Actual process steps ServiceNow does when applying patches

[Eric Gilmore]

Ok, let me start by saying I know about these items.

• Available patches and hotfixes (servicenow.com)
• Patching and Upgrades Program | Release Cycle - Support and Troubleshooting (servicenow.com)
• Rome Patch 9 - Security Fixes - Release Notes (servicenow.com)
• ServiceNow Patching Program FAQs - Support and Troubleshooting
• Upgrade planning checklist (servicenow.com)

What I'm being asked to supply is a step by step process ServiceNow takes when applying monthly patches to instances. Yes, I think it's a bit much too. But, this is what the client wants. Does something like this exist?

[Eric Gilmore]

As part of the client's Change process, literally in the "Implementation plan" field on the Change Request. They want a  "Step 1 through n" list of what ServiceNow does when applying monthly patches.

It's been explained to the client that this is a monthly process performed by ServiceNow to ensure the stability, security and compliance of their cloud based app, and that ServiceNow owns the process entirely and, that we primarily verify the patches via ATF's and reviewing skipped records. But this is not enough for them. So here we are.

[Mark Manders · Accepted solution]

So "They update your non-prod on x-2, roll out their updates, you check them and on x they update PROD" isn't sufficient? 

In that case I would log a case with NowSupport to get those steps from ServiceNow directly. In that case you have it from the source itself and you can show your customer that this is what you got from their supplier. If not enough, they can take it up with their sales rep.

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

Mark

[OlaN]

Hi,

Your (clients) question is a bit off. It implies that some ServiceNow personnel actually does something as to start the upgrade/patching of the customer instance.
I believe that part is fully automated, and can guess that they have some Flow/Workflow that runs on a schedule and checks if an instance is targeted for upgrade, and if so, start the upgrade.

It's not much different compared to if a customer initiates the patch themselves, only difference is that then they get to pick a date.

[Allen Andreas]

Duplicate question was posted.

Seems same basic outcome happened there as well, as I had suggested: https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_question&sys_id=e1772350db81d950770be6be1396...

Take care!