Written by
Stefana Nazare
, Product Owner Cloud & Pro Apps
On May 30th, we hosted our webinar “Migrating from Confluence to XWiki: It Can't Get Easier Than This,” where Ștefana Nazare, our Product Owner of Pro Apps and Confluence Migration Specialist, talked about the latest advancements in our migration tools and provided detailed insights into the migration process.
In this webinar, we covered several significant improvements for our Confluence Migrator Application (Pro), making the migration process more efficient and user-friendly. Here's a summary of what was discussed:
- How the optimized Confluence Migrator (Pro) now enables faster migrations and improved efficiency.
- We introduced automated checks and prerequisites to streamline the setup process, making it easier to get started.
- How the new Migrator offers greater flexibility, allowing you to select and customize exactly what you want to migrate.
- How you can save and reuse migration settings for future projects, making repeated migrations more convenient.
Below you can find out more about the key takeaways, watch the recording, and read the transcript from the Q&A session.
Key takeaways
We understand the growing need for a reliable and efficient migration from Confluence. With continuous feedback from our customers, we've enhanced our Confluence Migrator (Pro) to provide a seamless transition experience. Our goal is to make your migration as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
This webinar highlighted why XWiki is a reliable and competitive open-source alternative to Confluence. We covered the essential steps required for a successful migration and demonstrated our latest tools, emphasizing their ease of use and effectiveness. The live demo showcased the improvements made over the past year, making the migration process even more straightforward.
Following the demo, we held a comprehensive Q&A session to address specific use cases and clarify any questions about the migration process. This interactive segment provided valuable insights and practical solutions for common migration challenges.
For those looking to dive deeper into the Confluence migration process, we recommend exploring the following resources:
By leveraging these tools and resources, you can ensure a smooth and efficient migration from Confluence to XWiki, maintaining the integrity and functionality of your content throughout the process.
Q&A session
Q1: Is there a limit to the size of the Confluence backup? Is it possible to import a group of spaces from the Confluence backup? The background to the question is that we want to transfer a large Confluence instance to XWiki. Are links to other spaces migrating?
There is no limit set in stone for the size of the Confluence backup that can be imported into XWiki. The size that will be allowed depends on your configuration. The largest instance that we migrated so far was 2TB of data, which required significant planning and time. The largest package imported at once was about 82GB. When importing a backup into XWiki, you can select the specific spaces you want to import, allowing for the migration of multiple spaces at once. Links between spaces will function as expected if they are properly configured during the migration process.
Q2: I would like to see examples of how to migrate single-sourced content. We use the Scroll Versions Include+ macro a lot for product names. Any tips to make that migration easier? We also have some very large spaces with many writers updating content for publication at different times. What kind of paradigm shift can we expect in XWiki?
XWiki does not have a perfect alternative for the Scroll Versions Include+ macro. By default, XWiki does have a versioning system with comments and custom solutions have also been implemented in the past for specific needs in this area. For large spaces with many writers, we recommend contacting our sales team to discuss specific needs. Custom features can be developed to replicate the functionalities you rely on in Confluence. The paradigm shift in XWiki involves leveraging its extensibility and customization capabilities to match your workflow requirements.
Q3: Is live content synchronization from Confluence possible? What is the compatibility of Confluence plugins?
Live content synchronization from Confluence is not possible in XWiki as the migrator works with export packages, not through API import, which we found to be much less reliable. To ensure your content is up-to-date, we advise making a migration plan that includes setting spaces to read-only mode during migration and then transferring the data. Plugin compatibility is handled on a case-by-case basis, with alternatives or custom solutions available for necessary functionalities.
Q4: What issues can we expect during migration?
The most common issues during migration are related to the configuration and setup of authentication systems, user mapping, and permissions. Content migration itself is generally robust, but proper planning and setup are crucial to address potential issues with system configurations and user permissions.
Q5: What's the estimated complexity and time required for a migration?
The complexity of a migration varies based on factors like the number of pages, spaces, data size, users, and required configurations. Small migrations can be completed in a day, while large migrations involving hundreds of gigabytes of data or complex configurations can take weeks to months. Each migration is unique, and detailed planning is essential for a smooth process.
