How to Prepare for a ServiceNow Upgrade

A ServiceNow upgrade can feel overwhelming—especially with customizations, integrations, and tight timelines in the mix. But with the right planning and tools, it doesn’t have to be stressful.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to confidently plan, test, and execute a ServiceNow upgrade—while minimizing risk and disruption. We’ll also show you how backup and data replication tools can simplify the process and safeguard your data every step of the way.

Why Upgrade ServiceNow?

Regularly upgrading ServiceNow ensures your platform stays:

• Secure and compliant
• Compatible with new features and enhancements
• Optimized for performance and reliability
• Eligible for official support and patches

Each release brings improvements such as faster workflows, new automation capabilities, and bug fixes. But a poorly planned upgrade can lead to broken integrations, user frustration, or even data loss.

When’s the Best Time to Upgrade ServiceNow?

Should you upgrade right away or wait?

Like many platforms, early releases can have bugs. Typically, ServiceNow rolls out one or two service packs shortly after a major upgrade to resolve early issues.

If you want to avoid teething problems, wait until the first or second service pack is released before upgrading your production instance.

Whenever you choose to upgrade, the following best practices will limit any potential disruption:

• Avoid over-customizing with point-to-point (P2P) integrations. These direct connections can break during upgrades and create complexity. Instead, replicate your ServiceNow data to a centralized repository using a scalable solution like Perspectium DataSync. This approach minimizes failure points and simplifies integration management.
  
• Use a purpose-built backup solution. ServiceNow doesn’t offer out-of-the-box support for creating full-instance backups before changes. A tool like Perspectium Snapshot enables you to capture a point-in-time backup, giving you a reliable rollback option if something goes wrong.

By adopting these practices, your organization can confidently upgrade earlier—without waiting on service packs.

ServiceNow Upgrade: What to Do Before You Begin?

Preparation is the most important part of a successful ServiceNow upgrade. Here’s what you should do before you start.

1. Review the ServiceNow Release Notes

Understand what’s new in the version you’re moving to. Release notes detail:

• New features and UI changes
• Deprecations or removals
• Security updates
• Known issues and fixes

Use this information to identify how your current configurations and customizations may be impacted.

2. Review Connected Systems

Often, upgrade issues stem from incompatible integrations. If you’re using multiple P2P integrations, each one becomes a potential risk.

To reduce risk, review all integrations and connected systems ahead of time. Pay close attention to how critical each one is—and what the business impact would be if it goes down, and plan accordingly.

Alternatively, rather than testing and troubleshooting dozens of individual integrations, consider simplifying your architecture with a centralized replication solution like Perspectium DataSync. It replaces multiple P2P integrations with one scalable, ServiceNow-to-database integration that:

• Keeps data in sync across environments
• Reduces complexity and testing overhead
• Minimizes upgrade-related disruptions

3. Communicate with Stakeholders

Keep users and stakeholders in the loop. Let them know:

• What’s changing and when
• If any downtime is expected
• How new features may affect them

Clear communication ensures smoother adoption and fewer surprises.

4. Assemble an Upgrade Team

Upgrading ServiceNow isn’t a solo project. Build a cross-functional team that includes:

• Admins and developers
• QA and testing resources
• Business stakeholders

Assign responsibilities and set a timeline to stay organized and accountable.

5. Backup

Before upgrading, make sure you have a reliable backup in place—just in case something goes wrong.

While ServiceNow does create backups automatically, users have no visibility or control over when these occur. You’re tied to ServiceNow’s internal schedule and aren’t notified when full, weekly backups are taken. That uncertainty can be a real risk during a critical upgrade.

Instead, use Perspectium Snapshot to take a precise, point-in-time backup of your ServiceNow instance—on your terms. If something breaks, you can quickly roll back to a known, good state and avoid extended downtime.

Pair Snapshot with Perspectium DataSync for a dual-layer safety net:

• DataSync: Maintains real-time data integrity across all environments and reduces reliance on P2P integrations
• Snapshot: Provides fast, full-system restoration if needed

Together, they give you complete confidence and control—before, during, and after your upgrade.

6. Create a Test Plan

Your test plan should validate that:

• Core modules and workflows still function
• Customizations and scripts behave as expected
• Third-party apps and integrations remain compatible

If you rely on P2P integrations, testing can become a bottleneck. With a solution like DataSync in place, testing is more efficient—because there’s less to test and fewer failure points.

