---
schema_version: "1"
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title: Optimizing a ServiceNow Backup Service
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/br_o_servicenow_optimize_backup.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.br_o_servicenow_optimize_backup.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: f3ec8d318fe003279b289168f06c4d872f97816ba99b455ee61ccf113fedf4a1
description: Some methods are available for reducing the duration of a ServiceNow backup. Changes you make to configurations take effect in subsequent backups.
products:
  - Security
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Optimizing a ServiceNow Backup Service

Some methods are available for reducing the duration of a ServiceNow backup. Changes you make to configurations take effect in subsequent backups.

The proposed solutions doesn’t apply to every ServiceNow instance. Use discretion before making any changes.

## API Consumption

- Limit the number of records for each API request. The default value is 4,000. Increase the limit to 6,000 and allow another backup to run. Check the backup to determine if the duration has improved and continue the process of increasing the limit while monitoring the duration of backups. Be aware that there's a greater risk of timeout errors as this limit is increased. If performance issues occur, abort the backup and decrease the limit.
- Limit the maximum number of tables to process in parallel. The default value is six. Increase the limit to eight and allow another backup to run. Check the backup to determine if the duration has improved and continue the process of increasing the limit while monitoring the duration of backups. If performance issues occur, abort the backup and decrease the limit.

For more information on API settings, see br\_o\_servicenow\_api\_consumption.

## Attachments

Limit the number of attachments downloaded in each backup . The default value is 5,000. Determine how many total attachments exist in the ServiceNow instance and increase the limit accordingly. The maximum number of attachments per backup is 50,000.

For more information on attachment settings, see [Excluding Attachments for ServiceNow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.br_o_servicenow_exclude_attachments.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create a Backup Exclusion rule to exclude attachments or limit the number of attachments downloaded per daily scheduled backup.") .