Atlassian Confluence

Basic Information

• Model: Atlassian Confluence is available in two primary deployment models: Confluence Cloud (SaaS) and Confluence Data Center (self-hosted). Confluence Server reached its end of support on February 15, 2024.
• Version: Confluence Data Center offers both Long Term Support (LTS) and non-LTS releases. LTS releases receive bug and security fixes for two years, while non-LTS releases are supported for six months with critical security fixes only. Recent Data Center versions include 10.0, 9.5, 9.4, 9.3, 9.2 (LTS), 9.1, 9.0, 8.9, 8.8, 8.7, 8.6, 8.5 (LTS), 8.4, 8.3, 8.2, 8.1, and 7.19 (LTS). Confluence Cloud operates on its own continuous release cadence.
• Release Date: Varies by specific version and deployment model.
• Minimum Requirements (Confluence Data Center):
  • CPU: Quad-core 2GHz+ CPU recommended for optimal performance. A dual-core 2GHz CPU can suffice for very small instances.
  • RAM: 6GB minimum for Confluence application (includes 1GB for Confluence JVM and 1GB for Synchrony for collaborative editing). 8GB RAM is recommended for a comfortable experience, especially when co-located with other applications like a database. 4GB can technically suffice for very small instances but may lead to sluggishness.
  • Storage: 10GB minimum database space. 20GB per application (Confluence) is recommended for data and future growth, with a minimum of 10GB. SSD storage is recommended for improved loading and data access speeds.
  • Operating System: Microsoft Windows and most Linux distributions are supported for production environments. macOS/OS X is supported for evaluation purposes only, not for production sites.
• Supported Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows and Linux (most distributions) are supported for production deployments. Confluence can run on 32-bit or 64-bit operating systems, but installers are provided only for 64-bit systems. macOS/OS X is for evaluation only.
• Latest Stable Version: Confluence Data Center 10.0 is a recent version, with 9.2 and 8.5 being recent Long Term Support (LTS) releases. Confluence Cloud is continuously updated.
• End of Support Date: Confluence Server ended support on February 15, 2024. Confluence Data Center has specific End of Support (EOS) dates for each version, for example, Confluence 9.2 (LTS) EOS is December 10, 2026, and 8.5 (LTS) EOS is December 15, 2025.
• End of Life Date: Confluence Server reached End of Life on February 15, 2024. Atlassian has announced a phased retirement for Confluence Data Center, with no new subscriptions for new customers after March 30, 2026, and products becoming read-only on March 28, 2029.
• License Type: Confluence Cloud offers Free, Standard, and Premium subscription plans. Confluence Data Center is available via enterprise subscriptions.
• Deployment Model: Confluence Cloud is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering hosted and managed by Atlassian. Confluence Data Center is a self-managed solution that can be deployed on-premises or on Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) platforms like AWS or Azure.

Technical Requirements

• RAM: Minimum 6GB for Confluence Data Center, with 8GB recommended for optimal performance, especially when running with a database.
• Processor: Quad-core 2GHz+ CPU recommended for Confluence Data Center. Dual-core 2GHz CPU is a minimum for very small instances.
• Storage: Minimum 10GB for the database and 10GB for the application, with 20GB recommended per application. SSD storage significantly improves performance.
• Display: Minimum browser window size of 1024x768 pixels for correct display.
• Ports: Standard HTTP/HTTPS ports are required for web access.
• Operating System: Production environments support Microsoft Windows and most Linux distributions. 64-bit operating systems are recommended.

Analysis of Technical Requirements: Confluence Data Center's technical requirements are scalable and depend heavily on the number of users, content volume, and co-located applications. While minimum specifications allow for basic operation, Atlassian recommends higher-end hardware (quad-core CPU, 8GB+ RAM, SSD storage) to ensure smooth performance and responsiveness, particularly in production environments with collaborative editing and integrations. Antivirus software can negatively impact performance, requiring careful configuration.

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Confluence Data Center versions are frequently updated, with recent releases including 10.0, 9.5, and LTS versions like 9.2 and 8.5. Confluence Cloud is continuously updated.
• OS Support: Confluence Data Center supports Microsoft Windows and most Linux distributions for production. macOS/OS X is for evaluation only.
• End of Support Date: Confluence Server support ended on February 15, 2024. Confluence Data Center versions have specific EOS dates, with LTS versions receiving support for two years. The Data Center offering itself will become read-only on March 28, 2029.
• Localization: Confluence Cloud supports a wide range of languages, including Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (UK/US), Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish. Confluence Data Center also supports multiple languages, often enhanced by marketplace apps for content translation.
• Available Drivers: For Confluence Data Center, external databases require compatible JDBC drivers. Atlassian supports various databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, and SQL Server.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status: Atlassian maintains robust support for its Confluence Cloud offering through continuous updates and a wide array of supported languages. For Confluence Data Center, support is version-specific, with LTS releases providing extended maintenance. The discontinuation of Confluence Server highlights Atlassian's shift towards cloud and Data Center models. Compatibility with major operating systems and databases is strong, ensuring flexibility for self-hosted deployments. Localization is comprehensive, catering to global teams.

