Managed Hosting / Redmine Hosting / Redmine 7 Upgrade
Migration and Managed Operation of Redmine 7 in Germany
We set up a current Redmine 7 and migrate your data from the existing installation. Either in our cloud in Germany or on your own server. After that we take care of operation, updates and support.
Does this sound familiar?
- Redmine has been running in your company for years.
- The version is old. An upgrade is due.
- Old plugins are often no longer compatible.
- Whoever set up the system no longer works here.
- The operating system underneath is outdated as well.
- Nobody has time for Ruby, Rails and plugin dependencies.
If several points apply, this page is for you.
Not using Redmine yet? Then continue on the hosting page. Not sure which option fits? The package finder takes you there in a few questions.
Why upgrades fail
Three causes come up again and again in installations that have grown over the years.
Plugins. Grown installations contain community plugins, commercial plugins and custom changes. After a major release, rarely all of them keep working. This is the most common reason an upgrade is abandoned.
System level. Redmine 7 requires different Ruby and Rails versions than the previous series, plus a sufficiently current database. Older installations often run on an underlying stack that no longer meets this. In that case the stack has to be updated before Redmine itself.
Legacy baggage. Manually patched files, leftovers from uninstalled plugins, undocumented configuration. An upgrade carries all of it along.
What happens to your plugins
The plugin question determines the effort. We clarify it first.
Our plugins. You get an optimized Redmine. Every instance we manage has Reporting and Automation installed, plus our open source plugins additionals and additional_tags. That is the baseline, not the top tier.
On top of that comes our Flow theme, which we modernized for Redmine 7. All hosting customers work on the same interface. You can see it in our demo, without registration and without installation.
The complete AlphaNodes Core Stack is included in every hosting package and released for Redmine 7: Automation, DB, DevOps, HRM, Passwords, Reporting, ServiceDesk, Wiki Guide. We activate the remaining plugins as needed.
This gives you these additional capabilities:
- Dashboards and advanced reports (Reporting)
- Rule based automation of issue handling (Automation)
- Ticket system for service requests with email intake (ServiceDesk)
- Structured records for contracts, assets and certificates outside of issues (DB)
- Staff administration with absences (HRM), password management (Passwords), deployment overview (DevOps), guided wiki structures (Wiki Guide)
Part of the functionality that previously required third party plugins is covered by this. What each plugin brings along is described in the plugin overview.
Third party plugins. We check every plugin for compatibility before it enters a managed system. Commercial plugins require a valid support license. The cost of ongoing maintenance depends on the plugin and is stated in the quote.
Included in the AlphaNodes Core Stack
These 8 plugins form the AlphaNodes Core Stack - included in all hosting packages, activate as needed
Automation & ServiceDesk included in all packages - own SMTP server required.
A new system instead of upgrading the old one
We do not upgrade existing installations. We set up a new Redmine 7 following our standards and migrate the data. The reason: for a system whose setup we know, we can guarantee maintenance and compatibility long term. For a grown third party system we cannot.
Inventory
- You tell us version, plugins and scope
Setup
- We set up a current Redmine version within one day
Data migration
- We migrate your data from the legacy system
Switch over
- From the agreed date your team works in the new system
What you find on day one
You get an optimized Redmine that is ready to use at handover. No preliminary configuration project, no workshop, no setup phase on your side.
- Redmine 7 with its reworked interface
- Flow theme, modernized and tuned to our plugins
- Reporting, Automation, additionals and additional_tags installed
- Further Core Stack plugins activated as needed
- Your data migrated from the legacy system
- Users and permissions as before
You can try out how it looks and how the plugins work in the demo beforehand.
What gets migrated
In a Redmine to Redmine migration everything is transferred 1:1:
- Projects and project structure
- Issues including history
- Users, roles, permissions
- Issue workflows
- Custom fields
- Attachments
- Wiki
- Spent time
User accounts are migrated. Depending on the hashing method of the legacy system, a password reset may be required.
