Cloud-to-Cloud Migration Simplified: Moving from Commercial Cloud to AGC

Government teams that originally adopted Atlassian’s commercial cloud are now facing a new set of requirements: stronger data protection, geographic residency guarantees, controlled administrative access and compliance with federal or state standards. As programs expand, regulations evolve and workloads become more interconnected, many agencies realize that a standard commercial cloud environment is no longer the right long-term home for their operational systems.

The next natural step is Atlassian Government Cloud (AGC) – a FedRAMP Moderate–authorized environment created specifically for public-sector agencies that need strict controls, predictable governance and secure collaboration for sensitive data. However, moving from a commercial cloud setup to AGC requires careful planning and a precise migration approach. Workflows must remain intact, data must be transferred correctly and users must continue working without disruption.

This blog explains how cloud-to-cloud migration works, why agencies choose to shift from Atlassian’s commercial cloud to AGC and how Clovity simplifies the entire process for Federal, State, Local and Education sectors.

1. Why Government Agencies Move from Commercial Cloud to AGC

Many government organizations started their cloud journeys on the commercial version of Atlassian Cloud. At the time, it provided scalability, modern administration and an easy way to move away from traditional servers. But newer mandates and program developments often require a more controlled and compliant environment.

Below are the primary reasons agencies transition to AGC.

1.1 Meeting Federal and State Compliance Requirements

Public-sector environments often handle:

• Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
• Case management records
• Internal operational history
• Citizen data
• Sensitive inter-agency information

AGC provides FedRAMP Moderate authorization, which includes strict controls around identity management, access logs, encryption, vulnerability processes and change management. These safeguards are not optional – many agencies require them by policy or regulation.

1.2 Enforcing U.S.-Only Data Residency

Commercial cloud environments may store data in multiple regions for performance reasons. Government agencies must ensure:

• All data remains inside U.S. boundaries
• Backups remain in U.S. zones
• Logs, metadata and attachments are not stored globally
• Only approved U.S. personnel have administrative access

AGC guarantees U.S.-only residency for all data categories, making it the required destination for many state and federal modernization programs.

1.3 Native Support for Sensitive Workloads

AGC provides an environment where agencies can maintain:

• Strict access oversight
• Documented audit trails
• Security alignment with federal guidelines
• Limited access for Atlassian support staff
• Organizational controls suitable for public-sector operations

This gives agencies confidence that their tools support higher-risk workloads and sensitive service delivery areas.

1.4 Separation Between Public-Sector and Commercial Tenants

Some government organizations require complete separation between their environment and a commercial SaaS ecosystem. AGC provides this by operating as a distinct environment with its own controls, boundaries and operational policies.

This separation helps agencies meet stricter internal technology standards.

2. The Unique Challenges of Cloud-to-Cloud Migration

While cloud-to-cloud migration may seem simpler than moving from Data Center to Cloud, public-sector workloads introduce additional complexity:

2.1 Data Mapping Across Separate Cloud Environments

Even though both systems run on Atlassian Cloud, they operate under different compliance frameworks, different storage policies and different backend systems.

2.2 Maintaining Workflow Behavior

Migration must preserve:

• SLAs
• Issue types
• Custom fields
• Request types
• Automation rules
• Approvals
• Permissions
• Portals
• CMDB/Assets data

Any mismatch can disrupt daily operations.

2.3 Access and Identity Realignment

Agencies must meet security guidelines such as:

• MFA policies
• SSO and SAML requirements
• SCIM provisioning
• Role-based access structures

These need to be aligned with AGC’s stricter identity model.

2.4 Rebuilding Apps with Government-Cloud-Approved Alternatives

Some Marketplace apps are not available in AGC. Clovity helps identify safe replacements or rebuild required functionality using:

• Forge
• Atlassian Automation
• REST APIs
• Native JSM capabilities

This prevents workflow gaps during the transition.

3. Clovity’s Cloud-to-Cloud Migration Framework

Clovity simplifies the entire transition using a structured, six-phase approach built specifically for government cloud requirements.

3.1 Phase 1 - Assessment and Readiness Review

Clovity begins by reviewing:

• Current Atlassian Cloud configuration
• Compliance requirements
• User and access structures
• Existing workflows and automations
• Marketplace app usage
• Data residency constraints
• SLA definitions
• Backups and audit expectations

This phase establishes a reliable blueprint that guides every step of the migration.

