Exploring Workflow Data Fabric Hub

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Exploring Workflow Data Fabric Hub

    Workflow Data Fabric Hub enables ServiceNow customers to unify business and technology data from multiple external sources such as data warehouses (Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift), data lakes (Databricks), and databases (Oracle). It provides centralized, real-time access to enterprise data without copying it into the ServiceNow instance, using zero copy connections. This capability supports AI agents, workflow automation, and analytics on the ServiceNow AI Platform by integrating external data seamlessly.

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    Key Features

    • Zero Copy Connections: Securely connect to external data sources and retrieve real-time data without duplicating data in the ServiceNow instance.
    • Data Fabric Tables: Create virtual representations of external data that appear as local tables within ServiceNow, enabling easy access and integration.
    • User Roles:
      • Connection Admin: Manages secure connections by coordinating with data source admins and handling credentials.
      • Data Steward: Creates and maintains data fabric tables, ensuring data quality and alignment with business needs.
      • Data Consumer: Uses data fabric tables to develop applications and defines data requirements.
    • Access Controls: Configure permissions to ensure appropriate access to external data sources and data fabric tables.
    • Integrated Workflow: Supports collaborative workflows among users to establish connections, create data fabric tables, and develop applications using real-time external data.

    Key Outcomes

    • Enable real-time access to external enterprise data without increasing data storage within ServiceNow.
    • Fuel AI and automation on the ServiceNow AI Platform with enriched external data sources.
    • Streamline development of applications by providing data consumers with direct access to up-to-date external data.
    • Maintain data governance and quality through clearly defined roles and collaborative workflows.
    • Choose the appropriate integration tool: use Workflow Data Fabric Hub for real-time zero copy data access, or Integration Hub for advanced import, transformation, and customizable integrations.

    Discover how Workflow Data Fabric Hub unifies business and technology data from multiple sources, enabling centralized, real-time access to your enterprise data without copying it to your instance.

    Workflow Data Fabric Hub overview

    Workflow Data Fabric Hub provides a view where you can browse data source connectors, establish connections, and create data fabric tables that provide access to data from external sources.

    • Access enterprise data from external data warehouses including Snowflake, Google BigQuery, and Amazon Redshift, data lakes such as Databricks, and databases including Oracle.
    • Retrieve data from external sources in real time without copying any data to your instance using zero copy connections.
    • Fuel AI agents and workflows on the ServiceNow AI Platform with external data using data fabric tables.
    • Provide data to AI-powered features on the ServiceNow AI Platform, expand workflow automation, and enrich metrics and analytics with enterprise data.

    Workflow Data Fabric users

    Table 1. Users
    User Description
    Connection admin Establishes secure connections to external data sources by coordinating with data source administrators, managing connection credentials, and maintaining data access.
    Data steward Creates data fabric tables that provide access to external data, and maintains data quality to meet the business needs of data consumers.
    Data consumer Accesses data fabric tables to develop applications. Defines an application's data requirements and coordinates with the data steward to refine data.

    End-to-end workflow

    This infographic shows a sample end-to-end workflow of different users working together to gather requirements, establish a zero copy connection, and create a data fabric table in Workflow Data Fabric Hub.

    Figure 1. Creating zero copy connections and data fabric tables
    Different users in an organization work together to define data requirements, establish a connection, and build data fabric tables for consumption. View the steps after the infographic for details.

    In this workflow:

    1. A data consumer meets with a data steward and the connection admin to discuss data requirements for a new application on the ServiceNow AI Platform.
    2. The connection admin gathers the data requirements and meets with the data source admin to create a service account that can access the schema and tables needed for the new application.
    3. The connection admin establishes a secure connection to the external data lake in the Workflow Data Fabric Hub using the service account credentials provided by the data source admin.
    4. The connection admin configures access controls in the connection details, ensuring the data steward can access the connection to view data assets in the external data lake and create a data fabric table.
    5. The data steward selects the established connection in the Workflow Data Fabric Hub and creates a data fabric table.
    6. The data steward explores the available schema, selects a source table with the required data, and maps columns between the source table and the data fabric table.
    7. The data steward works with the data consumer to review the data fabric table and ensure that it meets the business needs of the application.
    8. The data consumer begins developing the new application and accesses the data fabric table and its external data in real time just like any table on the ServiceNow AI Platform.
    9. The data source admin monitors the external schema for consistency and communicates future schema changes to the connection admin and data steward.

    Workflow Data Fabric Hub benefits

    Table 2. Workflow Data Fabric Hub benefits
    Benefit Feature Users
    Access real-time data from external sources directly, without copying any data to your instance. Zero copy connections Connection admin
    Create a virtual representation of data from an outside source and make it accessible to data consumers on the instance as if it's stored locally. Data fabric tables Data steward, data consumer
    Map internal or external data to a predefined data fabric table in an application using a zero copy connection. Data fabric tables included with applications Instance admin, connection admin, data steward

    Differences between Workflow Data Fabric Hub and Integration Hub

    Choose whether to use Workflow Data Fabric Hub or Integration Hub to integrate with external systems.

    • When you want to retrieve real-time data from external sources without storing it on your instance, use Workflow Data Fabric Hub.
    • When you want advanced import and transformation options or customizable integrations, use Integration Hub.

    What to explore next

    To learn more about configuring and using Workflow Data Fabric Hub, see: