The Ultimate Guide to Upgrading Your ServiceNow Instance: Step-by-Step

[SD_Chandan]

Keeping your ServiceNow instance up-to-date is essential for ensuring smooth operations, better performance, and access to new features. This blog post walks you through the ServiceNow full upgrade process, ensuring you avoid common pitfalls and minimize downtime.

Why Upgrade Your ServiceNow Instance?
Upgrading allows your organization to:

Access new features and improvements
Apply security patches to maintain system integrity
Improve performance and stay aligned with the latest best practices
By following this step-by-step guide, you can manage upgrades with confidence and avoid unexpected disruptions.

Step-by-Step ServiceNow Upgrade Process
Below is a breakdown of the 9 key steps to follow for a successful upgrade.

1. Preparation Before the Upgrade
Ensure recent backups are available in case of rollback.
Notify stakeholders and users of the planned upgrade.
Review customizations, integrations, and plugins that could be impacted.
2. Review Release Notes
Understand new features and bug fixes introduced in the release.
Identify any deprecated features to ensure continuity.
Learn about resolved performance issues that may benefit your setup.
3. Plan and Schedule the Upgrade
Select a low-usage window to minimize disruption.
Inform relevant personnel to be available during the upgrade.
Prepare a rollback plan as a contingency.
4. Request the Upgrade
Log in to the ServiceNow HI Portal: hi.service-now.com.
Go to Upgrades > Instance Upgrades.
Request the upgrade for your non-production instance first.
Select the target version and follow the prompts.
5. Upgrade a Non-Production Instance First
Test all customizations and integrations to avoid surprises in production.
Simulate common user workflows to ensure everything functions correctly.
Monitor the system for performance changes after the upgrade.
6. Test the Upgraded Instance
Conduct unit testing to validate core functionalities.
Perform regression testing to ensure nothing broke during the upgrade.
Test integrations with external applications, APIs, or plugins.
Get end-users involved for User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
7. Fix Any Issues Found
Use the Upgrade Monitor to check for conflicts.
Adjust customizations (scripts, workflows) as needed.
Resolve any errors in logs to ensure a stable production environment.
8. Upgrade the Production Instance
Schedule the production upgrade in the HI Portal.
Communicate with users about the timing and any downtime.
Monitor the upgrade progress using the Upgrade Monitor.
9. Post-Upgrade Tasks
Perform smoke testing to ensure all critical systems work.
Address any minor bugs or post-upgrade issues.
Update documentation to reflect new features and changes.
Monitor performance over the next few days to catch any hidden issues.

Conclusion
Upgrading a ServiceNow instance is a critical task that ensures your platform stays secure, efficient, and packed with the latest features. Following these Nine (9) steps to upgrade ServiceNow Instance will help you manage the upgrade with minimal downtime and maximum confidence.

Before tackling your production environment, always upgrade a non-production instance first and test thoroughly to identify and fix any issues early.

[Simon Hendery]

@SD_Chandan - Cutting and pasting mediocre GenAI content doesn't benefit anyone.