Backing up CMDB data

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Backing up CMDB data

    Thecmdbbackupstorageinformationtable, part of theapp-cmdb-contentServiceNow Store application, stores generic backup and snapshot data related to Configuration Items (CIs). It supports various CI types such as hardware, cloud resources, and containers. This table helps ServiceNow customers track backup policies, statuses, and execution details to ensure reliable data protection of their CMDB assets.

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    To prevent uncontrolled data growth, a cascade-delete rule ensures that when a referenced CI is deleted, its associated backup storage information is also removed automatically.

    Key Features

    • Backup Metadata Storage: Stores critical backup details including backup policy status, last successful backup, last backup attempt, execution mode (manual or automatic), backup source and ID, and the backup service used.
    • Integration with Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE): The table can be populated using CMDB-related rules defined in the cmdbrelatedentry table, enabling automated updating of backup data using IRE payloads.
    • Reference to Backup Sources and Services: Links backup data directly to the CI being backed up and the associated backup service or appliance, allowing traceability between CMDB items and their backup systems.
    • Backup Status Categories: Backup configuration status includes clear states such as Backup Disabled, Backup Enabled, Unknown, Not Applicable, Planned, and Not Planned to help customers understand backup readiness.
    • Data Integrity Controls: Cascade-delete rules and domain-related columns ensure consistent and secure backup data management aligned with ServiceNow security and domain models.

    Practical Use and Outcomes

    • Customers can track and manage backup schedules and results for their CIs within the CMDB, improving visibility and governance of backup operations.
    • By integrating backup information with CMDB data, organizations can correlate backup status with CI lifecycle events, enabling better risk management and recovery planning.
    • The use of backup source IDs and service references helps align CMDB data with external backup systems, facilitating synchronization and auditability.
    • Details such as the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) allow customers to understand and enforce acceptable data loss windows, enhancing business continuity planning.
    • The structured data fields and integration with the IRE enable automation of backup data ingestion, reducing manual effort and improving data accuracy.

    The cmdb_backup_storage_information table (part of the [app-cmdb-content] ServiceNow Store application) holds generic backup storage information for a CI as a platform related item. The table includes a CI as a reference attribute and stores information for hardware, cloud, containers, and other CI types.

    Backup Store Information [cmdb_backup_storage_information] table

    The table captures backup policy, last successful backup, last backup attempt, execution mode, backup source, backup source ID, and backup service.

    To mitigate the risk of uncontrolled growth of the table, a cascade-delete rule applies to the Backup Source (CI) reference field. When a CI is deleted, the corresponding rows in the table are deleted.

    Diagram of the references that the cmdb_backup_storage_information table makes to the technical service and backup source tables.

    Tables related to backup operations

    Table 1. Tables related to backup operations
    Table Contents
    Backup Store Information [cmdb_backup_storage_information] Informational object that stores CI backup/snapshot information.
    cmdb_related_entry To populate the cmdb_backup_storage_information with an IRE payload, you define a CMDB-related rule in cmdb_related_entry. For the related rule, use the Backup Source ID criteria attributes and Backup Source as a reference field. Example:
    //. Sample IRE payload  var payload = 
{ 
 "items": [ 
   { 
     "className": "cmdb_ci_hardware", 
      "sys_object_source_info": { 
       "source_name": "ServiceNow", 
       "source_native_key": "some key" 
     }, 
     "values": { 
       "name": "I am a good cat" 
     }, 
     "lookup": [], 
     "related": [ 
       { 
         "className": " cmdb_backup_storage_information", 
         "values": { 
           "backup_policy": "true", 
           "last_backup": "2023-02-02", 
           “backup_id”:”sede-09191-fet” 
         } 
       } 
     ] 
   } 
 ] } 
var jsonUntil = new JSON(); var input = jsonUntil.encode(payload); 
var output = SNC.IdentificationEngineScriptableApi.createOrUpdateCI('ServiceNow', input); gs.print(output);
    sys_security_acl Reports and user access.
    sys_ui_related Multisource configuration, default forms.

    Columns in cmdb_backup_storage_information

    Table 2. Columns in cmdb_backup_storage_information
    Column Description

    Backup Configuration Status

    [backup_config_status]

    String (choice)

    • Backup Disabled [False, default]: CI has not been configured for regular backup.
    • Backup Enabled [True]: CI has policies and configurations defined in the backup system, service, or appliance for regular backups
    • Unknown
    • Not Applicable
    • Planned
    • Not Planned
    Last Successful Backup [last_successful_backup]

    glide_date_time

    Date and time of last successful backup. Platform-specific value that can be either the start or end of the backup attempt as reported by the platform API. If ambiguous, use the start time of the backup attempt.
    Last Backup Attempt [last_backup_attempt]

    glide_date_time

    Date and time of the last successful or failed backup attempt. Platform-specific value that can be either the start or the end of the backup attempt as reported by the platform API. If ambiguous, use the start time of the backup attempt.

    For a successful backup, both last_backup and last_backup_attempt will have the same value.

    Execution Mode [backup_execution_mode]

    String (choice)

    • Manual: Run as needed.
    • Automatic: Run periodically.
    • Unknown
    sys_domain and sys_domain_path

    glide columns

    Values copied from cmdb_ci.
    managed_by and managed_by_group Values copied from cmdb_ci.
    Backup Source [backup_source_ configuration_item]

    reference (ci)

    Backup status details for the referenced CI being backed up.
    Backup Source ID [backup_source_id]

    String (1024)

    Backup Service source identifier for the CI. Identifies the CI in external/internal backup service such as host_id, vcenter_id, instance_id, and db_id.
    Backup Service [backup_service_ configuration_item]

    reference (ci)

    Reference to the CSDM technical service that hosts the external or internal backup system, service, or appliance.

    Recovery Point Objective [recovery_point_objective]

    Duration

    Time that can elapse between backups and the acceptable amount of data loss.