CIS-DF Ingest — Timed 20 Questions

Question 1

During a Discovery run, a Linux server is identified, but its associated IP interfaces are missing from the cmdb_ci_ip_address table. Reviewing the payload processor logs shows an IRE payload error regarding related items. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

20 minute time limit — choose an answer to begin.

Accepted Answer

The identification rule for the IP address class lacks a valid criteria definition matching the hardware CI.. Identification rules for related lists or embedded objects in the payload must include valid relation identifiers, or the payload structure must correctly define parent-child relationships.

Answer

Discovery schedules do not support ingesting IP addresses automatically.

Answer

The cmdb_ci_ip_address table requires manual creation of records due to security restrictions.

Answer

Data Source Precedence has marked IP addresses as read-only.

Question 2

Which ServiceNow table stores the historical relationship between a CI and the various data sources that have updated its attributes, supporting the Data Source Precedence framework?

Accepted Answer

sys_object_source. The cmdb_ci_discovered_items or sys_object_source table tracks the relationship between CIs and their external ingestion sources.

Answer

cmdb_health_result

Answer

sys_import_set_row

Answer

cmdb_rel_ci

Question 3

A team is building a custom REST API integration that accepts incoming configuration items. They decide to use the Scripted REST API feature. Within the script of the REST resource, how should they invoke the IRE to process the incoming JSON body correctly?

Accepted Answer

Use `sn_cmdb.IdentificationEngine.createOrUpdateCI(discoverySource, payload)` within the script.. Scripted REST APIs can invoke the IRE using the `JSONUtil` or `sn_cmdb.IdentificationEngine` script includes.

Answer

Use the Import Set Web Service table API directly.

Answer

Instantiate a GlideRecord on `cmdb_ci` and call `.insert()` for each item in the JSON body.

Answer

Call `current.update()` after mapping the JSON properties to the request object.

Question 4

An architect is reviewing an integration that populates network gear into the CMDB. The integration payload includes both the physical chassis and installed line cards. The implementer wants to ensure that if a line card is removed from the chassis in the physical world, its relationship in the CMDB is automatically cleaned up when the integration runs. Which feature supports this behavior?

Accepted Answer

Configure the payload payload structure to mark the relationship as dependent, allowing the IRE to handle stale child relationships.. Configuring the payload structure to mark the relationship as dependent allows the IRE to handle stale child relationships by automatically removing them when the parent no longer includes the child. This is achieved through the IRE's dependent relationship processing, which ensures that if a line card is not present in the payload, its relationship to the chassis is deleted. This feature supports dynamic infrastructure changes without manual intervention.

Answer

Set the Data Source Precedence for line cards to 'Delete on Sync'.

Answer

Write a scheduled job to delete all line cards every night before the integration runs.

Answer

Enable 'Cascade Delete' on the cmdb_rel_ci dictionary entry.

Question 5

An administrator wants to view the list of all registered discovery sources in ServiceNow. Which table stores these discovery source definitions?

Accepted Answer

discovery_source. Discovery sources are tracked in the Discovery Source table (`discovery_source` or managed via reference definitions).

Answer

sys_data_source

Answer

cmdb_rel_ci

Answer

cmdb_ci

Question 6

An enterprise wants to ensure that data ingested via manual spreadsheets cannot overwrite critical network attributes populated by automated network discovery. Where should an administrator configure this restriction?

Accepted Answer

CI Class Manager -> Data Source Precedence. Attribute-level overwrite protection between different data sources is managed via Data Source Precedence rules.

Answer

Discovery Schedule Properties

Answer

Data Policies on cmdb_ci

Answer

Import Set Transform Map Field Maps

Question 7

An administrator is configuring Data Source Precedence rules and notices unexpected attribute overwrites. Which THREE of the following conditions or settings can influence how Data Source Precedence behaves? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

The exact case-sensitive string value used for the discovery source in the payload.. Option A is correct because Data Source Precedence matches the discovery source by the exact case-sensitive string value supplied in the payload, so a mismatch in casing or spelling causes the rule not to apply and attributes may be overwritten unexpectedly. Option B is correct because precedence handling depends on whether the payload provides values for empty or null attributes; if a lower-priority source sends a null or empty value and the rule does not account for it, the existing value can be cleared or overwritten. Option E is correct because precedence rules can be defined at the parent class level and overridden at a child class level, and the effective rule for the CI's actual class determines which source wins. Option C is not relevant because the number of active user sessions has no effect on Data Source Precedence evaluation. Option D is not relevant because identification rule criteria determine CI matching and creation, not the precedence logic that decides which source's attribute value is retained.

