Understanding and Performing Instance Cloning
Chapter Topics
Before you start creating or running a clone, it is important to know the basic concepts, such as what the source and target are, what the clone copies, and where that data comes from.
Also focus on why organizations actually clone and what protects production from being overwritten. In the module, we will be focusing on the overall concepts of instance cloning.
What is Instance Cloning in ServiceNow?
ServiceNow instance cloning is the process of copying data and configuration from one ServiceNow instance (the source) to another instance (the target). With this, the target becomes a similar replica of the source.
- The source is the one being copied from.
- The target is the one being copied onto.
The clone always flows from the source to the target. A clone overwrites the target with data/configuration from the source, so target-side changes can be lost unless explicitly preserved. It is a one-way overwrite, and cloning is not a synchronization mechanism. It should not be used to promote development changes to production. Update Sets/Application Repository/other deployment mechanisms are used for controlled promotion of configuration changes.
What are the uses of Cloning?
Cloning as a process is done for two major purposes, including:
- Keeping the dev/test environment realistic: With time, development and QA instances get chaotic. Cloning production down into the environment regularly refreshes it so that testing happens against something that looks like a real system.
- Fixing the broken lower environment: If your development or QA instances get corrupted or broken, it is faster to clone production over it. It starts cleaner than manually untangling the damage. Cloning should be treated as a deliberate environment-refresh/recovery approach because it can overwrite existing work in the target instance.
Important: Cloning Production into non-production environments may copy sensitive or production data. Organizations should use appropriate data protection, masking, or exclusion strategies where required.
How to clone a ServiceNow Instance?
After understanding the uses and concepts of instance cloning, it is important that we move forward to the practical application of creating a ServiceNow instance. To create a clone, there are certain roles required, including:
| Role | Access |
|---|---|
| admin | Can perform cloning tasks, including creating clone profiles/requests. |
| clone_admin | Full read/write/configure access to the Instance Clone application and all its elements. Access still follows the organization’s security/authorization model. |
| clone_profile_admin | Read/write/configure access scoped specifically to Clone Profiles. |
ServiceNow Instance Clone Steps
Servicenow instance cloning process is a systematic way to set up and request a clone in ServiceNow, which is in five steps:
Step 1: Define the target instance by navigating to System Clone → Clone Target, and add New. Here, you have to enter admin credentials and then submit. While adding credentials, remember:
- The account must have the admin role on the target instance.
- It must be a local ServiceNow account, not an LDAP or SSO-federated account.
- The system will validate these credentials before allowing the target to be used.
Step 2: Now, create a clone profile, add a specific target instance, preserve rules, and exclude rules. These sets of rules must be attached to the clone profile using related lists.
- Preserve: keeps selected target-side data/configuration.
- Exclude: prevents selected source data from being copied.
- Cleanup: runs after the clone to modify/remove data or perform environment-specific cleanup.
Step 3: Create the clone profile record, use the Create Clone Request option, and click Submit.
Step 4: Once the scheduled time arrives, ServiceNow performs prerequisite/compatibility checks and overwrites the target instance as part of the clone. The exact validation/process can vary by ServiceNow release and clone type.
Step 5: After the clone is done, keep proper follow-ups, like users/roles, integrations, email, scheduled jobs, MID Servers, external connections, credentials, URLs/endpoints, and other environment-specific configuration.
Managing a Complete ServiceNow Clone is important to ensure that the preserve rules and cleanup scripts are meant to protect target-specific data/configuration and to prepare the cloned environment for use.
Conclusion
Copying data and configuration from a source instance to a target instance is cloning. Cloning overwrites the target and therefore should be planned carefully. Also distinguish cloning from application deployment/update sets: cloning refreshes an environment; it is not a mechanism for promoting development work to production.
Cloning Instance is the last module of the ServiceNow admin course. We have tried to cover all important segments of the Admin tutorial that will help you understand how the platform works. To know it better and have an interactive learning experience with industry professionals, enroll now in our ServiceNow Admin Course.