Q6: What is the process with macros that could be supported by XWiki after the migration?
Macros from Confluence are supported in XWiki through alternatives or custom solutions. If a macro does not have a direct equivalent, XWiki can develop custom features or provide workarounds based on your specific needs. It's best to review the list of supported macros and consult with our sales team for any unique requirements.
Q7: Does XWiki need a connection with Confluence?
No, XWiki does not require a connection with Confluence. You only need the export files from Confluence to perform the migration.
Q8: We're using Confluence and Jira together. What can we expect for Jira when migrating to XWiki?
XWiki has integrations for Jira, allowing similar functionalities for project management and issue tracking. You can find more information about the Jira connection here: JIRA Module and JIRA Macro. Furthermore, in terms of Jira alternatives, we recommend OpenProject, an open source tool for project management that we will soon integrate with.
Q9: How secure is XWiki compared with Confluence?
XWiki prioritizes security with comprehensive policies for both the product and applications. Regular updates and community contributions help maintain a high level of security. we have dedicated security specialist, constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities in our products. Detailed security policies can be found here: Product Security Policy and here: Pro Apps Security Policy. Also, our Cloud hosting provider, OVH, holds the ISO 27001 European standard of quality along with a SOC Type 1, 2 and 3 certification: OVH Safety and Compliance
Q10: Can private pages in personal spaces be migrated and then mapped to the user again?
Yes, private pages in personal spaces can be migrated and will remain private to the same user in XWiki if permissions are set on it as such. The permissions are preserved during the migration, ensuring that private spaces are accessible only to the intended user.
Q11: Do groups in LDAP still work for space privileges and site restrictions? How are they handled during migration? Do we have to map groups if they are stored in an external directory?
If Confluence is configured with LDAP for groups and permissions, the same configuration can be applied in XWiki using the Active Directory application. This application provides a UI for configuration, and if groups have the same names and permissions as in Confluence, no additional mapping is needed. However, user and group mapping can be performed if required. User and Group import is also supported by the Active Directory application.
Q12: Is there a minimum required version of Confluence data center to perform a successful migration?
XWiki supports migrations from Confluence versions starting with version 5. There might be issues with older versions, but from version 5 upwards, there should not be significant problems.
Q13: Do links between Confluence spaces work after the migration? Do Confluence includes from a different space work after the migration?
Yes, links between spaces will work after the migration as long as the referenced pages are imported. If the target page exists, the link will function correctly. The same applies to includes from different spaces.
Q14: Can spaces be imported to a new structure? For example, if we currently have a separate space for each product version, but in XWiki, we plan to have Product, with each version of that product as a sub-wiki or branch.
Yes, spaces can be imported into a new structure. You can import everything into one wiki and then move the pages around as needed or set up the sub-wikis in advance and import directly into the desired structure.
Q15: Is the include+ macro included in the list of supported macros?
The Scroll Versions Include+ macro does not have a perfect equivalent in XWiki. Custom solutions can be developed to meet the specific needs and functionalities of this macro.
Q16: Confluence had a "Delete Own" permission. Does XWiki have that permission?
In XWiki, the concept of "deleting own" does not exist. However, the notion of "creator" implies having the right to delete the pages they created. If a migrated page has the user as the creator, they will have the right to delete it in XWiki. The "delete" right in XWiki allows for deleting pages owned by other users as well, provided the user has the necessary edit rights.
Q17: For the new feature of being able to reorganize the sequence of topics, would imported Confluence content keep its sequence? Or do we have to manually rearrange all the topics back to our preferred sequence?
Currently, the sequence of topics is not maintained during migration. You would need to manually rearrange the pages in the navigation bar to your preferred sequence after the migration. This migration improvement can be sponsored or it may be developed in the future if there is enough interest.
Q18: Can we import comments from Confluence such as footer comments and inline comments?
Yes, both footer and inline comments are imported into XWiki. These comments are displayed in the comments section of XWiki, and annotations allow for highlighting sections and commenting on them. However, inline comments are not mapped to annotations in XWiki at this time.
