# Enterprise Live Migrations from GHES to ghe.com generally available

By Steven Van · 2026-09-01

Enterprise Live Migrations (ELM) is now generally available, enabling near-zero-downtime repository migrations from GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES)…

GitHub has made Enterprise Live Migrations (ELM) [generally available](<https://github.blog/changelog/2026-09-01-enterprise-live-migrations-from-ghes-to-ghe-com-generally-available>), a tool for moving repositories from GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) to GitHub Enterprise Cloud with Data Residency (GHEC DR) with near-zero downtime. Data syncs continuously from source to target, so developers keep working during the migration, and cutover only requires time to drain the remaining in-flight changes.

- ELM is built for large, active monorepos: deep git history, large volumes of issues and pull requests, and constant activity around the clock. Resource-level progress tracking surfaces failures before cutover, so teams can decide when to proceed.

- It complements GitHub Enterprise Importer (GEI): GEI suits straightforward migrations where brief downtime is acceptable, while ELM is for repositories that need a zero-disruption approach. The two can run concurrently as part of the same migration strategy.

- Migrations are managed through the gh elm CLI extension, which configures credentials and handles the migration lifecycle, from creating and monitoring a migration to initiating cutover via the GHES REST API. It supports both human-readable and JSON output.

ELM runs as a service on the GHES appliance and supports GHES versions 3.17.18+, 3.18.12+, 3.19.9+, 3.20.3+, 3.21.3+ and 3.22.0+. This release ships with the most recent GHES patch releases, with plans to expand to additional migration paths.

[![](<https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/96706636-433a-4857-bed2-b6863e5e25dc>)](<https://github.blog/changelog/2026-09-01-enterprise-live-migrations-from-ghes-to-ghe-com-generally-available>)

![GitHub](<https://github.githubassets.com/assets/GitHub-Mark-ea2971cee799.png>)

GitHub

Where the world builds software — Git hosting, pull requests, issues, Actions CI/CD, and Copilot, free for public and private repos.

[View GitHub →](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/tools/github>)

Sources

[Original source](<https://github.blog/changelog/2026-09-01-enterprise-live-migrations-from-ghes-to-ghe-com-generally-available>)

[Read Enterprise Live Migrations from GHES to ghe.com generally available on Creators Toolbox](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/blog/github-enterprise-live-migrations-from-ghes-to-ghe-com-generally-available>)

---
Canonical source: https://creatorstoolbox.com/blog/github-enterprise-live-migrations-from-ghes-to-ghe-com-generally-available