ITIL4F Key Concepts of IT Service Management Practice Question
A company has implemented a new configuration management database (CMDB). Which ITIL practice is most directly supported by an accurate CMDB?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the tool (CMDB) with the practice (service configuration management), or they assume any practice that uses the CMDB is 'most directly supported,' when the question asks which practice is directly supported by an accurate CMDB, which is the practice that owns and maintains it.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Service configuration management
The service configuration management practice is directly responsible for maintaining accurate configuration information, including the CMDB. An accurate CMDB provides the single source of truth for configuration items (CIs) and their relationships, which is the core purpose of this practice. Without a reliable CMDB, the practice cannot fulfill its objective of supporting other ITIL practices with trustworthy data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Problem management
Why it's wrong here
Problem management aims to reduce the likelihood and impact of incidents by identifying and resolving the root causes of problems. While it leverages CMDB data to understand the relationships between CIs and potential impact areas when investigating problems, the CMDB's fundamental purpose isn't solely to support problem investigation; rather, it provides the foundational data that problem management consumes to achieve its objectives.
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Incident management
Why it's wrong here
Incident management focuses on restoring normal service operation as quickly as possible. It utilizes CMDB data to identify affected configuration items (CIs), understand their dependencies, and determine potential impact on services, thereby aiding in diagnosis and resolution. However, the CMDB's core function is to maintain an accurate record of CIs and their relationships, which incident management then consumes for operational purposes, rather than being the practice that defines or is the CMDB.
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Change enablement
Why it's wrong here
Change enablement ensures that changes are assessed, authorized, and implemented without causing undue disruption. It heavily relies on CMDB data to perform thorough impact assessments, identifying all affected CIs and services before a change is approved. While critical for change success, the CMDB itself is the repository of configuration information, and change enablement is the practice that acts upon that information to manage transitions, not the practice that defines or is the CMDB.
- ✓
Service configuration management
Why this is correct
Service configuration management is the practice of ensuring that accurate and reliable information about the configuration of services and the CIs that support them is available when and where it is needed. It is directly responsible for maintaining the Configuration Management Database (CMDB), including defining CIs, managing their attributes, and documenting their relationships, making it the primary practice that embodies the CMDB's function and purpose.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ITIL4F practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ITIL4F exam.