--- sourceDocument: Australia ServiceNow AI Platform Administration sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-administration Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia ServiceNow AI Platform Administration ft:clusterId : - platadm bundleId : - platadm workflow : - Platform --- # Explore # Exploring Instance Clone {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Exploring Instance Clone Instance Clone enables ServiceNow customers to copy the entire database, including data and configuration, from a source instance to a target instance. This process overwrites the target instance, ensuring it closely resembles the source. Cloning helps maintain consistency between production and sub-production environments, which tend to diverge over time. Common use cases include validating upgrades, testing new applications, and evaluating capabilities in a safe, isolated environment. Show full answer Show less ## Instance Clone Workflow * **Clone Build Configuration:** Define and verify configurations, including data to include, exclude, or preserve. * **Preflight Checks:** Verify that both source and target instances are healthy before cloning. * **Backup:** Uses the latest daily backup of the source instance (up to 36 hours old) or allows manual on-demand backups. * **Pre-Clone:** Prepares the target instance by making space for the new database. * **Provision Database Instance (DBI):** Sets up the target instance to receive the restored data. * **Restore:** Restores backup data to the target instance. * **Exclusions and Preservers:** Deletes excluded tables and preserves specified data from the old target instance. * **Node Repoint:** Switches system operation seamlessly to the new clone without user disruption. * **Scheduling and Cleanup Scripts:** Runs cleanup scripts defined on the source instance before and after cloning to tidy data and prepare the target instance. * **Post-Clone:** Finalizes the target instance setup and monitors cleanup script execution via the Clone Status page. ## Roles and Responsibilities * **Clone Administrator:** Manages clone requests, cancellations, scheduling, and profiles. * **Source OAuth Administrator:** Performs one-time OAuth setup to register the target instance for cloning. * **Target SOAP User:** Performs SOAP operations for cloning using machine-based basic authentication. ## Key Benefits * Consistent clone outcomes through clone profiles and instance registration. * Ability to clean or preserve specific data using exclusions and preservers. * Supports copying configuration and data from production to non-production instances or between non-production instances. ## Additional Important Details * Cloning can occur across instances on different ServiceNow release versions; the target instance updates to match the source version post-clone. * Cloning uses backups generally no older than 36 hours and includes progress logging accessible in the Clone Status page. * Production instances can serve as clone targets if the system property **glide.db.clone.allowclonetarget** is set to TRUE; it should be reset to FALSE after cloning to prevent accidental overwrites. * From the Australia release onward, cloning is managed through the Clone Admin Console instead of the legacy Instance Clone page, which is deprecated. Explore how to use a clone to copy everything in a database from one instance to another. ## Instance Clone overview {#exploring-instance-clone__cf-exploring-parent-overview} Clone copies data and configuration from a source instance to a target instance, overwriting the target. After a clone, your environment closely resembles the source instance and allows you to safely test changes. Sub-production instances drift from production over time; clone resets that divergence. Common use cases include: * Validating upgrades * Testing new applications * Testing new capabilities {#exploring-instance-clone__instance-clone-landing_ul_prf_5bc_zfc} Clone data is sourced from the most recent daily backup of the source instance. For clone terminology and definitions, see [Clone terminology](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/WmY0lMPR7eIQEpZSw07gYg "Key terms and definitions used in instance clone documentation and the Clone Admin Console."). ## Instance Clone workflow {#exploring-instance-clone__section_vhg_ppv_nfc} Figure 1. Instance Clone workflow diagram 1. Clone build configuration: Basic definitions, configurations, and profile options are prepared. Data to be included, excluded, or preserved is verified. 2. Preflight checks: The clone checks the source and target instances to verify that they are in a healthy state before proceeding with the clone. 3. Backup: Uses the latest daily backup. If there were major recent changes, a new backup is created. You can also trigger a new backup manually by selecting On-demand backup in the Clone Admin Console. 4. Pre-Clone: Prepares space for the new database before restoring it. 5. Provision database instance (DBI): A new target instance is set up to receive the restored data. 6. Restore: The backup data is restored to the new target instance. 7. Exclusions: Tables marked for exclusion are deleted. 