Connecting Jira server to Confluence cloud

[Caroline DS]

We currently have the server version of Jira and we would like to get the Cloud version of Confluence, is it compatible ?

We would like to link the Jira service desk to confluence cloud : create articles on Confluence from issues we received from customers on Jira service desk, being able to link confluence articles from a Jira service desk search, etc.

Is all of this possible or do we necessarly need a server version of Confluence ?

Thank you for you help !

[PJ Wysota]

You can. Application links work fine between JIRA Server and Confluence Cloud, however there will be few minor issues You may expect (due to technology):

- any corporate SSO will not work for Cloud services
- You would need to manage users for Cloud separately - in Cloud instance - they might be the same as JIRA ones, but You won't be able to directly relate to JIRA user directory nor AD
- custom theming - not possible much in Cloud 
- add-ons - there are different offerings or different versions  of add-ons for Cloud. 

There might be some more, but without details on what and how you wanna do (exact architecture/config/use-cases) I would just leave it.

Some Cloud vs. Server features are listed here: https://confluence.atlassian.com/cloudkb/atlassian-cloud-vs-server-features-and-use-cases-691011844.html
https://confluence.atlassian.com/cloud/functional-differences-in-atlassian-cloud-744721664.html

[Caroline DS]

Thank you for your answer !

[Marvin Brand]

Thank you @PJ Wysota

great infos! Are they still valid today in 2021?

Best regards,
Marvin

[PJ Wysota]

Hi there,

Some of them do, somedon't, some would require detailed check:

- any corporate SSO will not work for Cloud services - It changed - You got Atlassian Access to address it.
- You would need to manage users for Cloud separately - in Cloud instance - they might be the same as JIRA ones, but You won't be able to directly relate to JIRA user directory nor AD - I am not sure here - see above - ATlassian Access will allow integration with corporate LDAP, but no idea (yet) how it solves ability tu provision users from LDAP, or Server Jira

- custom theming - not possible much in Cloud - there are few options here with Refined products leading

- add-ons - there are different offerings or different versions  of add-ons for Cloud. - still the case - in most of cases you will find somereasonable replacements, thought.

[Kris G _Alacriz_]

Hi @Caroline DS- 

It's correctly said above that the user base would be different which means users need to be managed separately using respective directories (JSD Server and Confluence Cloud). 

The downside with this approach is that since Confluence Cloud users need to be managed, you will use up Confluence licenses for any user trying to access the KB. This is unlike a Confluence Server environment wherein users accessing JSD will be able to view Confluence KB without impacting Confluence license count. 

I hope that helps. 

best,
Kris G 

[Caroline DS]

Hi, thank you for you time, it helped!