Case Study: Migrating from Atlassian Bamboo to GitHub Actions

Background

Our client in the education space had been using Atlassian Bamboo for close to a decade to automate their build and release processes. Unfortunately Bamboo has reached end of life which means it will no longer be receiving support and updates. While Bamboo had served them well, the company was looking to leverage newer technologies and benefit from the advancements offered by modern CI/CD platforms.

Challenges

1. Legacy Infrastructure: Our client's existing infrastructure was tightly coupled with Atlassian Bamboo, posing challenges in migrating workflows, configurations, and integrations. They had over 100 Bamboo projects that needed to be migrated which all used different operating systems and technology frameworks.

2. Integration Dependencies: The company relied on integrations with other tools and services within their development ecosystem, requiring careful consideration during the migration process.

3. Training and Adoption: Ensuring smooth adoption of GitHub Actions across development teams and providing adequate training to users unfamiliar with the platform was crucial.

Migration Process

1. Assessment and Planning: We began by conducting a comprehensive assessment of their existing Bamboo configurations, workflows, and integrations. We identified key dependencies, evaluated GitHub Actions' capabilities, and devised a migration plan outlining milestones and timelines.

2. Workflow Redesign: Leveraging GitHub Actions' flexible workflow syntax and extensive marketplace of pre-built actions, our client redesigned their CI/CD pipelines to align with best practices and optimize efficiency.

3. Configuration Migration: We migrated build configurations, environment variables, and deployment settings from Bamboo to GitHub Actions, ensuring continuity and minimizing disruptions to ongoing development activities.

4. Training and Adoption: To facilitate smooth adoption, we organized training sessions and provided documentation to familiarize developers with GitHub Actions' features, syntax, and best practices. We also established support channels to address any queries or challenges during the transition phase.

Outcomes

1. Improved Flexibility: GitHub Actions' flexible workflow syntax empowered our client to design and implement highly customizable CI/CD pipelines tailored to their specific requirements, enabling greater flexibility and agility in their development processes.

2. Enhanced Integration: By seamlessly integrating GitHub Actions with their existing toolchain, our client improved collaboration and data flow across their development ecosystem, enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

3. Cost Savings: Transitioning to GitHub Actions resulted in cost savings for our client, as they no longer incurred licensing fees associated with Atlassian Bamboo, while benefiting from GitHub's pricing model.

4. Streamlined Development: The migration to GitHub Actions streamlined our client's development lifecycle, reducing manual intervention and accelerating the delivery of high-quality software products to market.

Conclusion

The migration from Atlassian Bamboo to GitHub Actions marked a significant milestone in our client's journey towards modernizing their CI/CD infrastructure. By planning and executing the migration process, the company successfully leveraged GitHub Actions' to optimize their development workflows, enhance collaboration, and drive innovation across their software development initiatives.