Backing up CMDB data

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Backing up CMDB data

    Thecmdbbackupstorageinformationtable, part of theapp-cmdb-contentServiceNow Store application, stores generic backup storage information for Configuration Items (CIs) across hardware, cloud, containers, and other types. It tracks backup policies and status as platform-related items linked to CIs. This enables ServiceNow customers to manage and monitor backup data directly within the CMDB framework.

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    Key Features

    • Backup Storage Information: Captures key backup details including backup policy, last successful backup, last backup attempt, execution mode (manual or automatic), backup source, backup source ID, and backup service.
    • Data Integrity: Cascade-delete rule ensures that when a CI is deleted, all related backup storage entries are also removed, preventing uncontrolled data growth.
    • Integration via IRE Payloads: The cmdbrelatedentry table allows defining CMDB-related rules to populate cmdbbackupstorageinformation using Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE) payloads. This supports automated CI backup data updates.
    • References to Backup Services: The table links to CSDM technical services that represent backup systems or appliances, allowing clear service ownership and relationship mapping.
    • Key Columns: Includes backupconfigstatus (backup enabled or disabled), lastsuccessfulbackup and lastbackupattempt timestamps, execution mode, backupsource (CI reference), backupsourceid (external/internal ID), backupservice (backup system reference), and recoverypointobjective (acceptable data loss interval).

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    • Use the cmdbbackupstorageinformation table to centrally track backup policies and status for your CIs, improving visibility into backup health and compliance.
    • Leverage the integration with the cmdbrelatedentry and IRE payloads to automate backup status updates and ensure data accuracy.
    • Monitor key metrics such as last successful backup and recovery point objective to align backup processes with business continuity requirements.
    • Maintain data hygiene through cascade-delete rules, ensuring backup data is consistent with the lifecycle of CIs.
    • Link backup information to backup services within the CSDM framework to easily identify backup system ownership and facilitate service management.

    The cmdb_backup_storage_information table (part of the [app-cmdb-content] ServiceNow Store application) holds generic backup storage information for a CI as a platform related item. The table includes a CI as a reference attribute and stores information for hardware, cloud, containers, and other CI types.

    Backup Store Information [cmdb_backup_storage_information] table

    The table captures backup policy, last successful backup, last backup attempt, execution mode, backup source, backup source ID, and backup service.

    To mitigate the risk of uncontrolled growth of the table, a cascade-delete rule applies to the Backup Source (CI) reference field. When a CI is deleted, the corresponding rows in the table are deleted.

    Diagram of the references that the cmdb_backup_storage_information table makes to the technical service and backup source tables.

    Tables related to backup operations

    Table 1. Tables related to backup operations
    Table Contents
    Backup Store Information [cmdb_backup_storage_information] Informational object that stores CI backup/snapshot information.
    cmdb_related_entry To populate the cmdb_backup_storage_information with an IRE payload, you define a CMDB-related rule in cmdb_related_entry. For the related rule, use the Backup Source ID criteria attributes and Backup Source as a reference field. Example:
    //. Sample IRE payload  var payload = 
{ 
 "items": [ 
   { 
     "className": "cmdb_ci_hardware", 
      "sys_object_source_info": { 
       "source_name": "ServiceNow", 
       "source_native_key": "some key" 
     }, 
     "values": { 
       "name": "I am a good cat" 
     }, 
     "lookup": [], 
     "related": [ 
       { 
         "className": " cmdb_backup_storage_information", 
         "values": { 
           "backup_policy": "true", 
           "last_backup": "2023-02-02", 
           “backup_id”:”sede-09191-fet” 
         } 
       } 
     ] 
   } 
 ] } 
var jsonUntil = new JSON(); var input = jsonUntil.encode(payload); 
var output = SNC.IdentificationEngineScriptableApi.createOrUpdateCI('ServiceNow', input); gs.print(output);
    sys_security_acl Reports and user access.
    sys_ui_related Multisource configuration, default forms.

    Columns in cmdb_backup_storage_information

    Table 2. Columns in cmdb_backup_storage_information
    Column Description

    Backup Configuration Status

    [backup_config_status]

    String (choice)

    • Backup Disabled [False, default]: CI has not been configured for regular backup.
    • Backup Enabled [True]: CI has policies and configurations defined in the backup system, service, or appliance for regular backups
    • Unknown
    • Not Applicable
    • Planned
    • Not Planned
    Last Successful Backup [last_successful_backup]

    glide_date_time

    Date and time of last successful backup. Platform-specific value that can be either the start or end of the backup attempt as reported by the platform API. If ambiguous, use the start time of the backup attempt.
    Last Backup Attempt [last_backup_attempt]

    glide_date_time

    Date and time of the last successful or failed backup attempt. Platform-specific value that can be either the start or the end of the backup attempt as reported by the platform API. If ambiguous, use the start time of the backup attempt.

    For a successful backup, both last_backup and last_backup_attempt will have the same value.

    Execution Mode [backup_execution_mode]

    String (choice)

    • Manual: Run as needed.
    • Automatic: Run periodically.
    • Unknown
    sys_domain and sys_domain_path

    glide columns

    Values copied from cmdb_ci.
    managed_by and managed_by_group Values copied from cmdb_ci.
    Backup Source [backup_source_ configuration_item]

    reference (ci)

    Backup status details for the referenced CI being backed up.
    Backup Source ID [backup_source_id]

    String (1024)

    Backup Service source identifier for the CI. Identifies the CI in external/internal backup service such as host_id, vcenter_id, instance_id, and db_id.
    Backup Service [backup_service_ configuration_item]

    reference (ci)

    Reference to the CSDM technical service that hosts the external or internal backup system, service, or appliance.

    Recovery Point Objective [recovery_point_objective]

    Duration

    Time that can elapse between backups and the acceptable amount of data loss.