ServiceNow System Clone

[Aashish_D]

Hello all,

This query may seem basic but I have some questions regarding the Cloning process.

For my new client, they have some customisation done in their development and test environment by their previous service providers, but are not deployed to production yet. They want to clear those customisation and start a new dev cycle.

In this case can we clone the prod instance with the dev and test? will it restore the customisations and synx all the enviroments?

Is this the right way approach or should we manually assess and undo the customisations in dev and test?

Thanks,

ADD

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @Aashish_D 

If the production instance is fully OOTB and does not have any customizations, or only minor ones, it is better to clone DEV from PROD. In this case, DEV = PROD, allowing you to start fresh with development. This approach is preferable because removing every customization in DEV and testing takes a lot of time, with no guarantee that everything has been completely removed.

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @Aashish_D 

If the production instance is fully OOTB and does not have any customizations, or only minor ones, it is better to clone DEV from PROD. In this case, DEV = PROD, allowing you to start fresh with development. This approach is preferable because removing every customization in DEV and testing takes a lot of time, with no guarantee that everything has been completely removed.

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @Aashish_D 

Just make sure to preserve and exclude the required tables as part of the clone. Please check this point as well.

[Aashish_D]

Thanks @Dr Atul G- LNG !!

[Vasantharajan N · Accepted solution]

@Aashish_D - As you mentioned the changes are not reached the production, You can do clone test instance and do the validation and move the update set (JUST retrieve it and keep it as a backup. Don't commit) from development.

Step 2: Clone the prod over the dev instance and resume your development work. If you need any update set then you can get it from test instance. 

Step 3: Once all good in the dev instance, if you conclude you don't need any update set from test instance then clone the test instance from Prod.

Assuming update set movement is following the best practice of Dev -> Test -> Prod