As per the latest blog from ServiceNow regarding PDI reclamation:
ServiceNow Personal Developer Instance (PDI) Update – Summary
ServiceNow is reclaiming inactive Personal Developer Instances (PDIs) to improve availability, as demand for PDIs has exceeded capacity.
Why is this happening?
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Many inactive PDIs are occupying resources.
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Reclaiming unused instances will help active developers obtain PDIs more easily.
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This is part of a broader initiative to improve PDI availability and performance.
Which PDIs will be reclaimed?
A PDI will be reclaimed only if it meets both of the following conditions:
Note: Logging into the Developer Site or background activity does not count. You must log in directly to your PDI.
Notification Schedule
If your PDI is eligible for reclamation, ServiceNow will notify you before taking action:
If you receive any of these emails, back up your work immediately.
How to Protect Your Work
Before your PDI is reclaimed:
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Export Update Sets
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Connect Scoped Applications to Source Control
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Export any custom data
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Save attachments and configurations
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Back up custom scripts and system properties
Future Improvements
ServiceNow is also working on:
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Improving the underlying PDI infrastructure
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Providing a more reliable and performant developer experience
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Continuously monitoring and enhancing PDI availability for the developer community
Key Takeaway
If your PDI is older than 90 days and you haven't logged into it within the last 10 days, it may be reclaimed. Log in regularly and back up your work to avoid losing your customizations and development artifacts.
https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-blog/keeping-pdis-available-for-active-builders-upcom...
How to Take Backup of PDI going forward:
Summary: How to Back Up Your ServiceNow Personal Developer Instance (PDI)
This guide explains the different methods for backing up your Personal Developer Instance (PDI) to protect your work before a reset or reclamation.
1. Back Up Using ServiceNow Studio (Scoped Applications)
Use ServiceNow Studio for scoped applications.
Steps:
- Create a GitHub account (if you don't already have one).
- Generate a GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) with the repo scope.
- Create Basic Auth Credentials in ServiceNow using your GitHub username and PAT.
- Create a GitHub repository for your application.
- In System Applications > Studio, select your application.
- Link the application to Source Control using the GitHub repository URL and credentials.
- Push your application to GitHub.
Restore: Import the application back from Source Control using the same repository and branch.
2. Back Up Using App Engine Studio (AES)
For applications built in App Engine Studio:
Steps:
- Configure GitHub and a Personal Access Token.
- Create ServiceNow credentials.
- Open App Engine Studio.
- Select your application.
- Choose Link to Source Control.
- Connect it to your GitHub repository.
Restore: Use Import App in App Engine Studio to retrieve the application from GitHub.
3. Back Up Using Update Sets
Update Sets capture configuration changes made on the platform.
Steps:
- Create a new Local Update Set.
- Make it the Current update set.
- Perform all configuration work within that update set.
- Set the update set to Complete.
- Export it as an XML file.
You can also:
- Export multiple update sets as a batch.
- Publish an entire scoped application to an Update Set and export it.
Restore: Import the XML file into Retrieved Update Sets, then Preview and Commit the update set.
Important Notes
- Always store backups outside your PDI.
- GitHub is recommended for application source control.
- Update Sets capture configuration changes, not business data.
- Metadata such as records is not backed up automatically.
- Export any required custom data, attachments, scripts, and configurations separately.
- Never store passwords or sensitive credentials in a public GitHub repository.
Link: https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-blog/how-to-backup-your-personal-developer-instance-p...
