Established connections

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated March 7, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Established connections

    Established connections in the ServiceNow AI Platform enable direct access to external data sources without copying data into your instance, using zero copy connections. This approach eliminates the need for complex ETL processes, reduces security risks from data duplication, and ensures data accuracy by avoiding replication errors. Within the Workflow Data Fabric Hub, connection admins manage these zero copy connections, allowing data stewards to create data fabric tables mapped to the external data.

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    Key Features

    • Zero copy access: Access external data locally without storing it in ServiceNow, minimizing storage use and security concerns.
    • Connection management: Connection admins create and monitor zero copy connections via the Workflow Data Fabric Hub’s Available connectors and Established connections tabs.
    • Role-based access: The dfconnectionadmin role manages connections; the dfdatasteward role accesses connections and creates data fabric tables.
    • Status monitoring: Track connection health with statuses such as Connected, Deactivated, Needs configuration, Needs mapping, and Not connected.
    • Data steward responsibilities: Data stewards ensure data quality, understand business needs, map external data to fabric tables, and communicate with integration admins.

    Practical Use Cases

    • Real-time customer order data: Agents access customer order histories directly from external systems like Snowflake without importing data, ensuring up-to-date information during service requests.
    • Warranty service claims: Customer service agents retrieve extended warranty details from external data lakes in real time and update service tickets accordingly, maintaining accurate and current data.

    Access and Navigation

    ServiceNow customers can view and manage established connections by navigating to Admin > Workflow Data Fabric Hub > Established connections or All > Workflow Data Fabric Hub > Established connections. Connection admins assign data steward roles via the Access Controls tab within each connection to delegate data stewardship tasks.

    Access data from external sources directly in the ServiceNow AI Platform, without copying any data to your instance using zero copy connections.

    Key benefits

    • Access external data without the complexity and maintenance involved with extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes.
    • Minimize security risks associated with copying and storing data in multiple locations.
    • Maintain data accuracy by avoiding errors associated with data replication.
    • View external data assets and create data fabric tables with mapped data.

    Zero copy connections enable access to external data locally, while reducing storage consumption and minimizing security risks typically associated with duplicating data across multiple systems.

    In the Workflow Data Fabric Hub, a connection admin can navigate to the Available connectors tab to view primary and community connectors and create a zero copy connection. After the connection is established, the connection admin can grant access to a data steward. The data steward can then access the zero copy connection from the Established connections tab to create a data fabric table.

    Figure 1. Established connections in Workflow Data Fabric Hub
    Established connections in Workflow Data Fabric Hub.

    Required ServiceNow AI Platform roles

    The df_connection_admin role is required to create and manage zero copy connections.

    A role containing the df_data_steward role is required to access established connections and create data fabric tables.

    Accessing established connections

    View established connections by navigating to Admin > Workflow Data Fabric Hub > Established connections or All > Workflow Data Fabric Hub > Established connections.

    Monitoring connection status

    Determine whether a connection requires an update by checking the status on the Established connections tab.
    Connected
    The connection to the data source has been tested and established.
    Deactivated
    The connection to the data source has been deactivated by the connection admin.
    Needs configuration
    The connection attributes or authentication information are missing from the connection details.
    Needs mapping
    The connection has been tested and established, but the data isn't mapped to a data fabric table.
    Not connected
    The connection details have been added, but the connection to the data source isn't working.

    Data steward access

    The connection admin determines which data stewards can access a specific connection by granting the df_data_steward role to one or more roles on the Access Controls tab in an established connection.

    The data steward's primary goal is to provide quality data to consumers to meet their business needs. Additionally, data stewards have the following responsibilities:

    • Understanding business applications and the data that users need.
    • Communicating data access requirements to integration admins.
    • Creating data fabric tables and mapping data from external sources.
    • Maintaining the quality and integrity of data.

    Use cases

    • Access data from an external data source without importing and storing it on your instance. Customer order information is often stored in an external Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, with the data ultimately residing in an external data lake such as Snowflake. When a customer calls to report a product issue, an agent working on the ServiceNow AI Platform opens a request and accesses the customer's full order history directly from Snowflake. The customer's order history stays in Snowflake, the system of record, but is available to the agent in real time on the ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Provide end-to-end details to agents with real-time data from an outside source. When a customer calls to make a warranty service claim against a vehicle, an agent working on the ServiceNow AI Platform can access extended warranty details from an external data lake in real time using a zero copy connection. The customer service agent can update the service request ticket with the latest warranty details directly from the data lake, ensuring the latest warranty information is used in the service ticket.

    For more information, see Managing zero copy connections in Workflow Data Fabric Hub.