Mastering ServiceNow Troubleshooting and Debugging: A Guide for Technical Support

The ServiceNow Vancuver is going to be released shortly in all ServiceNow instances globally. If you missed the Vancouver event then click here to watch the on-demand. This is the time when most of the technical and troubleshooting case is going to be lodged.

In this article, I'll dive into essential techniques and strategies to empower L3 Technical Support professionals or MSP ServiceNow Partner support service case scenario and from my relevant work experience and ServiceNow community feedback?

1. Embrace the Power of Logs:

Logs are your best friends when it comes to troubleshooting in ServiceNow. Dive deep into logs like the 'system log' and 'error logs' to trace the root cause of issues. Use keywords specific to the problem you're addressing to narrow down your search. Make sure to set the log level appropriately for the issue at hand.

2. Leverage Script Debugger:

The Script Debugger in ServiceNow is a potent tool for L3 Technical Support. Debugging scripts efficiently can save precious time. Use breakpoints, step through scripts, and monitor variable values to understand the flow of execution. With this approach, you can identify logical errors and fix them swiftly.

3. Investigate Database Errors:

ServiceNow relies heavily on its database. If you encounter performance issues or data inconsistencies, database-related problems might be the cause. Understanding how to analyze and optimize database queries can significantly impact the resolution speed.

4. Master GlideRecord Queries:

GlideRecord queries are the backbone of ServiceNow data operations. Know how to craft efficient queries to fetch data and update records. Optimization here can improve system performance and reduce response times.

5. Error Handling Best Practices:

Implement robust error-handling mechanisms in your scripts and workflows. Properly log errors, notify relevant parties, and follow ServiceNow best practices for error recovery. By doing so, you can ensure that issues are identified and resolved promptly.

6. Keep Abreast of ServiceNow Updates:

ServiceNow is a dynamic platform, and updates are frequent. Stay connected with the ServiceNow community, attend training sessions, and review release notes regularly. Being up-to-date ensures you're equipped to handle new features and functionalities. For Best ServiceNow Instance Upgrade. Please see the ServiceNow Master Architect @ALLENOVATION Video

L2 and L3 Most Common ServiceNow Issue

I am going to portray some of the common L2 Support issues in the General Section and L3 Support issues on the script including API. However, this does not include any Discovery Pattern/Behaviour or Mid-Server or Graph-Connector error Issue as it is totally Enterprise Infrastructure and Application Configuration and mapping problem.

General Issues

1. Performance Issues:

Customer Query: "Our ServiceNow instance is slow. Can you investigate and improve performance?"

Resolution:

Start with performance analysis tools within ServiceNow to identify bottlenecks.

Optimize database queries, review custom scripts, and clean up outdated records.

Suggest infrastructure improvements like increasing server resources or scaling out.

2. Complex Workflow Customization:

Customer Query: "We need a highly customized workflow. Can you help us design and implement it?"

Resolution:

Collaborate with the customer to define the requirements thoroughly.

Use ServiceNow's Flow Designer or Workflow Editor to build the custom workflow.

Document the workflow design, and ensure it aligns with best practices.

3. Integration Issues:

Customer Query: "Our integrations with other tools are failing. Can you troubleshoot and fix them?"

Resolution:

Review the integration setup, credentials, and endpoints.

Check for errors in logs and use tools like IntegrationHub Debugger.

Collaborate with integration owners and follow ServiceNow's integration best practices.

4. Data and Reporting Problems:

Customer Query: "Our reports are inaccurate, and data is inconsistent. Can you help us clean up and improve reporting?"

Resolution:

Analyze data sources and identify inconsistencies or data quality issues.

Clean up data using data import sets or data transformation scripts.

Train users on report creation best practices and data governance.

5. Security and Access Control:

Customer Query: "We have security concerns and need help with role-based access control. Can you review and improve our setup?"

Resolution:

Conduct a security audit and review role-based access controls.

Identify and restrict unnecessary permissions.

Train administrators on security best practices, including ACL rules.

Custom Script-related errors

Script-Include Errors:

Customer Issue: "We are encountering script-include errors in our custom applications."

Resolution:

Review the script-include code for syntax errors.

Ensure that the script-include is active and correctly referenced.

Validate that the script-include is in the correct scope.

Check script-include dependencies and load order.

Debug the code using the script debugger.

Consider peer code reviews for complex script-includes.

