Finding the right hosting solution for Jira can significantly impact your organisation’s operational efficiency and data security. This article explores the main hosting options available—Jira Cloud, Jira Data Centre, self-hosting, and third-party hosting services. By comparing these alternatives, you will be empowered to make informed decisions tailored to your organisation’s specific requirements.
We’ll examine the differences between cloud-based and data centre hosting, weigh the pros and cons of self-hosting versus third-party solutions, and guide you towards a secure, customised hosting setup. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, understanding these options is key to optimising your project management strategy
Comparing Jira Hosting: Cloud and Data Center Options
Overview of Jira Cloud
Jira Cloud is a flexible and scalable solution hosted on Atlassian’s infrastructure, offering seamless integration and automatic updates. It is designed for businesses that desire a hassle-free setup and enhanced scalability without the burden of hardware maintenance and in-house IT management. It is ideal for businesses that focuses on agility, so using Jira Cloud ensures that your teams are always on the latest version of the platform with minimal disruption, thanks to regular updates and maintenance conducted by Atlassian.

This platform is built with ease of use in mind, providing fast deployment and lower upfront costs, making it a popular choice for startups and organizations of all sizes. Its ability to scale as your company grows enables efficient handling of increasing workloads. However, it is important to consider your organisation’s compliance requirements since cloud solutions may pose limitations regarding data sovereignty and local regulations.
Insights into Jira Data Centre
Jira Data Centre provides a robust, high-availability solution for enterprises that require uninterrupted performance. With its “on-premises” or a cloud-based infrastructure, it offers geographic redundancy and control over data residency, a critical feature for companies with stringent data protection requirements. This solution ensures minimal downtime thanks to active clustering, providing continuous service even during maintenance or hardware failures.
Choosing Jira Data Centre means your organisation can customise configurations to meet advanced performance and compliance needs while benefiting from Atlassian support. It is an ideal solution for businesses seeking greater control over their environments, offering scalability to handle significant user loads. Despite the need for IT expertise and potentially higher upfront costs, it provides a level of data autonomy not typically available in cloud solutions.
Self-Hosted Jira Compared to Third-Party Hosting Services
Opting for a self-hosted Jira instance allows organisations to maintain maximum control over their data and configurations. This approach is advantageous for companies with strict compliance obligations or those seeking to integrate Jira deeply into their existing IT infrastructure. Self-hosting ensures that you define the update schedule, performance tuning, and customisations, tailoring the environment to specific business needs.
Conversely, using third-party hosting services for Jira enables the transfer of the management and maintenance responsibilities to specialised providers, reducing the operational burden on internal IT teams. Third-party providers usually offer flexible solutions with various support tiers and SLA options. This approach allows businesses to leverage expert hosting skills, ensuring optimised performance and reliability without direct investment in hardware or internal resources.
Discover a Customized and Secure Jira Hosting Solution for Your Organization
Determining the most suitable Jira hosting solution involves assessing your organisation’s specific requirements regarding control, compliance, scalability, and resource availability. Creating a customised solution may involve combining different hosting approaches to support various parts of your business, such as using Jira Cloud for non-sensitive projects while deploying Jira Data Centre for crucial operations.
Security should be a predominant consideration in your hosting choice. Evaluate providers on their security protocols, compliance with industry standards, and data encryption methods. Additionally, ensure that your chosen Jira hosting solution aligns with your strategic goals, offering flexibility to adapt to evolving business needs. Collaborating with your IT department or an experienced consultant can accelerate the selection of an optimal solution, providing long-term peace of mind and efficiency.
Hosting Option | Benefits | Considerations |
Jira Cloud | Ease of use, fast deployment, automatic updates | Data sovereignty, compliance concerns |
Jira Data Center | High availability, data control, customisations | Higher upfront costs, requires IT expertise |
Self-Hosted | Maximum control, customisation | Resource-intensive, requires maintenance |
Third-Party Hosting | Reduced internal burden, optimised performance | Dependence on the provider, potential extra costs |
FAQ
What are the different types of Jira hosting?
Jira offers three main types of hosting:
1. Cloud: Jira is hosted on Atlassian’s servers. It’s managed and maintained by Atlassian, providing automatic updates and scaling.
2. Data Centre: A self-managed enterprise solution designed for larger organisations. It offers high availability and performance by allowing Jira to be run on multiple servers.
3. Server: A self-hosted solution where you install Jira on your own servers. Note that Atlassian has stopped selling new licenses for Jira Server as of February 2021, and support will end in February 2024. Each option comes with different features, flexibility, and control levels to suit various organisational needs.
What is Jira and why is it used?
Jira is a software tool developed by Atlassian and it’s commonly used for project management and issue tracking. It helps teams plan, track, and manage tasks or projects efficiently. Jira is widely used in software development, where it aids in managing software development processes like bug tracking, feature development, and task assignments. Its versatility allows it to be used for other types of project management as well, helping teams organise workflows and collaborate effectively.
Can Jira be hosted on premise?
Yes, Jira can be hosted on-premises by using Jira Server or Jira Data Centre options. This allows you to install and manage Jira on your own hardware in your local environment.
What is the purpose of Jira cloud?
Jira Cloud is a tool used for tracking and managing projects, especially in software development. It helps teams plan, organize, and monitor tasks, bugs, and other project activities in a collaborative, efficient manner. Jira Cloud allows team members to see the progress of work, assign tasks, set deadlines, and ensure everyone stays on the same page throughout the project lifecycle.