ServiceNow Instance Data Replication: Features, FAQ and Alternatives

The ServiceNow Instance Data Replication (IDR) plugin allows users to replicate data between ServiceNow instances. 

It supports both one-to-one data replication and one-to-many, meaning users can synchronize the data in the primary (producer) instance with a consumer instance or instances.

Consumer instances could be other ServiceNow instances within an organization, or even ServiceNow instances within affiliated organizations – i.e. a service providers instance and customer organization instance(s).

ServiceNow IDR is a paid plugin, so it is important to understand its features, limitations and the alternatives on offer before taking out a subscription. 

Table of contents:

1. ServiceNow Instance Data Replication Features
2. ServiceNow Instance Data Replication Limitations
3. ServiceNow Instance Data Replication FAQ
4. Alternatives to ServiceNow’s Instance Data Replication

ServiceNow Instance Data Replication Features

The ServiceNow IDR plugin allows users to distribute data across an organization (or organizations) in a process known as data propagation.

With an automated means to propagate data between different ServiceNow instances, organizations can synchronize data and create a consistent, single source of truth.

ServiceNow IDR features include:

• One-to-one and one-to-many data replication
• Bi-directional data replication
• Triggering workflows via business rules post-replication

ServiceNow Instance Data Replication Limitations

Although “data replication” is referenced in the plugin’s name, it is by no means a fully-featured data replication solution.

Its scope for data replication is narrow, and a number of limitations to the plug-in mean many organizations opt for alternative solutions. 

Above, we covered what the ServiceNow IDR plugin can do. Here is where the ServiceNow IDR plugin falls short:

• ServiceNow IDR is not an instance-to-data repository data replication solution. It only allows users to replicate data between ServiceNow instances. 
• ServiceNow IDR does not facilitate integrations with third-party solutions – i.e. ITSM or DevOps solutions (such as AWS Support, Zendesk or Jira), analytics, reporting and business intelligence solutions, or AI and ML solutions
• ServiceNow IDR is not suitable for replicating large data sets, supporting only around 1 million records per day.
• ServiceNow IDR should not be used to replicate large attachments (+10MB) on a regular basis, and can only replicate attachments up to 32MB.
• ServiceNow IDR is not a solution for cloning instances. It does not replicate metadata tables, child metadata tables, and most user and system tables.

ServiceNow Instance Data Replication FAQ

Is ServiceNow IDR free?

No. IDR is a paid plugin, not included with a ServiceNow license and requiring a subscription.

Is ServiceNow IDR available from the ServiceNow Store?

No. To access IDR, users must request a subscription from their ServiceNow account manager or use the Request Plugin feature and complete the Activate Plugin form on Now Support.

Can ServiceNow IDR synchronize multiple ServiceNow instances?

Yes. ServiceNow IDR is made to enable one-to-one, or one-to-many data replication and can support this replication bi-directionally.

As such, it allows users to keep multiple ServiceNow instances in sync. However, users should be aware of limitations affecting the plugin’s ability to synchronize instances effectively. 

Can IDR synchronize between different versions of ServiceNow?

Yes … but. While it’s not a requirement that producer and consumer instances be on the same build, it is recommended as some features may not be available. 

What should I do if ServiceNow IDR is slow?

Poor ServiceNow IDR performance could be a symptom of poor performance of the ServiceNow platform itself.

It may also be due to replication requirements (throughput) exceeding what the plug-in and/or platform can handle. If the throughput required is near or exceeding 1 million records per day, consider a high-throughput data replication solution.

Is ServiceNow IDR available for on-premise instances?

No. IDR is only available in ServiceNow data centers, meaning on-premise instances cannot be supported.

Can I IDR be used to integrate ServiceNow with third-party solutions?

No. ServiceNow IDR is for replicating data between ServiceNow instances only. 

To integrate ServiceNow with third-party ITSM or DevOps solutions such as AWS Support, Zendesk and Jira try ServiceBond from ServiceNow partners, Perspectium. 

To integrate ServiceNow with third-party data repositories, analytics, business intelligence, reporting, AI and more, check out DataSync.

Alternatives to ServiceNow’s Instance Data Replication

If the various limitations to ServiceNow IDR mean it falls short of your requirements, there are alternatives available from ServiceNow partners Perspectium. 

IDR Alternative for Synchronizing Multiple Instances: ServiceBond

Like IDR, ServiceBond allows users to create a bi-directional, one-to-one or one-to-many integration between ServiceNow instances.

However, unlike IDR, ServiceBond extends these capabilities to third-party ITSM and DevOps applications, allowing users to synchronize different platforms. 

This makes ServiceBond a great option for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) seeking to enable service integration and management (SIAM), and organizations with a range of solutions supporting ITSM in use across different departments. 

IDR Alternative for Replicating Data Externally: DataSync

For users that want to replicate ServiceNow data to solutions other than a different ServiceNow instance, Perspectium provides DataSync. 

With DataSync, users have a high-throughput solution capable of replicating over 20 million ServiceNow records per day, far exceeding IDR’s recommended daily maximum of 1 million.

DataSync replicates ServiceNow data externally, allowing ServiceNow users to leverage the data within a range of different solutions, and for a range of different use cases including: 

• Analytics
• Business intelligence
• Reporting
• AI and ML
• Populating data warehouses and data lakes
• Enabling self-service access/data democratization
• Improving ServiceNow performance by offloading data-intensive tasks to purpose-built, third-party solution