ServiceNow provides a new release two times a year. It’s crucial to have a well organised, structured, repeatable upgrade process with an effort as low as possible. A release upgrade of ServiceNow platform is comparatively easy and short. However, it pauses development cycle and binds operation team, platform architects and product owner at some level. I use the following blueprint (see ServiceNow release upgrade infographics below) to shape a well structured maintenance procedure. It relies on the ServiceNow best practices proofed in multiple upgrades and patches.

It is important to follow ServiceNow best practices, to communicate frequently with all stakeholders like end users, developers, service owners etc., to test manually and with ATF, to automate as much as possible with post-clone scripts, and to review and improve the upgrade activities continuously.