Security Status

• Security Features: Data encryption (AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit with perfect forward secrecy), role-based access controls, multi-factor authentication (MFA), comprehensive audit logs, continuous vulnerability management, secure development practices, IP whitelisting, custom authentication policies, and Atlassian Guard for enhanced security.
• Known Vulnerabilities: Atlassian actively manages vulnerabilities through continuous monitoring, regular scanning, and prompt mitigation as part of its secure development lifecycle.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable. Atlassian maintains high security standards to prevent such status.
• Certifications: Confluence adheres to industry standards and holds certifications including SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI DSS, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27018, and GDPR compliance.
• Encryption Support: Supports AES-256 encryption for data at rest and TLS 1.2+ for data in transit. Customer-managed keys (CMK) encryption is also available for enhanced control.
• Authentication Methods: Supports multi-factor authentication (MFA), Single Sign-On (SSO), and integration with external identity providers such as LDAP, Microsoft Entra ID, Crowd, and Jira for user management.
• General Recommendations: Enable MFA, regularly review and update access policies, implement robust backup and disaster recovery plans, utilize advanced security features like IP whitelisting, and understand the shared responsibility model for cloud deployments.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating: Confluence offers a strong security posture, particularly in its Cloud and Data Center offerings. It employs industry-standard encryption for data at rest and in transit, robust access controls, and comprehensive audit logging. Compliance with major security certifications like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 demonstrates a commitment to data protection. Atlassian's continuous vulnerability management and secure development practices further enhance its security rating. Users are responsible for configuring access controls and implementing best practices within their deployments, especially for Data Center.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: Specific public benchmark scores are not readily available. Performance is highly dependent on deployment configuration, user load, and content complexity.
• Real-world Performance Metrics: Performance is directly impacted by the underlying hardware for Data Center deployments, with SSD storage significantly improving loading times and data access speeds. Antivirus software can degrade performance, especially on Windows, requiring careful configuration. Confluence Cloud performance is managed by Atlassian, with a 99.9% uptime SLA for Premium plans.
• Power Consumption: Not directly applicable to the software itself. Power consumption depends on the underlying server infrastructure for Data Center or Atlassian's cloud data centers.
• Carbon Footprint: Not directly applicable to the software. The carbon footprint is associated with the data center infrastructure hosting Confluence.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Confluence is recognized for its seamless integration with other Atlassian products like Jira, which enhances workflow efficiency. Its collaborative editing and extensive template library contribute to productivity. Compared to some alternatives, Confluence's search functionality can sometimes be perceived as less effective with large volumes of content, and page loading may slow down with numerous attachments.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status: Confluence delivers solid performance, especially when deployed on recommended hardware for Data Center or leveraging the optimized infrastructure of Confluence Cloud. Its real-time collaborative editing features are a highlight, enabling efficient teamwork. Performance can be optimized through proper hardware scaling, network configuration, and database tuning for self-hosted instances. While some users report occasional slowdowns with very large content bases or less-than-optimal configurations, the overall performance is generally considered robust for its intended use as a knowledge management and collaboration platform.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews consistently highlight Confluence as a powerful tool for team collaboration and knowledge management.

• Strengths:
  • Intuitive Interface and Ease of Use: Users appreciate the straightforward interface for creating, organizing, and searching content.
  • Seamless Integration: Strong integration with other Atlassian products, particularly Jira, is a major advantage, allowing for linked documentation and streamlined workflows.
  • Collaboration Features: Real-time editing, commenting, and version history are highly valued for fostering team productivity and ensuring data integrity.
  • Knowledge Management: Serves as an excellent centralized knowledge base for documentation, meeting notes, project plans, and internal communication.
  • Customization: Flexibility to customize pages with macros and templates allows for diverse content presentation.
  • Customer Support: Responsive and helpful customer support is noted for paid services.
• Weaknesses:
  • Complexity for Non-Technical Users: The extensive features, macros, and settings can be overwhelming for some users.
  • Performance with Large Content: Page loads or search functionality can become slow when dealing with a large volume of content, images, and macros.
  • Search Effectiveness: Some users find the search function can return too many irrelevant results, making it difficult to find specific information.
  • Mobile Experience: The mobile app is sometimes described as awkward for quick edits.
  • Organization Challenges: Without a well-defined structure, content can become disorganized, making navigation difficult.
  • External Sharing Limitations: Difficulty in sharing single pages outside the organization without granting broader access.
• Recommended Use Cases: Confluence is widely recommended for project documentation, technical processes, user manuals, HR policies, training materials, FAQs, meeting notes, internal blogging, and general team collaboration where a centralized, dynamic knowledge base is crucial.

Summary

Atlassian Confluence stands as a robust and versatile enterprise asset for knowledge management and team collaboration. It offers two distinct deployment models: Confluence Cloud, a fully managed SaaS solution, and Confluence Data Center, a self-hosted option providing greater control for enterprises. The platform excels in providing an intuitive interface for content creation, real-time collaborative editing, and seamless integration with the broader Atlassian ecosystem, particularly Jira, which significantly enhances project workflows and documentation. Its extensive template library and macro functionality allow for high customization, catering to diverse organizational needs from technical documentation to internal communication.

Confluence boasts a strong security framework, incorporating AES-256 encryption for data at rest, TLS 1.2+ for data in transit, multi-factor authentication, robust access controls, and comprehensive audit logging. Adherence to industry certifications like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 underscores its commitment to data protection. While Confluence Cloud benefits from Atlassian's managed infrastructure and guaranteed uptime, Data Center deployments require careful attention to hardware specifications and security configurations to achieve optimal performance and security.

User feedback consistently praises Confluence for its ability to centralize information, streamline collaboration, and integrate effectively with other tools. However, some users note that the platform's rich feature set can be overwhelming for non-technical individuals, and performance may be affected by large content volumes or suboptimal search results if not properly managed. The discontinuation of Confluence Server underscores a strategic shift towards cloud and scalable Data Center solutions, requiring organizations to plan their migration accordingly.

Overall, Confluence is an excellent choice for organizations seeking a powerful, secure, and highly collaborative platform to manage their institutional knowledge and facilitate team-wide communication. Its strengths in integration, customization, and security make it a valuable asset for diverse teams. Recommendations include careful planning for Data Center deployments, leveraging its security features, and establishing clear content governance to maximize its benefits and mitigate potential challenges related to complexity and search efficiency.

The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.