Create a backup for the Console

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated April 23, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Create a backup for the Console

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can create full or partial backups of the Discovery Console for OT data to support disaster recovery. Backups include restore data, configurations, and logs, allowing administrators to restore the Discovery Console for OT, Discovery Sensor for OT, and OT Discovery Collector to previous states when necessary.

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    Backup Creation Process

    • Only users with admin access can initiate backups.
    • Backups are created via Settings > Export tab in the Discovery Console.
    • The Database section allows selection of Full or Partial backup types from a drop-down menu.

    Backup Types and Contents

    • Full Backup: Includes the entire WebConsole database and all images.
    • Partial Backup: Includes only collections defined in the PartialIncludeCollections setting within appsettings.json. By default, this includes key asset, device, detection, network, and settings collections, but excludes image files.
    • Archive data inclusion is configurable based on system settings.

    Archive Data Configuration

    Backup inclusion of archived scan results is controlled by the following settings in appsettings.json:

    • ExcludeArchiveFromFull: If true, archived scan results are excluded from Full backups; if false, they are included.
    • ExcludeArchiveFromPartial: If true, archived scan results are excluded from Partial backups; if false, they are included if AssetScanResultsArchive is listed in PartialIncludeCollections.

    Post-Backup Actions

    • After selecting backup type, click the Backup Database button to start the process.
    • Upon completion, a success message is displayed and a backup ZIP file becomes available for download.
    • Download the ZIP file to your local system for safekeeping.
    • Optionally, delete the backup archive from the Console to free disk space using the delete (trash can) icon.

    Practical Benefits

    This backup capability ensures ServiceNow customers can reliably protect and recover Discovery Console OT data, configurations, and logs, minimizing downtime and preserving system integrity in disaster recovery scenarios.

    You can create a full or partial backup of the Discovery Console for OT data.

    Creating a Console backup

    To create a backup for the Console, you must have admin access.

    To support disaster recovery, the Discovery Console for OT generates backup files containing restore data, configuration, and logs. Console administrators can initiate backups and restore the Discovery Console for OT, the Discovery Sensor for OT, and the OT Discovery Collector to their previous states when needed. This enhancement provides reliable disaster recovery capabilities across all system components.

    To create a backup of the Discovery Console for OT:

    1. Navigate to Settings > Export tab.
    2. Use the Database section to create a backup of the Console MongoDB.

      Database section
    3. Select the Backup Type and select from the drop-down menu.
      • A Full back up includes:
        • entire WebConsole database
        • all images
      • A Partial backup only includes the collections defined in the PartialIncludeCollections setting in appsettings.json.
    4. If you select a Partial, the downloaded ZIP file, by default, includes only the following collections:
      • AssetAutoScans
      • AssetDeviceMessages
      • AssetDeviceStatistics
      • AssetDevices
      • AssetProperties
      • AssetRevisions
      • AssetScanResults
      • AssetScanResultsArchive
      • AssetScans
      • AssetSites
      • Assets
      • CyberDashboards
      • DetectionRules
      • DetectionScoreDetails
      • Detections
      • DeviceErrors
      • DevicePolicyStatus
      • DeviceScoreDetails
      • DeviceWhitelistApplicationPermissions
      • Devices
      • EthernetVendorOrganizations
      • EthernetVendorRanges
      • EthernetVendors
      • ExternalAssets
      • NetworkZones
      • Settings
      • UnsafePorts

      Image files aren't included in a Partial backup.

    5. Archive data can be included or excluded based on the system configuration.
    6. You can set system configurations during the Console installation process.
    7. The backup behavior for archived query results is controlled by the following Backup configuration settings in the appsettings.json file.
      • If ExcludeArchiveFromFull is set to true, archived scan results are excluded from the Full backup.
      • If ExcludeArchiveFromFull is set to false, archived scan results are included in the Full backup.
      • If ExcludeArchiveFromPartial is set to true, archived scan results are excluded from the Partial backup.
      • If ExcludeArchiveFromPartial is set to false, archived scan results are included in the Partial backup, provided that AssetScanResultsArchive is listed in PartialIncludeCollections.
      • Full backup:
        • If ExcludeArchiveFromFull = true Archive NOT included
        • If ExcludeArchiveFromFull = false Archive INCLUDED
      • Partial backup

        Even though AssetScanResultsArchive is in your list for backup in configuration:

        • If ExcludeArchiveFromPartial = true Archive NOT included
        • If ExcludeArchiveFromPartial = false Archive INCLUDED
    8. After deciding the Backup Type, select the Backup Database button.

      Backup Database button
    9. When the backup is finished, the screen displays "Database backup completed successfully."
    10. A backup ZIP file is available to download.

      Zip file

    11. Select the Download button and the ZIP is downloaded to your local system.
    12. Once the file is downloaded, select the delete icon (trash can) to remove the archive and free up disk space on the Console.