Localization Framework Hub and Spoke architecture

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Localization Framework Hub and Spoke architecture

    The Localization Framework Hub and Spoke architecture in the Zurich release enables ServiceNow customers to centralize translation request fulfillment across multiple instances. Instead of handling translation requests and fulfillment on the same instance, this model designates one instance as ahubto manage all translation tasks and other instances asspokesthat submit translation requests to the hub. This approach is ideal for organizations that want to limit translation fulfillers’ access to a single, controlled hub instance.

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    Key Features

    • Centralized translation fulfillment: Spoke instances send translation requests to the hub, which handles communication with the Translation Management System (TMS) and returns translated content.
    • Plugin-based setup: Use the Localization Framework Hub plugin on the hub instance and the Localization Framework Spoke plugin on spoke instances to enable the architecture.
    • Configurable preferences: On the hub, admins configure Translation Preferences (including the TMS used), Workflow Preferences that affect translation processing, and optionally Project Preferences to manage multi-language requests.
    • Spoke configuration: Spokes enable TMS functionality pointing to the hub, and configure connection and credential aliases so the hub acts as their TMS endpoint.
    • Two-step translation process: Spokes submit requests, the hub fulfills them (e.g., sends to external TMS), then returns translations to spokes.
    • Machine translation consideration: Machine translation options require the Dynamic Translation plugin; otherwise, they are not available.

    Practical Implementation Steps

    • Install Localization Framework Hub plugin on the designated hub instance.
    • Install Localization Framework Spoke plugin on all spoke instances.
    • On the hub, use the Localization Framework > Hub > Spoke Settings module to create and configure spoke connections, including TMS service and workflow preferences.
    • On each spoke, enable TMS in the Translation Preferences, set TMS to “Localization Framework Hub,” and specify the spokeSettingsName matching the hub configuration.
    • Configure connection and credential aliases on spoke instances to securely connect to the hub URL with appropriate authentication.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Streamlines translation management by consolidating fulfillment in a single hub instance.
    • Enhances security and control by restricting translation fulfillers’ access to only the hub.
    • Simplifies management of translation workflows and TMS integrations across multiple instances.
    • Supports multi-language translation tasks with optional project-level preferences.

    Enable one central instance to fulfill translation requests submitted from other instances using the Localization Framework Hub and Spoke architecture. Install optional Localization Framework plugins to configure one of your instances as a hub and other instances as spokes.

    By default, translations are requested and fulfilled on the same instance. However, in the Zurich release, there is an available hub-spoke model for translation requests and fulfillment. With this architecture, translation requests are a two-step process:
    1. The spoke instance submits a translation request to the hub instance.
    2. The hub instance manages the fulfillment of the request, such as by sending the content to a translation management system (TMS). The hub returns the translated contents to the spoke instance.
    Consider the Localization Framework Hub and Spoke architecture when you want to limit fulfillers' access to one instance only.
    To set up this architecture, use the admin role to install the following plugins:
    • Localization Framework Hub [com.sn.localization_framework.hub]. Install this plugin on the instance you designate as a hub.
    • Localization Framework Spoke [com.sn.localization_framework.spoke]. Install this plugin on the instances you designate as spokes.

    For more information on installation, see Activate Localization Framework.

    When both plugins are installed, use the admin or localization_admin role to configure the connection between hub and spoke instances. On the hub instance:
    1. Navigate to Localization Framework > Hub > Spoke Settings.
    2. In the Name field, enter a unique name for each entry.
    3. In the tab for Translation Preferences, find the Translation Management System (TMS) section. Enter the TMS service your organization uses.
    4. In the tab Workflow Preferences, configure according to your requirements. Depending on the workflow you choose, different subfields are populated.
    5. The tab Project Preferences is optional. If no project is entered, any request for translations into more than one target language is broken into separate tasks, one for each language.
    Note:
    If Dynamic Translation is not installed, the option for machine translation is not available.
    On a spoke instance:
    1. Navigate to the Settings All Artifacts table [sn_lf_setting].
    2. In the tab Translation Preferences, find the Translation Management System (TMS) section.
      • Enable TMS: select.
      • TMS: Set to Localization Framework Hub.
      • TMS Additional Info: for spokeSettingsName, enter the name of the connection setting that has been configured on the hub.
    3. Navigate to the Connection & Credential Aliases table. Find and open the record named Localization Framework Hub TMS.
    4. Add the connection to the hub in the Connections tab. You can enter the URL to your hub in the Connection URL field. Set authentication and other attributes appropriate to your environment.
    From the perspective of the spoke instance, the hub acts as a TMS.