What changes for you
| Self-managed | With managed operation | |
|---|---|---|
| Security updates | internal, as capacity allows | system level checked every 4 hours |
| Redmine updates | manual, major releases become a project | applied after compatibility check |
| Plugin compatibility | tested by you | checked before rollout |
| Backups | set up by you | encrypted, daily plus 4-hour snapshot |
| Monitoring | set up by you | 24/7 on critical components |
| In case of failure | internal resource required | ticket in the customer area |
| Next major version | another project | part of operation |
The comparison refers to your current operation, not to other providers.
Three points that make the difference
No user limits
Projects and users are unlimited in every package. Pricing depends on the feature set, not on how many people you have. If you have many occasional users, you do not pay for inactive accounts.
Plugins from our own development
We develop the plugins ourselves and support them ourselves. When you ask a question, the answer comes from someone who knows the code.
Operation in Germany, cancellable monthly
Servers located in Bavaria, one month minimum term, two weeks notice period. No annual contract required.
More facts about operation
- Data center operator certified according to DIN ISO/IEC 27001
- Data processing agreement under GDPR, no third country transfers
- Fixed feature set: the Core Stack is identical in every package and does not depend on the setup or the project scope
- Prices published openly, no quote-only pricing for standard services
- Support through the customer area, Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm, German and English
- Test environment alongside the production environment available as an add-on
- InHouse operation on your own server possible
If compliance requires you to run Redmine in your own data center, Enterprise Hosting On-Premise is the right entry point.
Frequently asked questions about upgrading to Redmine 7
Do we have to update to a newer version ourselves first?
No. We set up Redmine 7 from scratch and migrate the data. Intermediate steps across older versions are not required, even if your installation is several major versions behind.
Do you take over our existing system?
No. We set up a new system and migrate the data into it. For a system whose setup we know, we can guarantee maintenance and compatibility long term.
How long does the migration take?
The technical switch takes about one day. In total it usually takes 2 to 5 days. The difference comes from coordination on your side: providing data and access, agreeing on a date, informing the team.
And without data migration?
A new Redmine without migration is ready within one day and can be used immediately.
How long is Redmine unavailable during the switch?
During preparation your old system keeps running as usual. On the agreed switching day it is shut down so that no entries created after the data migration are lost. Afterwards your team continues working in the new system.
What is migrated?
In a Redmine to Redmine migration everything is transferred 1:1: projects and project structure, issues including history, users, roles and permissions, issue workflows, custom fields, attachments, wiki and spent time. User accounts are migrated, and depending on the hashing method of the legacy system a password reset may be required.
Are our workflows and custom fields preserved?
Yes. In a Redmine to Redmine migration, issue workflows and custom fields are transferred completely.
Can we keep using our existing plugins?
That depends on the plugin. We check compatibility and security before a plugin enters a managed system. Commercial plugins require a valid support license. Part of the functionality that previously required third party plugins is already covered by the AlphaNodes Core Stack.
What about Ruby, Rails and the database?
Redmine 7 requires different Ruby and Rails versions than the previous series, plus a sufficiently current database. With operation by us you do not have to deal with it: we set up the system from scratch and keep the underlying stack current as part of the managed service.
Can we stay on our own server?
Yes. With InHouse operation you provide the server and we take care of setup, operation, updates and support.
Is there a test environment?
Yes. A test environment alongside the production environment is available as an add-on. Independently of that, our Redmine demo with the Flow theme and our plugins is open to you without registration.
What does it cost?
All packages and prices are listed on the hosting page. Further questions about operation are answered in the hosting FAQ.
What we need for a quote
- Redmine version in use
- Plugins in use, as far as known
- Approximate number of projects, issues and users
- Database: PostgreSQL or MySQL
- Cloud or your own server
Related pages
- Package finder: find the right operating option in a few questions
- Hosting FAQ: backups, cancellation, data protection and support
- Plugin overview: what the Core Stack plugins can do
- Product updates: current version and compatibility status of our plugins
- Enterprise Hosting On-Premise: managed operation in your own data center
- What users can expect from Redmine 7: the major release at a glance
Plan your Redmine 7 upgrade.
Tell us the version, plugins and scope of your installation. We will tell you what the move involves and how it runs.