How to Optimize ServiceNow Clone Profiles for Maximum Efficiency

Why Clone Profiles Matter

Recently, a client approached me with questions about the clone profiles in their ServiceNow platform. They were unsure why these profiles were created and what, if anything, they needed to do about them. One of their primary concerns was whether the out-of-box profiles would be updated during a platform upgrade and how this might impact their custom profiles. I explained that custom profiles do not receive updates, and if out-of-box profiles are customized, they also cease to receive updates. This led me to reflect on what types of clone profiles I would prioritize if I were administering a platform, inspiring me to write this post.

Managing ServiceNow environments effectively requires the ability to replicate instances for various purposes, such as development, testing, training, and compliance validation. While ServiceNow provides two clone profiles out of the box—the System Profile and the Extended Profile—these profiles may not address the unique needs of every environment. Customizing clone profiles can enhance efficiency, minimize unnecessary data replication, and ensure compliance with organizational policies.

Custom clone profiles allow administrators to refine what data gets included, preserved, or excluded during the cloning process, offering flexibility that is essential for aligning with specific business needs. Whether you are a developer needing a lightweight instance or a compliance officer requiring a secure and accurate environment, tailored clone profiles provide the control you need to succeed.

The content of this guide reflects my personal opinions and insights as a ServiceNow Certified Master Architect. It is not an official statement of ServiceNow’s leading practices. Your unique platform needs should always take priority when implementing recommendations provided here.

In this guide, we’ll explore the default profiles, how to create tailored clone profiles, and provide actionable steps to implement optimized profiles for your ServiceNow platform.

Understanding Default Clone Profiles

ServiceNow provides two out-of-the-box clone profiles:

1. System Profile

The System Profile serves as the baseline for cloning instances, designed for general use. Its primary features include:

• Excludes Tables: Ensures large, non-essential tables (e.g., logs and audit records) are excluded to reduce clone size.
• Excludes Attachment Data: Prevents replication of attachments to minimize storage impact.
• Preserves Themes: Retains UI configurations and styles for consistency.
• Full Data Clone: Copies all relevant operational data, ensuring continuity.

2. Extended Profile

The Extended Profile builds upon the System Profile with additional exclusions and preservers, targeting more specific use cases. Key distinctions include:

• Additional Exclusions: Includes broader exclusions, such as analytics queues and advanced authentication data.
• Enhanced Cleanup Scripts: Addresses edge cases like regenerating text indexes and clearing redundant tokens.
• Specialized Preservers: Ensures advanced configurations, such as multi-factor authentication settings, remain intact.

Comparison of System and Extended Profiles

The System Profile and Extended Profile offer distinct advantages depending on your cloning needs. Here’s a quick overview:

• System Profile: Designed for general cloning needs, this profile excludes unnecessary tables and attachments, retains themes, and ensures operational continuity with minimal customizations.
• Extended Profile: Ideal for advanced scenarios, this profile extends the exclusions and includes enhanced cleanup scripts to address complex requirements like authentication data and analytics queues.

Key Differences:

• Exclusions: The Extended Profile includes broader exclusions, such as analytics queues and additional operational data, making it suitable for more specific use cases.
• Cleanup Scripts: Extended Profile enhances post-clone readiness by including scripts for regenerating text indexes and clearing redundant tokens.
• Use Case: Use the System Profile for routine cloning and the Extended Profile for scenarios requiring higher customization.

Clone Profile Feature Comparison:

• Excludes Tables: Basic exclusions (e.g., logs) for System Profile; additional exclusions (e.g., analytics queues) for Extended Profile.
• Excludes Attachments: Both profiles exclude attachments.
• Preserves Themes: Both profiles retain UI themes and configurations.
• Data Copied From Tables: Full Clone in both profiles for operational continuity.
• Enhanced Cleanup Scripts: The Extended Profile includes more advanced cleanup scripts than the System Profile.
• Use Case: System Profile is suitable for general needs, while the Extended Profile addresses advanced scenarios.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Custom Clone Profiles

1. Define the Purpose of the Clone Profile

The first step in creating a custom clone profile is identifying the purpose of the target environment. A well-defined objective ensures that only relevant data is included, keeping the environment optimized for its intended use.

For instance, development environments benefit from leaner data sets, prioritizing active configurations and recent records. Conversely, compliance-focused environments require detailed audit and log data to meet regulatory requirements. By clearly defining the purpose upfront, you can make informed decisions about what to include, exclude, and preserve.

Examples of purposes include:

• Development Environments: Focus on recent data and minimal configurations to keep the environment lean.
• Testing Environments: Prioritize operational continuity with full task data while excluding sensitive or non-essential data.
• Compliance Validation: Retain security, audit, and configuration data to validate regulatory requirements.
• Production-Like Training: Ensure a realistic production mirror for effective training without including sensitive data.

2. Configure Key Clone Options

Customizing clone profiles involves configuring options that determine what data is included or excluded. These settings ensure that the clone serves its purpose without unnecessary overhead.

Clone Profile Recommendations for Common Scenarios:

• Development Environments: Exclude tables, audit data, and logs to keep the environment lean while retaining attachments for relevant testing.
• Testing Environments: Include all task data and attachments to mimic production while excluding sensitive logs and operational overhead.
• Compliance Validation: Retain audit and log data while excluding attachments to focus on security and regulatory needs.
• Training Environments: Mimic production closely by including themes and attachments, but exclude sensitive data to maintain privacy.

3. Leverage Cleanup Scripts

Post-clone cleanup scripts are a powerful tool to ensure that cloned environments are ready for use without manual intervention. These scripts can address leftover artifacts, correct misconfigurations, and prepare the environment for its intended use.

For example:

• Clear Vault Tokens: Ensures that authentication tokens from the source instance are invalidated, maintaining security.
• Disable Event Management Connectors: Prevents accidental activation of processes in non-production environments.
• Fix Adaptive Auth with IDP Filters: Aligns authentication settings to match the target instance’s policies.

By automating these tasks, cleanup scripts save time and reduce the risk of errors.

4. Validate and Test

Before applying a clone profile broadly, testing in a controlled environment is critical. This step verifies that all necessary data is preserved, excluded data remains omitted, and cleanup scripts function as intended. Running validation checks ensures that the clone profile performs as expected, minimizing disruptions.

Best Practices for Maintaining Clone Profiles

Creating effective clone profiles is not a one-time activity. To ensure ongoing alignment with organizational needs, follow these best practices:

1. Use Naming Conventions: Clearly name profiles to indicate their purpose (e.g., "Development_Profile" or "Compliance_Clone"). This makes it easier to identify the correct profile for specific scenarios.
2. Regularly Review Profiles: As business needs and system configurations evolve, update your profiles to stay relevant.
3. Document Customizations: Maintain a record of exclusions, preservers, and scripts to ensure transparency and reproducibility. This documentation is invaluable for troubleshooting and training.
4. Automate Where Possible: Schedule recurring clones for environments requiring frequent updates. Automation reduces the manual workload and ensures consistency.

Key Takeaways

Custom clone profiles are a powerful way to tailor ServiceNow instance replication to specific needs. By:

• Defining clear objectives, you can ensure environments are fit for purpose.
• Customizing configurations, you avoid unnecessary data replication and streamline performance.
• Automating cleanup tasks, you create ready-to-use environments with minimal manual intervention.

Optimized clone profiles not only enhance operational efficiency but also align with organizational goals, whether for development, compliance, or training. Begin your optimization journey today by evaluating your current profiles and identifying opportunities for improvement.

What clone profiles do you think are most important for your platform? How would you configure them to address your unique needs? Let me know in the comments!