Improving Manageability with ServiceNow HealthScan

[Sushma Pavani K]

ServiceNow HealthScan helps in checking how well an instance follows best practices.

After HealthScan connects to an instance, it runs definitions that identify bad practices. Each bad practice affects performance, maintainability, and upgrades. When these are corrected, the instance can run at its full potential.

Why It Matters?

Writing code in a maintainable way is important. Readable and efficient code makes it easier to support, debug, and update.

Certain coding methods can make debugging harder or create issues in the first place.

HealthScan reviews the instance and shows where improvement is needed. It groups findings into categories, assigns ratings, and gives recommendations.

 

Example Findings from HealthScan

1. Script Includes with Duplicate Names

• Issue: Some Script Includes had the same name.

• Recommendation: Ensure all Script Includes have unique names. Rename any duplicates.

2. Use of the eval() Method

• Issue: The eval() method was found in scripts. This can allow untrusted code to run.

• Recommendation: Avoid eval(). If code must be executed, use GlideScriptEvaluator for safety.

3. Business Rules Without Condition Field

• Issue: Some Business Rules did not use the condition field.

• Recommendation: Use the condition field so that rules run only when needed. This makes them easier to debug and more efficient.

 

Other Common Bad Practices

Examples of bad practices that HealthScan looks for include:

• Using a hardcoded Sys ID in scripts.

• Having too many Business Rules on a single form.

• Using gs.log too often in scripts.

 

Benefits of Fixing Issues

When these practices are corrected:

• Instance performance improves.

• Debugging becomes easier.

• Upgrades are smoother.

• The system is easier to maintain.

 

Conclusion

ServiceNow HealthScan and the Scorecard are free tools that provide valuable insight into instance health.

By reviewing findings and applying recommendations, teams can ensure their instance is efficient, secure, and aligned with best practices.

Local access to results also allows administrators to use the instance itself to fix the issues.

This helps keep ServiceNow running at its full potential.