Answer

The number of active user sessions currently logged into the ServiceNow instance.

Answer

Whether the attribute being updated is included in the class's identification rule criteria.

Question 8

An organization is using ServiceNow Discovery to populate servers, but they also have an automated script that injects server maintenance windows into a custom attribute on the server CIs via the IRE. The automated script runs every 15 minutes, whereas Discovery runs nightly. The administrator notices that the maintenance window attribute is frequently wiped out after the nightly Discovery run. What is the most effective way to protect the maintenance window attribute from being overwritten?

Accepted Answer

Configure a Data Source Precedence rule giving the custom script's discovery source a higher priority than 'ServiceNow' for the maintenance window attribute.. Data Source Precedence rules allow you to specify which discovery source has priority for specific attributes. By giving the custom script's discovery source higher priority than 'ServiceNow' for the maintenance window attribute, the script's value will not be overwritten by Discovery.

Answer

Disable the maintenance window field mapping in the Discovery schedule properties.

Answer

Set the Discovery schedule to run before the custom script.

Answer

Remove the maintenance window attribute from the cmdb_ci table dictionary.

Question 9

A CMDB administrator is configuring a Service Graph Connector for Microsoft Azure to ingest virtual machines. They need to ensure that when a VM is deleted in Azure, the corresponding CI in ServiceNow is marked as absent rather than immediately deleted. Which setting should they configure in the Service Graph Connector?

Accepted Answer

Set the 'Absence detection' option to 'Mark as absent'.. The Service Graph Connector for Azure includes a built-in absence detection capability. Setting it to 'Mark as absent' ensures that when a VM is no longer discovered in Azure, the corresponding CI is not deleted but flagged as absent. This preserves historical data and relationships while accurately reflecting the VM's status.

Answer

Configure a scheduled job to run a script that sets the 'install status' to 'Retired'.

Answer

Modify the IRE identification rule to ignore missing CIs.

Answer

Enable the 'Delete' operation in the connector's data mapping.

Question 10

An administrator is preparing to ingest data from a third-party system into the CMDB using a REST API. They want to ensure that the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE) is invoked during the ingestion process. Which TWO methods should they use? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Use the 'CMDBIdentificationAndReconciliation' Scripted REST API endpoint.. The CMDB API with 'sysparm_ire=true' and the CMDB Identification and Reconciliation Scripted REST API endpoint both explicitly invoke IRE during ingestion. These methods are designed for API-based integrations and ensure that incoming data is processed through IRE, maintaining CMDB integrity.

Answer

Use a Scheduled Data Import with a Transform Map that has 'Coalesce' enabled.

Answer

Create an Import Set with a Transform Map that uses the 'IRE' transform script.

Answer

Use the 'IdentificationEngine' JavaScript API directly in a business rule.

Question 11

An administrator notices that a manual update made to a server's 'Asset tag' attribute by an IT agent is constantly overwritten during the nightly Discovery run, even though Discovery does not directly scan the asset tag. How is this behavior controlled and how should it be resolved?

Accepted Answer

Configure Data Source Precedence to give 'Manual' or a higher-ranking source precedence over 'ServiceNow' for the 'Asset tag' attribute.. Data Source Precedence in ServiceNow CMDB determines which data source wins when multiple sources update the same CI attribute. By default, 'ServiceNow' (Discovery) may have higher precedence than 'Manual' for certain attributes, causing manual edits to be overwritten. Configuring Data Source Precedence to rank 'Manual' higher than 'ServiceNow' for the 'Asset tag' attribute ensures manual updates persist.

Answer

Check the 'No-Delete' flag on the Discovery Schedule record.

