Keeping PDIs Available for Active Builders: Upcoming PDI Reclamation Changes

[ServiceNow]

Lately, it’s become harder for developers to get a Personal Developer Instance (PDI) when they need one.

Demand has outpaced capacity, and inactive instances are preventing builders from getting access. 

That’s why we’re reclaiming inactive PDIs as one step in a broader effort to make PDIs more consistently available for developers who are actively building.  

We know these changes may be frustrating for some developers, but it’s an important step toward improving access across the developer community.  

Here’s what’s changing and how to protect your work. 

What's Changing

We're reclaiming PDIs that meet both of these conditions: 

• 90 days or older (based on when they were provisioned) 
• Haven't had a PDI login in the last 10 days 

Background processes and developer site logins don’t count toward activity. An explicit login to your PDI is required.  

How You'll Know if You’re Affected 

No one’s PDI will be reclaimed without advance notice. If your PDI is eligible for reclamation, you’ll receive three email notifications: 

1. July 7: First notification  
2. July 10: Reminder sent one day before reclamation 
3. July 11: Reclamation notification  

If you've received a PDI reclamation email, plan for your PDI to be reclaimed even if you log in after receiving the notification. Please back up anything you want to keep before your scheduled reclaim date. 

How to Protect Your Work 

Before your PDI is reclaimed, make sure you’ve backed up anything you want to keep: 

• Export your update sets. 
• Connect scoped apps to source control. 
• Export custom data you'll want later. 
• Save attachments and configurations. 
• Back up custom scripts and properties. 

PDIs are designed for experimentation, learning, and short-term projects. Regular backups are the best way to preserve your work. For detailed backup instructions, see How to Back Up Your Personal Developer Instance (PDI). 

Where This Is Headed 

Reclaiming inactive PDIs is just one step in a broader effort to improve PDI availability for developers. 

We’re also evaluating improvements to the underlying PDI infrastructure to provide a more reliable and performant developer experience. 

We’ll continue monitoring how well these changes improve access for developers while evaluating additional improvements. As those plans are finalized, we’ll share updates with the Community. 

Questions? Let us know in the comments below. 

[Abhishek_Pandey]

Q. During this reclaim window of 3 notification, if someone logs to PDI will the access be preserved considering grace period of 10 days met for my PDI to keep it active OR  still it will be reclaimed for other developers considering 90 days .
Thanks!

[Brymo]

I just received my PDI for the first time. I am new to servicenow PDI I have finished some courses. So do I need to first enable my update set so that whatever I don can be saved there?, then whenever my PDI expires that's if I am inactive, I can transfer my work to the new PDI? Please someone should please help throw more light

[blairedanny]

I recieved the emails even though I use my PDI (writing/testing Script Includes mainly) every few days. Are Scripts no longer considered "activity"? 

[chaithu1489]

I received the reclaimation mail even though i login to my PDI regularly. 

[val_k]

@ServiceNow  - my instance was reclaimed today (7/11), even though I logged into it yesterday (7/10). Please advice whom to reach out to for restoration ASAP.

[LouisA245199140]

@ServiceNow  

 My instance was reclaimed today, 7/11, and I was logged in multiple times this week and yesterday/last night.

I just tried to return to my PDI and get the "your instance is hibernating, please log in page" (I am already logged in, but click it anyway), and it just takes me to the dev page, and the Manage my Instance link is no longer available.

Please lmk how/who to restore/access my instance. Thank you.

[glideFather]

@val_k once a PDI is reclaimed, there's no restoration possible, I am worried

[Nikolay Megdano]

I was actively using my PDI but I still got the notifications and then it was reclaimed. 

I logged in several times between these notifications, still it was taken.

Please restore. 

[jbsanchez65]

I've been getting these messages but I actively used my instance.  I decided to try releasing it and requesting a new instance, but every request for the last 2 days has resulted in the following message: 'We were unable to assign an instance to you. Please retry now.'

This is blocking me from continuing my training with ServiceNow.  I'm starting a new position on Monday but I'd prefer not to escalate this through a new partner relationship.

Any suggestions on what may be blocking me is appreciated.

[jbsanchez65]

Never mind on my previous ask ... I figured out that I was hitting the availability issue reported by this article.  I went back and requested an older version and it was successfully created.  I am now upgrading it to the latest.