a fully managed hosting solution for the Atlassian applications, as well as integrating other software development applications like Jenkins.

Pros

• Full peace of mind – your infrastructure will be hosted and maintained by experts who specialise in both hosting and the Atlassian stack (we’re a leading Atlassian Expert).
• No upfront data center costs. You’ll pay a monthly fee dependent on rack space, support options, etc.
• 24/7/365 support from a team that know what they’re talking about.
• 99.9% SLA.
• Patching and monitoring on the infrastructure/operating system and the application layer.
• Simple upgrades – need the latest version of JIRA? Security patch needed for Bitbucket? Want to give your apps a spring clean? Simply let us know and we’ll take care of it.
• Security is our number 1 priority. VDC is inherently private through VLAN separation. Snapshot and dedicated backups are available.
• Unlike other providers we have experience of integrating Atlassian apps with a whole host of other software development tools. We can manage any migrations too.

Cons

• None!
• We’re joking, of course, although we do think we have an impressive offering. The biggest factor will generally be price. Atlassian Cloud is a cheaper option and simpler to set up than doing it yourself or entrusting hosting to a specialist provider – but it all depends on your capabilities and requirements for your mission critical tools
• Managing your hosting yourself will offer your more control (providing your staff have the experience and knowledge to do it). Of course, it is a significant undertaking for your IT teams, and can often mean investing in a dedicated resource for maintenance.

At Clearvision, we’re continuously developing our managed hosting offering to cover more tools and offer even more flexibility in terms of the support options available. To learn more, and get started, please click here.