ServiceNow moves its backend off MariaDB to homebrew Postgres

SaaSy workflow vendor ServiceNow has opted for a different database to back its applications, and will introduce it this week along with the new "Xanadu" release.

Each ServiceNow client runs its own instance of the company's wares, an arrangement the vendor prefers as it means customers' data is isolated and upgrades can be made when users choose rather than when fresh features they may not be ready for arrive. This reflects the fact that ServiceNow is an application - and like any application it's backed by a database.

The vendor has used MariaDB in that role for years, but in the Xanadu release of its platform ServiceNow has adopted a new database called RaptorDB that we're told is based on the open source PostgresSQL.

"This is a big deal," ServiceNow senior veep for product engineering Robert Krohn told The Register, adding that RaptorDB is based on Postgres and "proprietary technologies we acquired."

We're told that adopting the DB is a "seamless drop-in" which requires a guided data migration process that won't take long for a careful admin.

Krohn told us the DB overhaul was needed because ServiceNow has noticed its customers generate a lot more data and are keen on the SaaS app performing speedily.

The company claims that RaptorDB produces "a 53 percent improvement in overall transaction times, 27x faster pulling of reports, analytics, and list views, and 3x increase in transactional throughput across workflows."

Those lovely numbers come when customers use the "Pro" version of the database, a freshly laid offering that delivers better performance than the "standard" version of the software.

ServiceNow has not previously offered performance tiers for its SaaS, and users will pay for the privilege of going Pro.

The database therefore levels up ServiceNow revenue too, although the company argues the extra fee pays for itself through transaction processing power.

The Xanadu release has another toy for techies: an integrated development environment (IDE) that allows developers to use Visual Studio Code to build customizations to the Now platform, which previously only offered a scripting environment.

There's also a AI coding assistant - and more generative AI too.

Now Assist, the company's chatbot, comes in versions tuned to the needs of the Telecom, Media, and Technology (TMT) industry, financial services operators, insurers, and bankers. There's also a cut for Public Sector Digital Services.

ServiceNow has for years built vertical apps to help it grow beyond its IT Service Management roots. Xanadu adds one for retailers.

Back in the IT department, Xanadu brings expanded application portfolio management tools, and a version of Now Assist for IT Operations Management that can do things like summarize alert notices, intended to help tech teams understand the best way to respond to incidents.

The company has used the debut of Xanadu to tease a Knowledge Graph that "consolidates data management and analytics, reducing the need for manual data mapping and complex integrations."

"Knowledge Graph's GenAI capabilities will allow employees to obtain real-time personalized information for better decision-making; suppliers to collaborate more easily with reduced delays and enhanced supply chain management; and customers to get more personalized support," we're told.

The Knowledge Graph is scheduled to land in March 2025, the same time frame as ServiceNow's next release code-named "Yokohama." ®