JIRA EnterpriseUpgrading to a new product release can seem like a routine task, but in reality it can be a complex process requiring significant planning and preparation. This is especially the case for larger, Enterprise-level customers who might have thousands of users, apps, and, add-ons that need to take into account and want to take a cautious and measured approach to upgrades.

Atlassian’s new Enterprise releases are made to strike an ideal balance between innovation and stability—letting Enterprise customers stay on feature releases longer without compromising on security or performance.

Atlassian recently put together a blog announcing Enterprise releases. We have summarized it here for you, and invite you to keep reading to learn more!

What Will Be Changing in 2018?

Enterprise releases are designed to enable users to remain on a feature release, enjoying the support and security they expect from Atlassian, without needing to automatically upgrade to the latest feature release. Enterprise releases will include at least three bug fixes and are an effective way to tackle complex deployments with ample lead times.

Keep in mind that Enterprise releases are not separate from Atlassian’s standard releases. They are simply designated versions designed for customers who would like to upgrade less frequently and for whom upgrades can be a months-long process. This new approach is better suited to many Enterprise customers’ existing needs and usage patterns.

What Makes Atlassian’s Enterprise Releases Unique?

Some of the main advantages and special features associated with Enterprise releases include:

  • Back-ported security bugs as Atlassian outlines in its Security Bug Fix Policy. Keep in mind that there will be some exceptions, particularly with library upgrades and major architectural changes, due to process-related complexities or the negative impact of regressions. If Atlassian can’t back-port bug, they will provide customers with both an explanation and suitable alternatives.
  • Bugs Atlassian deems critical and that it would normally release in the next bug fix. In the majority of cases, these will have to do with things like performance issues, system stability, or data integrity
  • A combined changelog from the last Enterprise release to make it easier to see and understand exactly what new capabilities Atlassian has introduced.
  • Scale and performance benchmarks relative to the last Enterprise release.

Atlassian has said that at least one feature release per year will be set apart as an Enterprise release. Atlassian will make this announcement when the corresponding feature release will be available so users have advanced notice. In determining which release will be designated as Enterprise releases, Atlassian will consider a variety of criteria including time since the last release, included features, and overall stability and performance for larger deployments, and more.

Atlassian Announces Its First Two Enterprise Releases: Jira Software 7.6 and Confluence 6.6

In its blog, Atlassian announced its first two Enterprise releases would be Jira Software 7.6 and Confluence 6.6. It is currently awaiting further validation so it can officially make this declaration in the near future.

Read Atlassian’s blog to learn more about the new Enterprise releases, and stay tuned for more updates in the weeks and months to come!

Get Expert Support to Unlock the Potential of Your Enterprise Atlassian Tools

To make your Enterprise transition a successful one, work with Elasity’s experts to:

  • Optimize and customize your Atlassian applications, configuring them to suit your requirements.
  • Integrate applications and add-ons securely and seamlessly.
  • Take advantage of administrative, functional, and consulting support to help users stay on top of best practices and get the most out of their tools.

We will help you onboard your teams and accelerate the process—enabling you to exploit the full value of Atlassian’s suite of tools.


Before you start, reach out to Elasity for assistance in configuring the Atlassian Suite. As an Atlassian Solutions Partner, we offer Atlassian Administration & Functional Support (AFS), to help best configure and implement the Atlassian suite with best-practices. Contact us to get started today!

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Andy Mao