This an overview of how domain separation works in Connect Support and Connect Chat, and
the expected interactions across domains to support multiple tenants. Domain
separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical
groupings called domains. You can then control several aspects of this separation, including
which users can see and access data.
Overview
Support: Level 1
Domain separation is
supported in this application. Not all ServiceNow applications support domain
separation; some include limitations on the data and administrative settings that can be
domain separated. To learn more, see Application support for domain
separation.
Connect Support adheres to the standard domain separation patterns
within ServiceNow, with some exceptions. Most notably, Connect Support allows for users in a
parent or top-level domain to interact with chat_queue_entry records generated from child
domains. Users can then pose questions in specifically-labeled chat_queues directly to the
primary administrators of the instance.
Connect Chat supports data separation within domain separated
instances. Delegated administration—the ability to override configuration settings and logic in
domains—is not supported.
How domain separation works in Connect Support
Connect Support supports data separation within domain-separated instances. Delegated
administration—the ability to override configuration settings and logic in domains—is not
supported.
Connect Support is configurable by system administrators only. Configuration settings apply to
all domains. Overrides for configuration details and process logic in domains are not
supported.
After domain separation has been enabled, the following Connect Support-related tables are not
domain-separated in the base system:
-
chat_queue
-
connect_action
Records created from users in a child domain remain in the child domain to both the agent and
the user initiating the chat. Any of the following tables represent records that support the
conversation.
Table 1. Records from conversations
| Table |
Description |
chat_queue_entry |
Holds the initial question from the end user, and other metrics to determine overall
support efficiency, such as wait_time. |
live_group_profile |
Represents the conversation itself |
live_group_member |
Each individual member of the support conversation |
| Incident and other task-based records |
Any record generated from connect_actions. |
How domain separation works in Connect Chat
Configuration: Connect Chat is configurable by system administrators only. Configuration
settings apply to all domains. Overrides for configuration details and process logic in domains
are not supported.
Actions may be made available to specific domains based on condition filters set by system
administrators.
Data Management: Connect Chat messages are not assigned to a domain. Rather, visibility is
restricted to conversation participants.
Chat with users in the same domain (Supported)
- Domain visibility allows users to see other users in the same domain.
- Examples:
-
- Service Provider user may chat with another Service Provider user
- ACME user may chat with another ACME user
Parent domain user initiates chat with child domain user (Supported)
- Domain visibility allows users to see users in child domains.
- Examples:
- Service Provider user may initiate a chat with a Service Provider sub-contractor user
- ACME user may initiate a chat with ACME EMEA user
Domain user initiates chat with user in a domain where visibility has been granted
(Supported)
- Domain visibility allows the user initiating a chat to see users in the target domain.
- Examples:
- Service Provider sub-contractor user may initiate a chat with an Initech user, given
domain visibility
- Service Provider users may initiate a chat with any domain user, given the
contains relationship with the TOP domain
Sub-domain user initiates chat with Parent domain user (Not supported)
- Domain visibility does not allow users in child domains to see users in parent domains. This
means they are unable to initiate a chat session.
Administrators may configure multiple Chat Queues. Support Queues are not assigned to a
domain. Assignment groups may exist in any domain.
Any user with the appropriate link can enter a queue, regardless of the user’s domain.
Exposure of links to specific queues through the default user interface may be controlled using
domain-specific overrides. Exposure of links to specific queues through the Service Portal may
be controlled using conditions or custom coding logic.
The Reporting Dashboard contains statistics related to all queues and all agents. Statistics
are not filtered according to domain. Therefore, it is not appropriate to expose this page to
users within child domains.
Connect Support Queues are global. No domain field exists on this table and it is not suitable
for domain separation.
Connect Support messages are assigned to a domain based on the domain of the user entering the
queue. Members of the Assignment group for the queue must have domain visibility to the user
entering the queue to participate in chat sessions.
Records generated from chat sessions display based on the agent’s home domain. However, once
the record is saved with a Company value, business rules assign the newly created record to the
corresponding domain.
In the illustration above:
- The ACME support queue is configured to be available from 8-5 on weekdays. The ACME Support
group in the ACME domain provides first-level support. If more advanced support is required,
users are escalated to the Service Provider’s Service Desk queue.
- The Service Desk queue is configured to be available 24x7 and is staffed by the Service Desk
Group in the Service Provider domain. If more advanced support is required, users are escalated
to the Tier 2 Support queue in the same domain.
