Sync Problems

Last Updated: September 28, 2026
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Overview

This guide helps you find and fix problems with data synchronization between ServiceNow and cmdbx. Sync problems usually show as missing CIs, stale data, missing relationships, or failed sync jobs.

Quick Diagnosis

Check the Sync Status

  1. Go to Settings > Sync Status.
  2. Review the job history. Each job shows its type, status, date and time, record count, and details.
  3. If a job failed, open its details to read the error message.

The error message in the job details usually names the cause. Read it before you change the configuration.

If the connection itself fails, see Connection Issues.

Sync Failures

Error: "Authentication error"

The ServiceNow credentials are wrong, locked, or expired.

  1. Go to Settings > ServiceNow.
  2. Click Test Connection.
  3. Fix the credentials. See Connection Issues.
  4. Run the sync again.

Error: "429 Too Many Requests" or API quota errors

ServiceNow limits the API capacity for the integration.

  1. Go to Settings > Sync Config and choose a less frequent schedule.
  2. Reduce the sync scope to the CI classes that you need.
  3. Schedule syncs outside peak ServiceNow usage.
  4. Ask your ServiceNow administrator whether other integrations use the same capacity.

Sync Timeout or a Very Long Sync

  1. Reduce the sync scope to the CI classes that you need.
  2. Make sure that ServiceNow is not in a maintenance window.
  3. Run the sync again outside peak hours.
  4. If the problem continues, contact [email protected] with the job details.

Missing Data

CIs Do Not Appear in cmdbx

  1. Check the CI classes in scope. Go to Settings > Sync Config. Make sure that the class of the missing CI is selected.
  2. Check the permissions. The service account must be able to read the class table. Test a read of the table in the ServiceNow REST API Explorer.
  3. Check the environment. Make sure that the active environment connects to the ServiceNow instance that contains the CI.
  4. Run a full sync. Go to Settings > Sync Status and click Execute Sync Job.

Relationships Are Missing

cmdbx keeps a relationship only when both CIs are in the sync scope.

  1. Make sure that the classes of both CIs are selected in Settings > Sync Config.
  2. Make sure that the service account can read cmdb_rel_ci and cmdb_rel_type.
  3. Fix invalid relationships in ServiceNow, for example relationships that point to deleted CIs.
  4. Run a full sync.

Data Is Stale

  1. Check the last sync time. The top bar and Settings > Sync Status show it.
  2. Check the schedule. Go to Settings > Sync Config and review Automated Sync Schedule. Look at Next Scheduled Sync and Last Automated Sync.
  3. Run a full sync. Go to Settings > Sync Status and click Execute Sync Job. If the data updates after a full sync, but not after scheduled syncs, contact [email protected].
  4. Check ServiceNow. Examine the Updated time of the CI in ServiceNow. If ServiceNow is also stale, the problem is in ServiceNow discovery or another integration.

Sync Duration

The first sync is a full sync. Later scheduled syncs are incremental. They sync the changed CIs only.

The duration of a sync depends on the number of CIs, the CI classes in scope, and your ServiceNow API capacity. A small CMDB can sync in minutes. A very large CMDB can take several hours for its first full sync.

To shorten a sync:

  • Sync only the CI classes that you need.
  • Schedule syncs outside peak ServiceNow usage.
  • Use a less frequent schedule for non-production environments.

Health Scores After a Sync

Health Scores Do Not Change

  1. Go to CMDB > CI Health.
  2. Click Recalculate Health.
  3. Select Current Page or All CIs.

After a direct fix, cmdbx queues a health recalculation for the affected CIs automatically.

Health Scores Look Wrong

  1. Compare the CI data in cmdbx with the data in ServiceNow. Incorrect data gives incorrect scores.
  2. Review how the score is calculated. See How Health Scores Work.
  3. Recalculate health for the CI.

See Health Score Questions for more help.

CSDM Validation After a Sync

CSDM validation needs the relationships between services and their supporting CIs.

  1. Make sure that the relationships synced. See Relationships Are Missing in this guide.
  2. Go to CSDM > Validator and run the validation again.
  3. Fix violations in ServiceNow, and then run a sync.

See CSDM Compliance.

How to Get Help

Before You Contact Support

Collect this information:

  1. The environment, for example Production.
  2. The failed job from Settings > Sync Status, with its date, time, and error details.
  3. The CI classes in scope.
  4. The sys_id of one missing or stale CI, if the problem is missing data.
  5. Recent changes to ServiceNow, credentials, or roles.

Contact Support

Email: [email protected]

Support is available during business hours, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. Never send passwords, API keys, or other secrets.

Prevention

  • Turn on sync failure alerts in Settings > Alerts.
  • Review Settings > Sync Status each week.
  • Update cmdbx immediately after you rotate ServiceNow credentials.
  • Test scope changes in a non-production environment first.

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