8. Preservers: Data is preserved from the old target (pre-clone instance) and is copied to the new target instance. 9. Node repoint: The system switches from the old target to the new clone without user disruption. 10. Scheduling scripts: Cleanup scripts run in the global scope. Cleanup scripts are defined on the source instance. Make any changes to them before the Restore phase starts so the changes apply to that clone request. 11. Post Clone: The post-clone phase sets up the target instance after the clone completes. 12. Cleanup Scripts: Cleanup scripts run on the target instance after the Post Clone phase is Completed and the clone is fully complete. To view script status, go to the Clone Status page on the source instance with Multi-Instance View enabled, or select View on target instance from the same Clone Status page. For more information, see [Monitor cleanup script execution](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/5iOr9INTboqWOPGfTGdKKw "Monitor the execution status of cleanup scripts after a clone and retry any scripts that encountered errors."). {#exploring-instance-clone__ol_yfr_ppv_nfc} ## Instance Clone users {#exploring-instance-clone__section_gjg_ylg_pgc} {#exploring-instance-clone__table_mld_zlg_pgc__entry__3} | User | Description | Applies to | |-|-|-| | Clone Administrator | Users with the clone_admin role can request, cancel, or schedule clones, and manage clone profiles. | Source | | OAuth Administrator | Users with the oauth_admin role on the target instance perform the one-time OAuth setup required to register that instance for cloning. After OAuth setup is complete, users submitting clones to that target instance only require the clone_admin role. Reconfiguration is not required unless OAuth authorization is reset. | Target | | SOAP user | Users with the soap role can perform all SOAP operations using basic authentication. The identity type for basic authentication is machine. | Source and target | [ ] {#exploring-instance-clone__table_mld_zlg_pgc} ## Instance Clone benefits {#exploring-instance-clone__section_vbz_qwx_kgc} {#exploring-instance-clone__table_vpv_hfg_ngc__entry__2} | Benefit | Feature | |-|-| | * Establish consistent clone outcomes with clone profiles and registered instances. * Tidy up data with exclusions and preservers for specific clone scenarios. | [Configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/nn0cpcLNvUattE0FAkYs6w "Use the Configuration menu to access all clone-related settings, including exclusions, preservers, cleanup scripts, clone profiles, and clone instances.") | | Copy data from a production instance to a non-production instance or to copy data between non-production instances. | [Request a clone](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/TcHcTrs~luy2sg1TDGIsvQ#t_StartAClone "Request a clone to copy data from a production instance to a non-production instance or to copy data between non-production instances.") | [ ] {#exploring-instance-clone__table_vpv_hfg_ngc} ## Instance Clone use cases {#exploring-instance-clone__section_bhg_brn_vgc} ## Clone to a different version {#exploring-instance-clone__section_snh_jrn_vgc} You can clone between instances that are on different family release versions. During a clone, the source version replaces the target version. For example, if you clone from Source (Zurich) to Target (Yokohama) the target will match the source after the clone and be on Zurich release. ## Clone from a backup {#exploring-instance-clone__section_jnj_kxz_5gc} The clone uses data from the most recent, daily backup of the source instance when cloning. Backups that are used for cloning are a maximum of 36 hours old. A clone from backup starts only at the date and time processing that it's scheduled to start. If the source and target instances are on different versions of the ServiceNow AI Platform, the target instance is modified to match the source instance version during this time. When starting a clone from a backup, the Clone log displays the date and time the backup was taken. Periodic progress messages also appear in the Clone log at the bottom of the clone status page. ## Clone over production instances {#exploring-instance-clone__section_knj_kxz_5gc} As long as the system property glide.db.clone.allow_clone_target is TRUE, an instance can serve as a clone target. Ensure the property glide.db.clone.allow_clone_target is set back to FALSE after a production instance has served as a clone target. This prevents accidental clones over production in the future. Note: Beginning with the Australia release, users attempting to access the legacy Instance Clone page, clone_instance.do, are redirected instead to the [Clone Admin Console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/drWP2ZygnGQjiVNrIzV5pA#Clone-UI "The Clone Admin Console is the user interface where administrators can manage, request, and monitor their instance clones."). To view clone history for clones prior to the Australia release, view the legacy Clone History \[clone_instance\] table. For more information about using Clone Admin Console instead of the legacy Instance Clone, see [KB1425858: Clone Admin Console: Quick Start Guide \& Instructions](https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB1425858).