Hidden Tricks: Resolving ServiceNow Server-Side Issues Without Creating Support Cases!!

Selva Arun · ‎05-16-2025

Hidden Tricks: Resolving ServiceNow Server-Side Issues Without Creating Support Cases

Hello ServiceNow Community! 👋

I'm Selva Arun, ServiceNow Developer at UMASS Memorial. Along with Ravi Chandra (ServiceNow Developer, Experian), I had the pleasure of presenting this session at Knowledge. I'm sharing the key takeaways here, hoping it helps others facing similar troubleshooting challenges!

Note: The PPT and demo materials are too large to attach here. You can find and download the full presentation and demos from my LinkedIn post:
Check out the PPT and demos on my LinkedIn

Why This Matters? 🎯

Save precious time by resolving issues without waiting for support
Gain deeper insights into ServiceNow's behind-the-scenes operations
Empower yourself with the same techniques used by ServiceNow Technical Support
Build your reputation as a go-to problem solver

Understanding the ServiceNow Architecture 🏗️

Before diving into troubleshooting, it's crucial to understand:

ServiceNow operates on a multi-node architecture
Each node maintains its own logs
Multiple App Nodes exist across different Colocation Facilities
Data consistency across facilities is key

Node Identification Methods 🔍

There are three primary ways to identify nodes:

SN Utils - Browser extension for ServiceNow
Node Switcher Tool - Built-in utility
Stats.do - Direct access method

Debugging Flow Process 🔄

Identify the issue and capture the timestamp
Use Node Switcher Utility (snutils) to access different nodes
Check the transaction log table to find session ID and node name
Access Node Log File Browser with precise timing parameters
Filter records using sys_id to identify root cause

Real-World Scenarios 💡

Case Study: The Mystery of 800 Certificates

Problem:

Certificate Management Module implementation
Worked perfectly in dev and test
Production: AD Infrastructure received 800 certificates instead of 80
Traditional debugging showed no issues

Solution:

Used node debugging techniques
Discovered hidden script include in logs
Found hardcoded assignment group value
Root cause: Script accidentally included in production update set

Other Common Scenarios You Can Solve 🎯

Mysteriously resolved incidents
Silent integration failures
Post-upgrade puzzles
Scheduled job surprises

Benefits for Developers & Administrators 💪

Immediate troubleshooting capability
Historical visibility into server-side actions (up to 21 days)
Ability to diagnose "ghost" changes
Track REST/SOAP calls and their errors
Access detailed stack traces

Useful Resources 📚

Conclusion 🎉

By mastering these techniques, you can become a ServiceNow detective, solving complex issues without creating support cases. Every problem leaves a trace in the logs—you just need to know where to look!

If you found this helpful, please like and share! If you have questions or want to share your own detective stories, drop them in the comments below. 👇

Selva Arun,

ServiceNow Rising Star 2024