3.2 Phase 2 - Blueprint and Gap Analysis

Clovity creates a detailed Cloud-to-Cloud Migration Blueprint:

• Field mapping
• App parity analysis
• Workflow mapping
• Automation dependencies
• Required rebuilds or enhancements
• Access controls
• Migration sequencing
• Testing strategy

This blueprint ensures that every workload moves safely to AGC without disrupting users.

3.3 Phase 3 - Sandbox Migration & Validation

Before the production migration, Clovity performs a full test migration into an AGC sandbox:

• Comparing issue counts
• Checking workflow transitions
• Verifying SLA behavior
• Testing portal actions
• Ensuring automation parity
• Validating permissions
• Reviewing UI behavior

This allows agencies to evaluate and sign off on the expected experience.

3.4 Phase 4 - Production Migration

Production migration occurs in a controlled sequence:

• Data export and import
• Attachment replication
• User provisioning
• App configuration
• Automation setup
• Access enforcement

Clovity performs the migration during low-impact windows so agency operations remain uninterrupted.

3.5 Phase 5 - Post-Migration Verification

After migration, Clovity performs detailed verification using automated comparison tools:

• Field-by-field comparison
• User and group validation
• Workflow behavior checks
• Data parity checks
• Permission tests
• App functionality confirmation

This ensures the agency environment is fully accurate and behaves as expected.

3.6 Phase 6 - Optimization & Training

Clovity completes the modernization by:

• Optimizing workflows
• Simplifying request types
• Enabling cloud-native automation
• Training agency teams
• Preparing documentation
• Providing ongoing support

This ensures the transition delivers long-term operational value.

4. How Agencies Benefit From Moving to AGC

Once the transition is complete, government organizations gain:

4.1 A Platform Built for Required Security Controls

AGC provides a compliance-ready structure that supports:

• FedRAMP Moderate
• FISMA alignment
• State-level data controls
• Internal audit requirements

This creates a secure foundation for service desks, project teams and cross-agency collaboration.

4.2 Reduced Infrastructure and Maintenance Effort

With AGC:

• No servers
• No patching
• No manual upgrades
• No monitoring hardware
• No multi-region storage concerns
• No infrastructure procurement cycles

This frees IT teams for higher-value work.

4.3 Enhanced Reliability and Availability

AGC provides:

• Automatic updates
• High availability
• Fault-tolerant architecture
• Built-in disaster recovery
• Consistent performance

This ensures agencies maintain operational continuity even during workload spikes.

4.4 Agency-Wide Standardization

Moving to AGC allows teams across departments to adopt a unified system:

• Consistent service portals
• Common workflows
• Shared automation
• Cross-team SLAs
• Centralized reporting
• Integrated knowledge base

This enables smoother collaboration and predictable service levels.

5. Why Agencies Choose Clovity for Cloud-to-Cloud Migration

Public-sector modernization requires seasoned guidance, predictable execution and strict adherence to compliance requirements. Agencies choose Clovity because we provide:

5.1 A Proven Government Migration Framework

Our process has been refined across Federal, SLED and public-sector migrations, ensuring minimal risk and maximum accuracy.

5.2 Experience with Large-Scale AGC Implementations

Clovity has handled highly complex government migrations involving:

• Thousands of workflows
• Large Jira and JSM ecosystems
• Multi-department structures
• Custom automations
• Strict data residency rules

5.3 App Parity & Workflow Reconstruction Expertise

We rebuild missing app functionality using Forge, Automation for Jira and secure API integrations.

5.4 Zero-Data-Loss Validation

Every issue, comment, attachment and field is checked using automated tools.

5.5 Support Throughout the Entire Transition

From discovery to optimization, Clovity serves as a modernization partner, not simply a vendor.

Conclusion

Moving from Atlassian’s commercial cloud to AGC is a strategic decision that strengthens compliance, security, reliability and operational readiness for government agencies. With strict data residency, FedRAMP Moderate authorization, controlled access and strong audit capabilities, AGC provides a foundation built specifically for public-sector needs.

Clovity simplifies the entire process using a structured, validated and compliance-aligned Cloud-to-Cloud Migration Framework. Government organizations gain the confidence, accuracy and safety they require while moving into a cloud environment designed to meet their long-term mission and regulatory obligations.

📧 Contact us at sales@clovity.com or visit 🌐 atlassian.clovity.com to get started today.