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Instance Cloning

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What instance cloning is, and why teams do it
  • How exclusions and data preservers protect the target
  • How to request a clone safely

1 A fresh copy of production

Over time, snwrdev drifts away from snwr (production). Old test data piles up, and new production settings are missing. The fix: clone production over dev, so you’re building on a real, current copy. 🧬

Key term: Instance clone

Copies the data and configuration from a source instance to a target instance. Everything on the target is replaced, except what you choose to exclude or preserve.

Cloning snwr, production, onto snwrdev. The source is snwr. The target is snwrdev, whose data is overwritten. Exclusions: tables that are not copied, like large logs and audit data. Data preservers: target data that is kept, like snwrdev's email settings and integration credentials. Before cloning: save or move any in-progress update sets from snwrdev, because they will be overwritten.
Figure 1. Production copied down, with exclusions and preservers keeping dev safe.

2 Exclusions and data preservers

Setting Does Example
Exclude tables Don’t copy these tables from the source Big log tables, audit history, attachments
Data preservers Keep these target records as they are Dev’s email settings, integration credentials, the clone settings themselves
Clone profile A saved set of these choices “Prod to Dev – standard”

⚠️ Heads up: Without the right preservers, a cloned dev instance could send real emails to users or call real integrations! Check that email is turned off or redirected on sub-production instances after every clone.

3 Requesting a clone

  1. Before: export any in-progress update sets from the target. The clone overwrites them.
  2. On the source instance, go to Clone Admin Console > Request Clone (clones can also be requested from the Now Support portal).
  3. Pick the target instance, the clone profile, and a date and time.
  4. Submit. Watch its progress in the Clone Admin Console.
  5. After: log in to the target, check email settings and integrations, then re-import your update sets.

📝 Note: Clones copy down: production to dev or test. You never clone over production. Large instances can take hours.

⭐ Remember: Clone = source copied over target. Exclusions skip tables. Preservers keep target data. Save update sets first!

4 Let’s try it: look at clone settings

  1. In your PDI, type Clone in the All menu. Open the Clone Admin Console. What can you see there?
  2. Find the list of excluded tables. Name three of them.
  3. Find the data preservers. What does ServiceNow preserve by default?

5 Quick recap

  • A clone copies a source instance over a target
  • Usually production → dev or test, never over production
  • Exclusions skip tables. Data preservers keep target data
  • Save in-progress update sets before cloning
  • After cloning, check email and integrations on the target

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 You clone prod to dev. What happens to dev’s in-progress update sets? Show answer

They’re overwritten, unless you export them first.

2 Which setting keeps dev’s email settings after a clone? Show answer

A data preserver.

3 Where do you request a clone inside the instance? Show answer

Clone Admin Console > Request Clone, on the source instance.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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