Answer

Disable the 'Asset tag' field mapping in the IRE payload processor script.

Answer

Set the cmdb_ci table to read-only for the Discovery integration user via ACLs.

Question 12

An implementer is setting up a new integration using IntegrationHub to ingest network switch data into the CMDB. Which API should be utilized within the script or action to ensure that the payload passes through deduplication and reconciliation checks?

Accepted Answer

SNC.IdentificationEngine.createOrUpdate(). SNC.IdentificationEngine.createOrUpdate() is the JavaScript API that submits a payload to the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE), which applies identification rules, deduplication, and reconciliation before inserting or updating CIs. This is the correct way to ensure ingested data respects CMDB governance. Direct inserts bypass IRE entirely.

Answer

RestMessageV2.execute()

Answer

CMDBAPI.ingest()

Answer

GlideRecord.insert()

Question 13

An architect is designing an integration to ingest virtual machines from a custom cloud provider into the CMDB using Robust Transform Engine (RTE). The payload contains nested objects representing datastores attached to each VM. How should the RTE be configured to handle these related child objects?

Accepted Answer

Configure RTE Related Item Processors to define the relationship and map fields from the nested datastore object to the target relationship table.. RTE (Robust Transform Engine) handles nested JSON objects through Related Item Processors, which are configured on the Transform Map to define the relationship between the parent record and child records, and to map fields from the nested object to the target relationship table. This is the native RTE mechanism for parsing hierarchical payloads without pre-flattening.

Answer

Set the coalesce field on the Transform Map to point to the datastore ID.

Answer

Flatten the JSON payload in a Business Rule before it reaches the Import Set table.

Answer

Create two separate import set tables and link them using a standard GlideRecord script in a Transform Map.

Question 14

A healthcare enterprise uses both ServiceNow Discovery and a third-party asset management tool to update server records in the CMDB. The third-party tool frequently populates stale operational status data. Using Data Source Precedence rules, how can the administrator ensure that ServiceNow Discovery always overrides the third-party tool for the 'Operational status' attribute on Linux servers?

Accepted Answer

Navigate to CI Class Manager, select cmdb_ci_linux_server, and configure Data Source Precedence to assign a higher priority to 'ServiceNow' than the third-party source for 'Operational status'.. Data Source Precedence rules in ServiceNow allow administrators to define which data source wins when multiple sources update the same CI attribute. By navigating to CI Class Manager, selecting the cmdb_ci_linux_server class, and configuring Data Source Precedence for the 'Operational status' attribute, the administrator can assign a higher priority to 'ServiceNow' (Discovery) than the third-party source. This ensures that when both sources provide data, Discovery's value is authoritative, overriding the stale third-party data.

Answer

Add a Business Rule on cmdb_ci that checks the sys_updated_by field and aborts updates from the third-party source.

Answer

Modify the Discovery schedule to run after the third-party integration job completes.

Answer

Create an Access Control List (ACL) that restricts write access on the cmdb_ci_linux_server table for the third-party integration user.

Question 15

An administrator is configuring a new Import Set to ingest third-party server data into the cmdb_ci_server table. During testing, they notice that records are being inserted as duplicates rather than updating existing CIs because the incoming payload lacks a unique identifier match. Which component should be configured to ensure the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE) correctly identifies the existing CI?

Accepted Answer

Configure an Identification Rule in CI Class Manager for cmdb_ci_server.. The Identification and Reconciliation Engine uses Identification Rules defined per CI class in CI Class Manager to determine whether an incoming record matches an existing CI. If no Identification Rule is configured for cmdb_ci_server (or the rule's identifier entries don't match the incoming payload), the IRE cannot find a match and inserts a new record, producing duplicates. Configuring the appropriate Identification Rule — for example, using serial number, name, or a combination — allows the IRE to correctly match and update the existing CI.

Answer

Modify the coalesce setting on the Transform Map to use serial number.

Answer

Enable 'Robust Transform Engine' on the data source properties.

Answer

Create a Data Source Precedence rule for the import set.

Question 16

When reviewing the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE) payload processing results, an administrator notices an error stating 'Mandatory attributes missing for identification'. What does this error signify?

