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    Home Paris Now Platform App Engine Now Platform App Engine Application tools System update sets

    System update sets

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    System update sets

    An update set is a group of configuration changes that can be moved from one instance to another. This feature allows administrators to group a series of changes into a named set and then move them as a unit to other systems for testing or deployment.

    An update set is an XML file that contains:

    • A set of record details that uniquely identify the update set.
    • A list of configuration changes.
    • A state that determines whether another instance can retrieve and apply configuration changes.
    Update sets track changes to applications and system platform features. This allows developers to create new functionality on a non-production instance and promote the changes to another instance.
    Warning: Update sets allow moving changes between instances that may be running different family release versions and different features. You can always load an update set created on an older family release on an instance running a newer family release. Loading an update set created on a newer family release on an instance running an older family release requires additional testing to determine compatibility. Updates from newer family releases may not produce the same functionality when moved to older family releases. In extreme cases, newer family release updates may cause outages or data loss on an older family release instance. Where possible, avoid moving updates from newer family releases to older family releases. Similar constraints apply to moving updates between instances running different versions of ServiceNow Store apps.

    System properties

    Administrators can exclude system properties from update sets by making them private. Keeping system properties private prevents settings in one instance from overwriting values in another instance. For example, you may not want a system property in a production instance to use a particular value from a development instance. See Add a system property.

    Applications

    Application developers have additional options with update sets such as:

    • Create an update set for a specific version of an application.
    • Specify which application tables to track in update sets.

    Update set tables

    Each update set is stored in the Update Set [sys_update_set] table, and the customizations that are associated with the update set, which are entries in the Customer Update [sys_update_xml] table, appear as a related list on the update set record.

    When a tracked object is customized, a corresponding record is added or updated in the Customer Update [sys_update_xml] table and is associated with the user current update set. The associated application file properties are tracked and transferred along with the customized object in a single update record. A corresponding record is also added to the Versions [sys_update_version] table.

    The Customer Update table contains one record per customized object, per update set. The Versions table contains one record per change to a customized object.
    • Administrators can compare two versions and revert to a specific version of an object.
    • Administrators can suppress versions for specific tables.
    • Administrators can specify fields on tracked tables that you can change without skipping updates to the rest of the record (exclude the field from the update).
    Note: Do not directly modify Customer Updates [sys_update_xml] records.
    • Customizations tracked by update sets

      Update sets can track customizations to application tables, fields, and records.

    • Default update set

      Only one update set can be the default set for any application scope.

    • Get started with update sets

      Because update sets make changes to an instance, review this information to avoid errors and performance issues. Learn how to plan the update process and avoid common mistakes.

    • Update set administration

      Manage how update sets store, retrieve, preview, and apply configuration changes between instances.

    • Update set use

      These procedures help you manage your customizations and resolve potential collisions before you move them to another instance.

    • Update set transfers

      When an update set is completed, you can transfer it between instances to move customizations from development, through testing, and into production.

    • Update set batching

      Batch update sets enable you to group update sets together so you can preview and commit them in bulk.

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      System update sets

      • Save as PDF Selected topic Topic & subtopics All topics in contents
      • Unsubscribe Log in to subscribe to topics and get notified when content changes.
      • Share this page

      System update sets

      An update set is a group of configuration changes that can be moved from one instance to another. This feature allows administrators to group a series of changes into a named set and then move them as a unit to other systems for testing or deployment.

      An update set is an XML file that contains:

      • A set of record details that uniquely identify the update set.
      • A list of configuration changes.
      • A state that determines whether another instance can retrieve and apply configuration changes.
      Update sets track changes to applications and system platform features. This allows developers to create new functionality on a non-production instance and promote the changes to another instance.
      Warning: Update sets allow moving changes between instances that may be running different family release versions and different features. You can always load an update set created on an older family release on an instance running a newer family release. Loading an update set created on a newer family release on an instance running an older family release requires additional testing to determine compatibility. Updates from newer family releases may not produce the same functionality when moved to older family releases. In extreme cases, newer family release updates may cause outages or data loss on an older family release instance. Where possible, avoid moving updates from newer family releases to older family releases. Similar constraints apply to moving updates between instances running different versions of ServiceNow Store apps.

      System properties

      Administrators can exclude system properties from update sets by making them private. Keeping system properties private prevents settings in one instance from overwriting values in another instance. For example, you may not want a system property in a production instance to use a particular value from a development instance. See Add a system property.

      Applications

      Application developers have additional options with update sets such as:

      • Create an update set for a specific version of an application.
      • Specify which application tables to track in update sets.

      Update set tables

      Each update set is stored in the Update Set [sys_update_set] table, and the customizations that are associated with the update set, which are entries in the Customer Update [sys_update_xml] table, appear as a related list on the update set record.

      When a tracked object is customized, a corresponding record is added or updated in the Customer Update [sys_update_xml] table and is associated with the user current update set. The associated application file properties are tracked and transferred along with the customized object in a single update record. A corresponding record is also added to the Versions [sys_update_version] table.

      The Customer Update table contains one record per customized object, per update set. The Versions table contains one record per change to a customized object.
      • Administrators can compare two versions and revert to a specific version of an object.
      • Administrators can suppress versions for specific tables.
      • Administrators can specify fields on tracked tables that you can change without skipping updates to the rest of the record (exclude the field from the update).
      Note: Do not directly modify Customer Updates [sys_update_xml] records.
      • Customizations tracked by update sets

        Update sets can track customizations to application tables, fields, and records.

      • Default update set

        Only one update set can be the default set for any application scope.

      • Get started with update sets

        Because update sets make changes to an instance, review this information to avoid errors and performance issues. Learn how to plan the update process and avoid common mistakes.

      • Update set administration

        Manage how update sets store, retrieve, preview, and apply configuration changes between instances.

      • Update set use

        These procedures help you manage your customizations and resolve potential collisions before you move them to another instance.

      • Update set transfers

        When an update set is completed, you can transfer it between instances to move customizations from development, through testing, and into production.

      • Update set batching

        Batch update sets enable you to group update sets together so you can preview and commit them in bulk.

      Tags:

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