OTRS to GOTRS Migration Guide

This guide will help you migrate from OTRS to GOTRS with minimal downtime and data loss.

Overview

GOTRS is designed to be compatible with OTRS data structures, making migration straightforward. The process involves:

1. Data export from OTRS
2. GOTRS installation and configuration
3. Data import and verification
4. Cutover and go-live

Prerequisites

OTRS Requirements

• OTRS 6.x or later (recommended)
• Database access (MySQL/PostgreSQL)
• File system access to attachments
• Admin access for configuration export

GOTRS Requirements

• Docker or Podman environment
• PostgreSQL 15+ database
• Sufficient storage for data migration
• Network access for API operations

Migration Process

Phase 1: Assessment and Planning

1. Inventory Your OTRS Installation

• Number of tickets, users, and agents
• Custom fields and configurations
• Installed packages and customizations
• Integration points and APIs

2. Plan Your GOTRS Architecture

• Container orchestration strategy
• Database sizing and configuration
• Network and security requirements
• Backup and disaster recovery

Phase 2: GOTRS Setup

1. Install GOTRS

# Clone and setup GOTRS
git clone https://github.com/gotrs-io/gotrs-ce.git
cd gotrs-ce
make up

2. Configure Database

• Set up PostgreSQL instance
• Configure connection parameters
• Initialize GOTRS schema

Phase 3: Data Migration

1. Export OTRS Data

# Export tickets (example)
mysqldump otrs_db ticket > tickets.sql
mysqldump otrs_db article > articles.sql

2. Transform and Import

# Use GOTRS migration tools
gotrs migrate import --source otrs --data tickets.sql
gotrs migrate verify --check-integrity

Phase 4: Verification and Testing

1. Data Integrity Checks

• Verify ticket counts and content
• Test user authentication
• Validate configuration settings
• Check file attachments

2. Integration Testing

• Test email integration
• Verify API functionality
• Check external system connections
• Validate reporting and dashboards

Phase 5: Go-Live

1. Final Synchronization

• Stop OTRS services
• Perform final data sync
• Start GOTRS services
• Update DNS/load balancer

2. Monitoring and Support

• Monitor system performance
• Provide user training
• Address any issues
• Plan optimization improvements

Migration Tools

Automated Migration Script

# Coming soon: One-command migration
gotrs-migrate --source otrs \
  --otrs-db mysql://user:pass@host/otrs \
  --gotrs-db postgresql://user:pass@host/gotrs \
  --verify --rollback-plan

Manual Migration Steps

For complex environments, manual migration provides more control:

1. Schema Mapping: Map OTRS tables to GOTRS equivalents
2. Data Transformation: Convert data formats and structures
3. Configuration Migration: Recreate workflows and rules
4. User Migration: Transfer users, groups, and permissions

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Database Connection Errors

• Verify database credentials
• Check network connectivity
• Ensure PostgreSQL version compatibility

Data Import Failures

• Check data format compatibility
• Validate source data integrity
• Review migration logs for errors

Performance Issues

• Monitor database performance
• Check container resource allocation
• Optimize query performance

Getting Help

• Community Support: GitHub Discussions
• Professional Migration: Contact Gibbsoft Ltd
• Documentation: Detailed migration docs (coming soon)

Post-Migration

Optimization

• Fine-tune database performance
• Optimize container resource allocation
• Configure monitoring and alerting
• Set up backup procedures

Training

• User training on new interface
• Admin training on GOTRS features
• Process documentation updates
• Change management communication

Migration tools and detailed procedures are currently in development. Contact support@gibbsoft.com for migration assistance.