Accepted Answer

The incoming payload lacks one or more attributes specified in the identification rule criteria for that class.. The error 'Mandatory attributes missing for identification' means the incoming payload does not contain one or more attributes that the identification rule for that CI class requires to match against existing records. Without those attributes, IRE cannot determine whether the CI already exists, so it rejects the identification attempt.

Answer

The Transform Map is missing mandatory field mappings.

Answer

The target CI table has mandatory dictionary fields that are not populated by the form layout.

Answer

The Discovery source name is invalid.

Question 17

An organization uses Service Mapping to map a critical e-commerce application. During mapping, a custom web server process is discovered on a host, but it fails to establish a relationship with the underlying software installation. Where should the administrator verify or configure the identification rules for process classification and mapping?

Accepted Answer

In Service Mapping Configuration, review and adjust Process Classifiers and Application Patterns.. Process classification and identification for Service Mapping are configured via Application Patterns and Process Classifiers within Service Mapping configuration.

Answer

In Robust Transform Engine (RTE) definitions, map the process table to the software installation table.

Answer

In CI Class Manager, modify the Identification Rule for cmdb_ci_appl.

Answer

In Data Source Precedence rules, set Discovery as the primary source for process tables.

Question 18

Which ServiceNow utility should an administrator use to view and test identification rules, simulated payloads, and payload processing results for troubleshooting CI ingestion issues?

Accepted Answer

IRE Test Payload module (or Debug IRE). The IRE Test Payload module (or Debug IRE) is specifically designed to test identification rules, simulate payloads, and view processing results, making it the correct tool for troubleshooting CI ingestion issues. It allows administrators to validate how the Identification and Reconciliation Engine will process incoming data without affecting the production CMDB. This utility provides detailed logs and outcomes for each payload, helping diagnose why CIs are not being identified or reconciled correctly.

Answer

Discovery Log Analyzer

Answer

Transform Map Simulator

Answer

Service Mapping Workbench

Question 19

An organization is ingesting printer CIs from a legacy asset system via Import Sets. Some incoming records contain a serial number with leading/trailing whitespace, causing the IRE to treat them as distinct CIs rather than matching existing ones. Where can data normalization be applied to clean this data before it reaches the IRE?

Accepted Answer

Use Robust Transform Engine (RTE) field transformations (such as Trim or Regex) during the data ingestion mapping phase.. The Robust Transform Engine (RTE) is the ServiceNow data transformation framework that runs during the Import Set transform mapping phase, before records are handed to the IRE. RTE field transformations such as Trim, Regex, or custom transform functions can strip leading/trailing whitespace from the serial number field so the cleaned value is what the IRE evaluates against identification rules. Because normalization happens upstream of identification, existing CIs match correctly and no duplicates are created.

Answer

Modify the IRE Identification Rule to automatically ignore whitespace.

Answer

Write a Client Script on the target cmdb_ci table to strip whitespace upon insert.

Answer

Configure a Data Policy to reject records containing whitespace.

Question 20

An enterprise has multiple disjointed data sources feeding network gear into the CMDB. Source A provides high-accuracy IP data, while Source B provides high-accuracy serial numbers. However, their discovery source names differ slightly in casing and format across jobs. How does the IRE handle discovery source strings during reconciliation?

Accepted Answer

Discovery source strings are case-sensitive and must be standardized; inconsistent naming causes the IRE to treat them as distinct data sources, bypassing intended precedence rules.. The IRE (Identification and Reconciliation Engine) treats discovery source strings as case-sensitive identifiers. If Source A is named 'SourceA' and Source B is named 'sourcea', the IRE considers them distinct data sources, which means precedence rules configured for one will not apply to the other. This can cause the IRE to bypass intended source precedence and produce inconsistent reconciliation results, so administrators must standardize discovery source naming.

Answer

The IRE maps discovery sources based on IP address ranges rather than the discovery source string.

Answer

The IRE automatically normalizes all discovery source strings to lowercase and strips special characters.

Answer

Discovery source names only affect reporting and have no impact on IRE reconciliation behavior.