### Current state Migrating GitLab projects with groups by direct transfer (previously called GitLab Migration) (behind `bulk_import_projects` feature flag) [has been fully rolled out](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/339941#note_1170723626) on gitlab.com on 14th November 2022. Since then, when a group is migrated to SaaS, all its projects are migrated too. However on Self-Managed the feature is still disabled by default. That means that we are in a in-between state when on SaaS the feature is available to users by default and not marked as beta while on SM it needs to be enabled by an administrator. Spikes in related failures are being observed. Migrating groups by direct transfer [documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/group/import). ### Aim We want to release migrating GitLab projects with groups by direct transfer to open beta, in order to: - increase the feature usage, which should help uncover problems (usability, performance etc related) - raise the awareness about the feature among users and GitLab team members alike - gather feedback about the feature. In this issue we plan next steps required to do that. ### Consideration points We should consider all the points from [open beta definition](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/gitlab-the-product/#open-beta): - not ready for production use - unstable and can cause performance and stability issues - configuration and dependencies unlikely to change - features and functions unlikely to change - data loss not likely - support on a commercially-reasonable effort basis - documentation for the feature should reflect beta status - can be behind a feature flag that is on by default and the UI should reflect beta status - can be behind a toggle that is off by default and the UI should reflect beta status - can be announced in a release post that reflects beta status plus any additional considerations/concerns and steps to be done raised: - Add an application admin setting ([proposed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/339941#note_1174317097), [issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383078)) - > to be able to enable/disable GitLab Migration in admin settings, similar to other importers. It can be beneficial before enabling feature flag on self-managed. In case if we need to disable it, the self-managed users can do it in admin settings - Concerns about rolling out the feature on production and enabling it by default on self-managed almost at the same time ([raised](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/339941#note_1174961169)): > We recently had two S1 security incidents related to GitLab migration which make us less confident in rolling this out in a "big bang" - Should we add a possibility for user to choose in UI when they migrate group(s) to disable migrating any projects? At the moment on gitlab.com it's not possible to do. - what about https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/268399+? ### Issues to consider - do they need to be fixed before we release? - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/293949+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/377295+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/366756+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/365121+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383762+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383765+ (possibly related to - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/366756+) - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383766+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383767+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383769+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383770+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383779+ - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/299607+ ### Next steps - [x] Complete rollout of FF - to 100% - [x] Notify Customer Success team and ask for feedback/inputs - [Slack](https://gitlab.slack.com/archives/C5D346V08/p1669041958186449) - [x] Conduct [GitLab Migration testing session](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/manage/import/discussions/-/issues/30) - [x] Settle on the name and update documentation cc/ @eread - [x] Add an application admin setting to disable GL Migration - [x] Enable user to not include projects when migrating group - [x] Prepare documentation for the feature that reflect its beta status - [x] Adjust UI to reflect feature's beta status - [x] Manual testing from a security perspective performed by AppSec - [x] ~~Set `default_enabled: true` for the FF in order to roll it out to self-managed~~ as the feature can be enabled by admin setting, we don't need to do that. We decided it will be off by default on SM. - [x] Announce it in a release post that reflects beta status