Differences between Jira DC issue archiving and Issue Archiver
Introduction
A popular request for Jira DC is the support for issue archiving which helps to speed up the performance of Jira. This article is to explain the different modes of archiving.
To avoid confusion between the 2, we will using the following naming convention
Issue Archiving - the archiving feature bundled with Jira Data Center
Issue Archiver - the Issue Archiver for Jira app
Simplified explanation
How Jira DC’s Issue Archiving works
When a project or issue is archived, it is being tagged so that it would be excluded in some screens and dropdown options. This prevent further changes to the project/issue.
The index entries of the archived issues will be deleted. Searching becomes faster with a smaller search index.
How Issue Archiver works
It generates a HTML file for each selected issues containing the fields and comments. The files are zipped up together with the attachments in an organised manner.
Comparison Table
Consideration | Issue Archiving | Issue Archiver |
---|---|---|
Data Integrity | In some scenarios, it is possible for data to be modified after being archived. If some of the custom fields are deleted or options removed, the un-archived issues would lose the field values even after being unarchived. | This is definitely a point in time snapshot |
Disk Storage | The data and attachments still reside within Jira. It is only hidden from view | The archives can be moved to another storage to free up disk space or as a secondary backup |
Accessibility | This is a plus factor as the archived issues can be viewed directly from Jira | The archive can only be viewed by those who have access to the files. It can also be circulated to those who do not have access to the Jira server (e.g. external auditors, external project stakeholders) |
Reversibility | It is possible to put the project back into Jira | It is not possible to reimport the archive back into Jira |
Searchability | The issue can be searched by restoring and reindexing the archived project | It is not possible to search since this |
Suitable Scenarios
Feature | Useful when |
---|---|
Issue Archiving |
|
Issue Archiver |
|
Conclusion
It’s not easy to have a solution that addresses all the considerations. You can choose one that fits your needs or use a hybrid strategy to play safe.