Merging Servers and Addons

[Tristan Leask]

We are planning on merging some of the instances of JIRA servers that we have.  The different servers have different addons.

Following the merging guidelines, it says to pick a server to merge to, and then update the licensing to then cover the amount of users that will be eventually using it, so this would mean upgrading from 100 to 250 users.

What happens with the addons though?  We have already paid for 100 users for some addons which we want to keep, so does that mean we would have to spend the purchase price again for those 100 users when we move over to the 250 users license server?

Seems like an easy way for atlassian to make money!?!

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Yes, you will need to uplift the licences for the apps - they need to be licenced for the same number of users your system is licenced for.

[Enghouse JIRA]

When we uplift those licenses, do we have to repurchase a whole 250 user license for that addon, or is it just paying the support cost for that license for 250 users.  E.G.  Initial 250 user license purchase would be $250, and then on yearly support of $125.  Would this mean a new $250 payment or just a $125 payment to uplift?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

The easiest way to do the calculation is to look at buying a totally new licence for the tier you want.  (Assuming you're on 250 now, and want to go to 500 users - start with the price for 500 new users)

But the actual charge will take account of your existing licence.  Let's imagine a simple case and keep the arithmetic simple:

• You have a 250 user licence for something, and that cost you $200 when you bought it.  Annual maintenance is $100
• You have been using it for 3 months
• You decide to jump to 500 users, which costs $400 (and hence $200 maintenance)
• But Atlassian will subtract what you have paid for the 9 months you have left on your 250 users (75% of $200 = $150)

End point = a bill for $250, for 500 users and your end-of-licence is reset to 1 year away.

[Enghouse JIRA]

Ah, thanks for this.  Is this an official answer on license uplifts when merging two separately licensed servers?  As a community leader, is your response "official"?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

No, it can only be "official" if it's from an Atlassian.  The calculation I've outlined is over-simplified and may have changed since I last did it myself.

But the principle is there - you don't just buy new ones and lose the money you've spent on the existing ones, there's a calculation that takes into account the existing licences that you're replacing.