Data Recovery FAQs - Frequently Asked QuestionsSummary<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .mce-toc { background-color: #f7f7f7; padding: 10px; border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid #dedede; width: 70%; min-width: 500px; } This article lists the most frequently asked Data Recovery questions that ServiceNow Technical Support receive in relation to Data recovery issues when deleting or altering the data. Table of Contents Three Common Questions Can we restore PROD to latest backup?How long does it take to restore the Data?The issue is happened a month back and we realized it today.Can the data be restored? Data Recovery Basic Questions What all come under Data recovery?What can we expect from Servicenow support while data restoration?Does Servicenow help on Lower instance Data recovery issuesHow much time does it take to restore the data when no rollback option availableWhat is the data recovery scope means? Data Recovery Advanced Questions What is the difference between Customer caused DR and Servicenow Cause DRWhat details are needed from Customer to help on data recovery?What are the limitations of Data recovery? Rollback-Related Questions How to check if the rollback option is present? What is rollback with errors Why is rollback not available for the record deletion?How long is the rollback option available? Backup-Related Questions How many backups are available for our instance? What is DB logs and how are they different from backups?Can I restore my instance to previous backup if yes, how? Temp Instance related questions Why are the temp instances created? How long does it take to have the temp instances available?What is the use of these temp instances?Does ServiceNow charge customer for Temp instancesWhat is meant by SOT and testbed Three Common Questions Can we restore PROD to latest backup? Restoring PROD to the “latest backup” is not the recommended or default approach in ServiceNow. A full PROD restore from backup is a last‑resort option as It always results in data loss (delta data after the backup timestamp is lost). How long does it take to restore the Data? The time required to restore data depends on the recovery method and scope. Rollback can be relatively quick if available, but standard data recovery typically takes multiple days due to instance provisioning, investigation, and validation. It is highly impossible to provide ETA as the data restore involves multiple scenarios, processes and different layers of analysis 2. How many tables involved The issue is happened a month back and we realized it today.Can the data be restored? No — ServiceNow cannot restore the data after a month Because the issue occurred a month ago, the standard recovery options such as rollback, point‑in‑time restore, and backup‑based recovery are no longer available. ServiceNow retains backups and logs for a limited period, and that retention window has passed. At this point, recovery would only be possible if the data exists outside the production instance. Data Recovery Basic Questions What all come under Data recovery? Data Recovery in ServiceNow applies to data that was unintentionally updated or deleted within the period for which backups, rollback contexts, or transaction logs are available. Depending on the type of transaction and the recovery options applicable (such as rollback, deleted record recovery, or support‑assisted backup recovery), the affected data may be restored on a best‑effort basis. Recovery feasibility is subject to documented time‑based and technical limitations. What can we expect from Servicenow support while data restoration?? When a data restoration request is raised, ServiceNow Support provides guidance, evaluation, and best‑effort assistance within defined technical and time‑based limits. Support does not guarantee full recovery, but helps identify and execute the most appropriate recovery option available. Does Servicenow help on Lower instance Data recovery issues? ServiceNow does NOT provide data recovery support for lower (non‑production) instances. How much time does it take to restore the data when no rollback option available? When rollback is not available, ServiceNow follows the Standard Data Recovery process, and data restoration typically takes multiple days, not hours. Without rollback, recovery requires several time‑consuming steps like Investigation and scoping , Provisioning temporary instances , Data extraction and validation , change creations and Controlled restore back to Production What is the data recovery scope means? Data recovery scope defines what specific data can be evaluated, extracted, validated, and potentially restored during a data recovery effort, based on what is available within ServiceNow’s supported recovery mechanisms and retention limits. Data Recovery Advanced Questions What is the difference between Customer caused DR and Servicenow Cause DR? Customer‑caused DR refers to data loss resulting from customer actions or configurations, while ServiceNow‑caused DR refers to data issues caused by ServiceNow platform defects or activities. In both cases, data recovery is performed on a best‑effort basis using the same supported recovery mechanisms and within the same technical limitations. What details are needed from Customer to help on data recovery? To assist with data recovery, ServiceNow Support requires details on - when the issue occurred (Date and Time) - what data was impacted (Table name and the sys_id of the records) - how the issue happened (Steps that affected the deletion These inputs are used to determine recovery feasibility, define scope, and evaluate available recovery options. What are the limitations of Data recovery? Data recovery does not guarantee 100% data restoration * Preservation of all relationships, references, or history * Any data created or modified after the issue occurence to the restore point * Emails sent cannot be undone. * Audit cannot be restored in few scenarios Rollback-Related Questions How to check if the rollback option is present? ? Check the sys_id of the affected record in sys_rollback_sequence table Go to sys_rollback_sequence.FILTER Filter for Document ID as a sys_id of the deleted record. What is rollback with errors ? A rollback with errors indicates that the rollback process was executed, but some records could not be reverted due to conflicts or technical constraints. In such cases, additional investigation or alternative data recovery methods may be required Why is rollback not available for the record deletion? Rollback option is not available if : - The table is not audited for delete. - If the transaction has only updates but no deletes - If the deletion is happened directly on the Database - If the deletion is triggered from the activities that are not audited like table cleaner or Job execution or few other ways. How long is the rollback option available? Rollback is available for a limited time—typically 7 to 10 days—after which the rollback data is automatically purged. Backup-Related Questions How many backups are available for our instance? ServiceNow typically retains two weekly full backups and up to six daily differential backups per instance. What is DB logs and how are they different from backups? DB logs record every database change for short‑term point‑in‑time recovery, while backups are periodic full snapshots used for broader restoration. Can I restore my instance to previous backup if yes, how? Yes, ServiceNow can restore an instance to a previous backup if the backup is still within the retention window. However, this is a last‑resort option that restores the entire instance to the backup state, results in loss of all data created after the backup, and involves downtime. Selective or partial restores are not supported. Temp Instance -Related Questions Why are the temp instances created? Temporary instances are created to safely restore backups, validate recovered data, and compare it with the current Production state before any recovery action is taken. This ensures accuracy and minimizes risk to the Production instance during data recovery. How long does it take to have the temp instances available? It depends on the size of the Database. Provisioning of empty instance and restore the selected backup on the temporary instance will take clone time+ empty instance provisioning time if no blockers. What is the use of these temp instances? Temporary instances are created for a proof of data and data validation. We create one temp instance as a Source of data before the data issue and another one is created for testing the data restoration before restoring the data to PROD like a one level check Does ServiceNow charge customer for Temp instances No — ServiceNow does not charge customers for temporary instances that are created by ServiceNow Support as part of the data recovery process. What is meant by SOT and testbed The SOT (Source of Truth) is a temporary instance that represents the correct data state before the issue occurred, while the testbed is a temporary environment used to validate and test recovered data before applying it to Production. Both are used to ensure safe and accurate data recovery without impacting the live instance.