Chapter 1 of 5 · ServiceNow CIS-DF
Configuration
CI Class Manager, class hierarchy and attributes, the IRE, and CMDB 360 multisource CMDB configuration.
- 2topics
- 11 minfast track
- 1diagrams and exhibits
- 15%of the exam
Topics in this chapter
Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
- 1CI Class Manager and the Class HierarchyCI Class Manager for the CIS-DF exam: CMDB tables and classes, attributes, inheritance, extending a class, and the class-level…5 min
- 2The IRE and CMDB 360The IRE and CMDB 360 for the CIS-DF exam: identification rules, reconciliation and data refresh rules, data source rules, and…Diagram6 min
About this chapter
What this chapter covers
Configuration is 15% of the ServiceNow CIS-DF exam. It covers how the CMDB is shaped before data arrives: the class hierarchy and its attributes in CI Class Manager, the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE) that decides whether incoming data is a new or existing CI, and CMDB 360 (multisource CMDB), which keeps every source's reported values.
Questions are mostly "given a scenario" items: a data problem is described and you pick the class setting, rule type or feature that solves it. Some are single-answer, some are multiple-select questions that state the count, such as "(Choose two.)", and some are drag-and-drop matching. There are no exhibits.
This chapter is about where things are configured and what the platform does as a result. How Discovery or Service Mapping are set up is not tested here; they appear only as data sources that send data to the IRE.
How the topics fit together
The class comes first because every rule hangs off a class. The IRE then uses that class's identification rule to find the CI and its reconciliation rules to decide which source wins each attribute. CMDB 360 adds memory: it records what each source reported, so you can compare sources and recompute values when rules change.
- Class questions ask whether to use an existing class, extend one, or add an attribute, and where that is done.
- Identification questions ask why a duplicate appeared or why a CI was not matched.
- Reconciliation questions ask which source is authoritative for an attribute and when a lower-priority source may take over.
- CMDB 360 questions ask when keeping per-source values is worth enabling and what it unlocks.
When an answer choice offers a script or a direct table insert, look for the option that sends the data through the IRE instead. The exam rewards the path that keeps identification and reconciliation in play.
How to use these pages
Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.
- What it is: the idea in plain words.
- How it works: the mechanism, with tables and examples.
- What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorize and how questions are phrased.
- Common mistakes: the classic traps.
- Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.
Ready for more practice?
The full ServiceNow CIS-DF question bank has 769 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.
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