What is the difference between Instance cloning and Instance restore?

[superkvi]

Recently our both the non-production instances (Dev and Teat) were upgraded to Paris Patch 1 Hot Fix 5. Later I realized that Production instance cloning was not done before the non-production instance upgrade. I raised a case with ServiceNow technical support and was asked to request Instance Restore. 

What problems may I face due to this (no cloning) during the production upgrade? Or What will be the effects of this on the Production upgrade?

Thank you!

[amurana2]

Based on the comments, via cloning a PE (production environment) to NPEs, you move the prod data and configuration/customizations into the NPEs.  Do you keep the prod data in the NPEs or do you delete the prod data after the version upgrade is complete?  

Is there anyway we can clone a PE to NPEs without moving the prod data into the NPEs (just only configuration/customizations)?  

If not, what is the best practice to sync up between a PE and NPEs without moving the prod data?  Thank you.  

Note:  As a security perspective, it is recommended that prod data should not be kept in the NPEs.  

[hipavan]

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/paris-platform-administration/page/administer/managing-data/task/t_ExcludeATableFromCloning.html

Check Clone Table exclusions and Preserves. That is the way to do if you dont want prod data. We do this often. If you use Restore you dont have options it will just take entire image/snapshot.

[amurana2]

Thank you for the comment.