ServiceNow Upgrade: During The Upgrade Process

Once the preparation is complete, it’s time to start the upgrade. Following a structured approach is essential to minimize disruptions and ensure that everything functions as expected. Here’s how to execute the upgrade:

1. Freeze Activities in Non-Production Instances

Before starting the upgrade, pause any ongoing work in your non-production environments (like development and testing). This prevents new changes from being introduced during the upgrade process—helping maintain a stable baseline for testing and comparison.

2. Use the Upgrade Monitor

ServiceNow’s Upgrade Monitor tracks:

• Update progress
• Skipped updates
• Issues that need manual attention

This gives you visibility into what’s happening behind the scenes

3. Upgrade Non-Production Instances First

Always test in lower environments first. Use this time to:

• Validate system behavior
• Identify and fix any issues
• Use a solution like DataSync to sync data across environments, or Snapshot to restore a backup to an environment of your choosing.

4. Upgrade Production Instance

Once testing is complete and you’re confident in the upgrade, proceed with your production environment—ideally during a low-usage window. Notify users in advance, and have a rollback plan in place in case anything goes sideways.

Keep in mind: relying solely on ServiceNow’s native backup and restore process can slow recovery. Users can’t initiate a restore themselves—it requires opening a support ticket, waiting through back-and-forth communication, and taking the instance offline during restoration.

If this process doesn’t align with your recovery needs, consider using a purpose-built backup solution like Perspectium Snapshot. It lets you create and restore backups on your own terms—quickly. Without waiting on support and without taken your instance offline.

ServiceNow Upgrade: What to Do After the Upgrade?

You’re not done just yet. Post-upgrade activities are just as important.

Once the upgrade is completed, it’s essential to validate the system and ensure everything is functioning as expected. The following best practices will help limit disruption.

1. Post-Upgrade Validation

Run regression tests to confirm that:

• Core functionality is intact
• Custom code still behaves as expected
• Data and integrations are flowing correctly

2. Resolve Conflicts and Errors

Resolve any errors related to:

• Customizations or scripts
• Integration mismatches
• Data inconsistencies

Keep a log of all fixes for future reference.

3. Inform Stakeholders and Users

Once everything is stable, update your stakeholders. Share any new documentation or user training materials to help with the transition.

Upgrade with Confidence Using Perspectium

Upgrading ServiceNow doesn’t have to be stressful or risky—especially with the right tools and preparation. One of the most critical factors for a successful upgrade is ensuring your data remains intact, consistent, and available across all environments. That’s where Perspectium comes in.

DataSync is a real-time data replication solution that simplifies even the most complex ServiceNow upgrade paths.

Instead of juggling a web of point-to-point (P2P) integrations—each of which must be reviewed, tested, and maintained—DataSync offers a single, scalable solution that replicates ServiceNow data in an external repository of your choice and:

• Reduces integration complexity and testing overhead
• Minimizes upgrade risks and the likelihood of post-deployment issues
• Lets you upgrade sooner, with less risk and concern

This centralized approach gives you more control and reduces the number of moving parts that could break during an upgrade.

But even with the best planning, unexpected issues can still arise. That’s why having a fast, reliable recovery option is equally important.

Snapshot complements DataSync by providing a point-in-time backup of your ServiceNow instance—captured just before your upgrade. Unlike ServiceNow’s native backup process, which requires a support ticket and manual intervention, Snapshot gives you:

• The ability to trigger your own backups and restores
• Faster recovery times without waiting for ServiceNow support
• Peace of mind knowing you can quickly return to a known-good state
  

Together, DataSync and Snapshot help you meet critical business continuity goals such as RPO and RTO:

• RPO (Recovery Point Objective) – Keep data loss to an absolute minimum
  
• RTO (Recovery Time Objective) – Get back up and running faster
  

Future-Proof Your Upgrade Strategy

Your ability to manage ServiceNow upgrades doesn’t have to be reactive. With Perspectium, you gain the tools to simplify complexity, reduce risk, and ensure that every upgrade strengthens your platform, rather than disrupts it.

Want to take the risk out of your next ServiceNow upgrade? Contact us to learn how Perspectium’s data replication and backup solutions can help you upgrade with confidence.