Performance Bottlenecks:

Customer Issue: "Our custom script-includes are causing performance issues in our ServiceNow instance."

Resolution:

Review the script-include code for inefficient queries or loops.

Optimize database queries and limit the use of GlideRecord.

Implement caching mechanisms to reduce redundant calls.

Use script profiling tools to identify performance bottlenecks.

Monitor and tune the script-include's execution time.

Consider asynchronous processing for time-consuming operations.

Script-Include Security:

Customer Issue: "We need to ensure that our script-includes are secure and not vulnerable to attacks."

Resolution:

Implement proper ACLs (Access Control Lists) on script-includes.

Avoid using 'gs.include' to execute server-side scripts from client scripts.

Sanitize input data to prevent SQL injection and XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks.

Use GlideAjax for secure server-client communication.

Regularly review and update script-include security best practices.

Script-Include Versioning and Changes:

Customer Issue: "We made changes to a script-include, but it's not reflecting in our applications."

Resolution:

Verify that the script-include is correctly saved and active.

Clear the server cache to ensure changes are reflected.

Check application dependencies for cached versions of the script-include.

Test the updated script-include in a controlled environment.

Communicate changes to relevant stakeholders and update documentation.

API and Rest Message Issues

API and REST message errors can be common issues when working with integrations in ServiceNow. Here are some common API and REST message errors that ServiceNow customers may encounter, along with troubleshooting and resolution steps:

Authentication Failures:

Customer Issue: "We are unable to authenticate with an external API or REST service."

Resolution:

Verify the accuracy of authentication credentials (API keys, tokens, username/password).

Ensure that the authentication method used in the REST message matches the external service's requirements.

Check for expired or revoked authentication tokens.

Review and update ACLs (Access Control Lists) if necessary to grant proper access.

Monitor API access logs for security breaches or suspicious activities.

Connection Timeout:

Customer Issue: "Our REST message is timing out when connecting to an external service."

Resolution:

Review the REST message timeout settings and increase them if necessary.

Check the external service's availability and response times.

Ensure there are no network issues between ServiceNow and the external service.

Optimize the REST message URL for performance.

Consider using asynchronous or scheduled jobs for long-running requests.

HTTP Errors (e.g., 404, 500):

Customer Issue: "We are receiving HTTP error codes when making API requests."

Resolution:

Analyze the specific HTTP error code received and refer to the external service's documentation for its meaning.

Ensure the REST message URL is correctly formed.

Check for incorrect request headers or parameters.

Monitor for temporary outages on the external service's end.

Implement error handling in your integration scripts to gracefully handle different HTTP error scenarios.

Invalid Request or Payload:

Customer Issue: "The external service is rejecting our requests due to invalid data."

Resolution:

Validate the request payload against the external service's API specifications.Review request headers, content type, and data formats (e.g., JSON, XML).Implement data transformation and validation scripts as needed.Use GlideRecord or other ServiceNow methods to ensure data integrity before sending the request.Test the request payload using tools like Postman or curl.

Takeaway for ServiceNow Troubleshooting and Recommendation

• Remember to follow ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) best practices for any General Problem or troubleshooting also must have deep knowledge for the incident and problem management when addressing these L3 issues, and maintain clear communication with the customer throughout the resolution process. Additionally, document all changes and solutions for future reference and continuous improvement.
• When addressing script-include problems, it's essential to maintain a comprehensive documentation of each script-include's purpose, dependencies, and usage. Regularly reviewing and optimizing script-includes as part of the development lifecycle helps ensure the stability and performance of custom applications built on the ServiceNow platform.
• When troubleshooting API and REST message errors, it's essential to have good documentation of the integration, including request and response structures, and to involve relevant stakeholders, such as network administrators and external service providers, as needed to address connectivity and security issues. Additionally, conducting regular testing and monitoring of integrations can help identify and resolve issues proactively.
• Maintaining a Dry Script in JavaScript, as opposed to a Wet Script, is of paramount importance when developing enterprise applications. The concept of "Dry" (Don't Repeat Yourself) scripting advocates for code that is concise, modular, and reusable. By adhering to the principles of reusability and modularity, Dry Script promotes the creation of clean and organized codebasesAdditionally, Dry Script aids in performance optimization. By eliminating redundant code and promoting the separation of concerns, it allows developers to identify and address bottlenecks more effectively. This can result in faster load times and a more responsive application, which is crucial for meeting the demands of enterprise-level user bases.