Syracuse Sun

This summer, Information Technology Services (ITS) will move the Answers knowledge base to the cloud, providing improved collaboration, new features, and enhanced knowledge management and distribution. In advance of this migration, ITS has compiled a list of frequently asked questions for reference.

The migration will start on Friday, June 21, at 4 p.m. and will finish on Sunday, June 23. The application will be down during the migration. When it comes back up on Monday, June 24, all Answers content will be accessed in the cloud.

Regarding post-migration access to answers.syr.edu, the website URL (https://answers.syr.edu/) will be redirected to Confluence in the cloud. Users who do not manage content but use Answers for information should note that the user interface will look different with some slight changes in navigation and an improved search option. "We encourage users to utilize this search feature to find documents that they require," said an ITS representative.

Publicly available information will remain accessible without login requirements. Space administrators have been made aware of these changes and are working with the migration team. If no action is taken by administrators of public spaces before the migration, those spaces will move over as-is with potential limitations on editing functions until further review.

For users needing to keep information private while Answers only allows public information in its cloud version, alternative solutions are available. "Should you decide that transitioning to a public platform does not align with your goals, we are committed to providing support in finding alternative solutions that suit your needs," stated an ITS spokesperson.

Private spaces not addressed before the migration will be archived after it occurs. Owners of private spaces have been notified of their options and should check with the migration team if additional support is needed.

Existing links to Answers on websites or email signatures will not work post-migration due to dynamically generated links in Confluence's cloud application. Space owners are reminded to update these links accordingly using the new enhanced search feature for assistance.

There is still time to manage content before June 21. If no cleanup is done, spaces will be moved according to public and private space details previously described.

For further questions regarding this transition, contact can be made with the Answers cloud migration team at aascsys@su-jsm.atlassian.net or through the Teams Group-Answers Community.