Jira, the business issue tracking software, was upgraded in December, before being updated again in February to ensure it continues to run smoothly, thanks to the work of Development Technology and Service Management. Working with the annual software improvements to Jira, it was successfully updated in December, to version 9.12. This ensures it operates as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and that the service remains on a support long-term release to reduce the need for future annual upgrades.The new version of Jira will now be supported by Atalassian, allowing users to benefit from new features including bug fixes, improved functionality, security, and reliability, and overall better end user experience. In February, Jira was then upgraded to the 10.3 Long term Support (LTS) release. This latest version provides users with continued access to critical security and data integrity for 2 years, responding quickly to bug fixes. It builds on the improvements brought about by the update in December, as well as launching a Security Hub for better user guidance.Not only has the security been improved, including the new two-step verification login, but also accessibility enhancements, including the choice between a dark and light theme, and better visuals to minimise light strain. The automated features have also been enhanced, providing a smoother and more efficient experience for users.Find the full list of benefits here.There was a great deal of collaboration between Development Technology and Service Management, where proactive communication, efficient testing using TestRail, and strong stakeholder engagement drove the smooth running of this upgrade. Any potential risks, including security bulletins, were considered and anticipated beforehand, minimising risk during the upgrade. Want to know how others use Jira? Read the latest story. Publication date 19 Mar, 2025
