Custom URLs association to your instance

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Custom URLs Association to Your Instance

    ServiceNow allows you to make your instance accessible through company-branded or custom URLs. This capability enables administrators to associate specific custom URLs with designated portals, enhancing user experience and branding. For example, a CSM portal can utilizehttp://support.acme.com, while an HR portal might usehttp://hr.acme.com.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Ability to associate multiple custom URLs with specific service portals.
    • Auto-redirect users to specified Identity Providers (IdPs) based on the accessed custom URL starting from the Tokyo release.
    • Custom URLs are not supported for on-premise customers or developer instances; they must be public-facing.
    • Ownership of the top-level domain (TLD) or subdomain is required for configuration.

    Key Outcomes

    By implementing custom URLs, you can improve accessibility and brand alignment for your ServiceNow instance. However, it is essential to adhere to specific configurations and limitations, such as:

    • Do not exceed 100 domains per instance.
    • Delete custom URL records from ServiceNow before making DNS changes.
    • Ensure the CNAME record points to your ServiceNow instance URL and follow the correct sequence when updating records.

    Properly managing these custom URLs will streamline your users’ authentication experience and enhance the overall functionality of your ServiceNow instance.

    You can enable your ServiceNow instance to be accessible from a company-branded or custom URL.

    Custom URL overview

    You can use custom URL to enable ServiceNow instance to be accessible from one or more company-branded or custom URLs.

    Custom URLs can be associated with specific portal. For example, admin can define http://support.acme.com for CSM portal and http://hr.acme.com for HR portal. In such situation there is a need to redirect users to different IdPs for authentication on the basis of the custom URL that users are accessing.

    Important:
    • Do not create a custom URL with more than 100 domains per instance.
    • You must delete custom URL record from ServiceNow instance first and then delete any Domain Name Server (DNS) entries from the DNS server.
    • Any deletion of DNS entry from DNS server prior to deletion of custom URL record from ServiceNow instance would result in blocking the deletion of other corresponding custom URL records from ServiceNow.

    From Tokyo, you can allow users to auto-redirect to specified IdPs defined at the custom URL record.

    Note:
    Custom URLs are not available for on-premise customers or developer instances. Also, the URL must be public-facing.
    Only the owner of the top-level domain (TLD) or any subdomain can configure the custom URL to a DNS subdomain. For example, your instance might have the following designated URL and additional custom URLs:
    Table 1. Custom URL example
    Example URLs Usage
    https://acme.service-now.com The initial domain name for Acme that came with the ServiceNow instance.
    https://support.acme.com A custom URL that associates to your ServiceNow instance. This URL is referred to as an alias (CNAME) of the initial domain name.
    https://US-support.acme.com A secondary custom URL that associates to a service portal on your instance. Your instance can support multiple custom URLs to the same service portal.

    Custom URL considerations outside of your instance

    Before you can associate a custom URL, you must own (or purchase) a URL through a domain provider. There are also specific configurations necessary before you can create and associate a custom URL on your instance.
    Table 2. Custom URL configurations
    Configuration items Description
    Set the CNAME with the provider The CNAME record must be set as the ServiceNow instance URL.
    Determine your dedicated VIP status The status of VIP.
    Note:
    When deleting or updating CNAME records which point to your instance, you must follow this sequence to avoid dangling records in the instance. First, delete the CNAME records from your instance and then remove or update the CNAME setting at your DNS provider.