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Harsha Neerchal
General Overview
This document outlines the data synchronization and security processes for the ServiceNow Impact Store Application using Service Bridge. It covers the key aspects of data transfer between the Impact Delivery Instance and ServiceNow Impact Store Application, detailing how data is securely transmitted and managed. The document outlines key security measures and explains how Service Bridge supports real-time data synchronization. Below are some key definitions of the terminology that will be used in the document and what it means:
- Impact Delivery Instance: This is the central Impact Instance that is replacing the IDE. Your Impact squad will work from here, and data will be synced with the customer instance.
- ServiceNow Impact Store Application - This is the customer instance on which the Impact Application is installed. It will now be a store application. Throughout this document, this will be called the Impact Store Application.
- Service Bridge Framework – Mechanism to synchronize/migrate data from specific tables in the ServiceNow Impact Store Application to Impact Delivery Instance and then from Impact Delivery Instance back to the ServiceNow Impact Store Application. This process is defined below in the document.
- Migration – Transfer of pre-existing data from the IDE to the ServiceNow Impact Store Application request from the customer instance. This should ideally be done once in the beginning.
- User Reference Synchronization – Enable the squad on Impact Delivery Instance and customers on Impact Store Application to identify each other. This is achieved by creating a shared table called Impact contacts.
- Service Bridge - Service Bridge is the core technology that enables data synchronization between instances. It handles data payloads securely and efficiently, allowing real-time data synchronization. (Product Documentation)
Process flow for configuring and migrating data between two systems: the Impact Delivery Instance and the ServiceNow Impact Store Application
Data Transfer and Handling
Data transfer between the Impact Delivery Instance and Impact Store Application is facilitated via Service Bridge. This secure integration ensures real-time data synchronization, maintaining consistency across both instances. The framework primarily handles outbound and inbound payloads using the sendPayload() method for data transmission. sendPayload is a function provided by Service Bridge that enables JSON data transfer to the transport queue. This is used internally and configured by the ServiceNow team to package and send the data between the Impact Delivery Instance and Impact Store Application. Tables (outlined below in the Data Sharing section) are mapped between the two instances, and custom logic is applied for specific data synchronization needs.
Service Bridge Overview
Service Bridge (Product Documentation) is the core technology that enables data synchronization between instances. It handles data payloads securely and efficiently, allowing real-time data synchronization. The ImpactDataSyncService manages outbound and inbound data transmissions, ensuring data flows smoothly between the Impact Delivery Instance and Impact Store Application. Using base handlers for payload mapping ensures a consistent and secure synchronization process. Service Bridge ensures robust error handling and additional troubleshooting options are available if issues arise.
Initial Data Migration (User-Initiated)
Once the connection is established, the customer Instance Admin can initiate the migration process from the Migration Overview Record. The interface will display the status and updates for each table, as well as detailed information on the overall migration progress.
- For existing customers, their current data in Impact Delivery Instance will be migrated.
- For new customers, your Impact squad will prepare the initial records in Impact Delivery Instance, which will then be migrated to their instance. The migration process leverages the same Synchronization definitions to transfer data from the Impact Delivery Instance to the Impact Store Application.
If all tables are migrated successfully, this is required to be completed only once. However, should there be a failure at any point during the procedure, the customer will have the opportunity to retry the unsuccessful tables.
Ongoing Synchronization (Event-based)
After the initial data migration, we recommend opting-in to the ongoing synchronization between Impact Delivery Instance and the Impact Store Application. This continuous synchronization ensures that data in Impact Store Application remains aligned with Impact Delivery Instance and provides customers with an optimal experience. When synchronization is enabled, customers can use the Impact Store Applications to receive recommendations, track the status of their Accelerators, access valuable Value Journey metrics, or utilize the Capabilities Map effectively. If customers opt out of the ongoing synchronization, certain Impact Store Application features will be limited or unavailable.
Outbound Synchronization
Data synchronization process from an Impact Store Application instance to Impact Delivery Instance using Service Bridge:
- The customer performs an action that updates/inserts/deletes records on the Impact tables, triggering a business rule (BR) to call the Impact Data Synchronization Service.
- The Data Synchronization service generates a payload and the Transport Utility uses Service Bridge’s sendPayload method to push the payload to the Service Bridge transport queue.
- Service Bridge pushes the payload to the Impact Delivery Instance transport queue.
- The Impact Service Bridge receives the payload and passes it to the synchronization service, which identifies the target table and record based on synchronization configurations.
- The synchronization service executes the mapped tables and updates the corresponding record in Impact Delivery Instance.
Inbound Synchronization
Data synchronization flow from an Impact Delivery Instance to the Impact Store Application.
- Squad performs an action that updates/inserts/deletes records on Impact Delivery Instance tables, triggering a business rule (BR) to call the Impact Data Synchronization Service.
- The service locates the consumer table using data synchronization configurations.
- Outbound mapped generates a payload.
- The payload is sent to the Impact transport queue via the Service Bridge sendPayload method.
- Service Bridge then sends the payload to the Impact instance.
- Upon arrival, the Impact synchronization service locates the target table and updates, inserts, or deletes the data accordingly
This diagram outlines the process for synchronizing and transforming data between the Impact Delivery Instance Table and the Impact Store Application table
Security Measures
The synchronization process is built with several security layers to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.
Authentication and Authorization
- Only an administrator role can configure data synchronization and create synchronization definitions in the Impact Delivery Instance.
- The system ensures synchronized tables and fields have the required permissions.
- All communications are managed securely via Service Bridge encrypted channels.
- Data synchronization happens when customers register their instance with Impact Delivery Instance using a secure transport queue from Service Bridge.
Data Scoping and Permissions
- Each instance ensures that data is permissioned to authorized domains. Proper ACLs (Access Control Lists) are in place to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Data Sharing - Table and Field Level
Data sharing occurs between instances at the table and field level with predefined mappings. The following three tables are involved:
- Data Synchronization Definitions & Migration Criteria: This section contains mappings for data transfer and filter criteria that ensure that only records meeting the filter criteria are migrated.
- Outbound Fields Table: Defines the fields synced from Impact Delivery Instance to Impact.
- Inbound Fields Table: Defines the fields synced from Impact to Impact Delivery Instance.
Table & Field Level Mapping
The Impact Store Application – Table & Field Level Mapping document outlines the table and field-level mapping, including the data mapping and the business rules that trigger the synchronization.
Installation / Synchronization Process
For more detailed instructions on installation and synchronization, please refer to the Product Documentation section for the full configuration setup and related resources.
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