Questions about the default "System Administrator" (admin) account

[GeoffreyOptumOp]

I want to better understand the "System Administrator" account that is setup by default when you create a new instance of ServiceNow.  See image below.  I'm talking about the account with User ID / user_name = "admin". 

1)  Is this account used internally by scripts or other processes that run?

2)  Is this account logged into or utilized when things such as Patches happen?

3)  Do ServiceNow personnel use this account manually to log into the instance for troubleshooting?

4)  I changed the password for this account on my instance, but it seems like the account is still being utilized somehow because I see its name appearing in the "Updated By" field of various records.

5)  Someone said that you can totally delete this account, and it doesn't really cause a problem.  Is that true?

Thanks!!

[Mark Roethof · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

1. Yes
2. No
3. No
4. That's correct, see 1., so this is not due to someone logged-in as admin, it's scheduled jobs, run as, etc. which causes this
5. Theoretically you could, is it best practice? NO. Better: let that someone who told you this, explain this to you.

If my answer helped you in any way, please then mark it as helpful.

Kind regards,
Mark
2020, 2021 ServiceNow Community MVP
2020, 2021 ServiceNow Developer MVP

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[GeoffreyOptumOp]

@Mark Roethof , you're the best.  Thank you, Sir.  None of that was obvious to me.

Also, I would assume that it's not a Best Practice to log into that account typically as a Human, since anything you did would not be traceable to a specific individual...