To facilitate correction of domain path issues, the system provides Domain Validation where a validation job can be run to check for errors in the sys_domain paths. This ensures that the sys_domain paths point to the right place and keeps the domain sys_domain_path stored in the domain separated tables in sync with the domain table’s sys_domain_path.

Domain Validation on an instance can be accessed from the Domain Configuration page.

In previous versions of ServiceNow, a resource-intensive nightly validation job was run to fix errors in domain paths.

Starting with Kingston, the functionality of this nightly job was significantly reduced, where the nightly job only checks the consistency of the domain table, and for the presence of the sys_domain_path in all domain-enabled tables.

In Kingston and later releases, actual domain validation and fixing of domain errors can now only be run on demand by customers from the Domain Configuration page.

IMPACT: Domain hierarchy validation might take an excessive amount of time if there are a large number of records in a table. Run this when needed during off-business hours for minimal performance impact.

When the domain hierarchy changes, new paths will be computed and the changed domain path values are propagated everywhere in the system within tables that are domain separated.

For example, if we delete a domain in the hierarchy, the system automatically re-parents the child domains of the deleted domain to its parent. However the domain admin has the option to re-configure the child domains as desired. When the domains are re-configured within the hierarchy this way, the domain paths will be automatically recalculated and the system also updates all records so that they point to the right domain.

There are scenarios where domain paths may not always be in sync between the main domain table and the domain-separated tables. Domain validation becomes especially important when the domain hierarchy changes in any way.