Christian WellsJira on Ubuntu 24.04 – Enterprise Issue Tracking & Project Management Platform
Jira, developed by Atlassian, is one of the most widely used platforms for issue tracking, Agile project management, and IT service management. Its flexible architecture and rich feature set make it suitable for software development, operations, support, and business process automation.
Running Jira on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) provides a secure, modern, and long-term supported environment, ideal for organizations that prefer self-hosted deployments for control, compliance, and customization.
System Compatibility
Ubuntu 24.04 is a solid match for Jira Server and Jira Data Center deployments. It supports all necessary dependencies required by Jira’s core components.
| Component | Supported on Ubuntu 24.04 |
|---|---|
| Java | OpenJDK 17 (officially supported) |
| Database | PostgreSQL 15, MySQL 8.0, Oracle DB |
| Web Server | Bundled Tomcat (reverse proxy via Apache or Nginx) |
| Architecture | 64-bit (x86_64) |
| Systemd | Full service control |
| AppArmor | Compatible with default profiles |
Jira ships with its own Tomcat servlet container, so no additional Java application server is required.
Jira Versions and Use Cases
| Jira Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Jira Software | Agile project management (Scrum, Kanban, roadmaps) |
| Jira Service Management (JSM) | ITSM platform for support/helpdesk operations |
| Jira Core (legacy) | Lightweight business workflow tool (now merged into Jira Software) |
| Jira Data Center | Clustered deployment with HA and advanced scaling |
Ubuntu 24.04 is particularly well-suited for Jira Data Center deployments on private infrastructure or virtualized cloud environments like Shape.Host, Proxmox, or VMware.
Resource Planning and Performance
Jira can be resource-intensive depending on the user base and issue volume. Recommended minimums:
| Deployment Size | CPU | RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<100 users) | 4 cores | 8 GB | 20–40 GB SSD |
| Medium (up to 500) | 8 cores | 16 GB | 100+ GB SSD |
| Large (>1,000 users / DC) | 16+ cores | 32–64 GB | Clustered with shared DB and ElasticSearch |
Also, consider provisioning for log data, backups, and PostgreSQL transaction storage.
Security and Compliance
Ubuntu 24.04 provides a hardened environment suitable for enterprise security needs.
- HTTPS/SSL: Recommended via Nginx or Apache as reverse proxy
- Firewall (UFW/NFTables): Only expose port 80/443 as needed
- AppArmor: Default profiles are non-blocking and compatible with Jira
- Backup & Restore: Use the built-in Jira backup manager or external solutions (e.g., pg_dump, rsync)
Jira can be integrated with LDAP, SAML, and Atlassian Access for authentication and identity management.
Automation & Integration
Jira on Ubuntu 24.04 works seamlessly with modern DevOps pipelines:
| Integration | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Bitbucket / GitHub | Link commits to issues, trigger CI/CD |
| Jenkins / GitLab CI | Auto-deploy or test based on Jira status |
| Slack / Teams | Receive issue updates in chat channels |
| Confluence | Wiki integration with issue linking |
| REST API | Custom integrations and automations |
Ubuntu 24.04 supports all required networking and API libraries out of the box, making it ideal for connected environments.
Jira vs. Alternatives
| Feature | Jira (Self-Hosted) | Redmine | YouTrack | Taiga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agile Boards | Yes | With plugin | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow Automation | Extensive | Basic | Extensive | Moderate |
| LDAP / SAML Auth | Yes | Partial | Yes | No |
| Cloud/Hybrid Ready | Yes (Data Center) | No | Yes | Partial |
| Commercial Support | Atlassian SLA | Community | JetBrains | Community |
Jira stands out for enterprise-grade extensibility, global support, and deep ecosystem integrations.
Licensing Model
As of 2024, Jira Server is no longer sold to new customers. Existing installations can continue to operate with valid licenses. New deployments are recommended to use:
- Jira Data Center (Self-Hosted) – Clusterable, scalable, licensed per user
- Jira Cloud – Managed by Atlassian, SaaS-only
Ubuntu 24.04 is well-suited for Jira Data Center due to its systemd-native service management, flexible security layers, and LTS lifecycle (supported through 2029).
Running Jira on Ubuntu 24.04 gives you:
- Compatibility with Java 17 and modern databases
- Support for DevOps pipelines, Agile teams, and ITSM workflows
- Control over data, infrastructure, and licensing
- Long-term system support in a stable, secure Linux environment
Whether you’re migrating off Jira Cloud, maintaining an existing instance, or scaling to Data Center, Ubuntu 24.04 offers the performance, reliability, and security needed to support enterprise-grade Jira deployments.
Step 1: Create a VPS Instance on Shape.Host
Before starting, set up a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 server instance using Shape.Host:
Log in at https://shape.host.
Click “Create”, then choose “Instance”.
Select your preferred data center location.
Choose Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as the OS.
Pick a plan with at least 4 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 40 GB SSD for Jira.
Click “Create Instance”.
Note the IP address and root credentials of your instance.
Step 2: Connect to Your Server
On Linux/macOS:
ssh root@your-server-ip
On Windows:
Use PuTTY or another SSH client and connect with:
root@your-server-ip
Step 3: Install MySQL and Required Packages
apt update
Update package indexes.
apt-get install mysql-server unzip fontconfig
Installs MySQL (Jira’s supported database), along with unzip and font libraries required by Jira.
Step 4: Configure MySQL for Jira
Login to MySQL:
mysql
Then run:
CREATE DATABASE jiradb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_bin;
CREATE USER 'jirauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT ALL ON jiradb.* TO 'jirauser'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
⚠️ Important: Replace 'password' with a secure password of your choice.
Step 5: Download and Install Jira
Download the Jira Software installer:
wget https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/downloads/binary/atlassian-jira-software-10.3.6-x64.bin
Make the installer executable:
chmod a+x atlassian-jira-software-10.3.6-x64.bin
Run the installer:
./atlassian-jira-software-10.3.6-x64.bin
Follow the interactive prompts:
- Choose express or custom install.
- Let it install Jira as a service.
Step 6: Verify Jira Is Running
ss -antpl | grep java
This confirms Jira is listening on port 8080 (default).
Step 7: Install MySQL Connector/J for Jira
Jira needs the MySQL JDBC driver to connect to MySQL.
Download the connector:
wget https://dev.mysql.com/get/Downloads/Connector-J/mysql-connector-java-8.0.18.zip
Extract the archive:
unzip mysql-connector-java-8.0.18.zip
Copy the JAR file into Jira’s library directory:
cp mysql-connector-java-8.0.18/mysql-connector-java-8.0.18.jar /opt/atlassian/jira/lib
Step 8: Restart Jira
Stop Jira:
/etc/init.d/jira stop
Start Jira:
/etc/init.d/jira start
Step 9: Access the Jira Web Interface
Visit the following address in your browser:
http://your-server-ip:8080
Follow the web-based setup wizard to:
- Connect to MySQL (enter
jiradb,jirauser, and your password) - Set site name and license
- Create admin account
You now have Jira Software running on Ubuntu 24.04, configured with MySQL and the proper JDBC connector. This setup is ready for production tracking or internal team use.
For scalable, high-performance cloud infrastructure tailored to software like Jira, consider using Shape.Host.
Start deploying on Shape.Host today — reliable Cloud VPS for your development stack.
