SNOW-CSA Database Administration and CMDB Practice Question
A CMDB administrator notices that duplicate CIs are being created for the same server from different discovery sources. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse 'identification rules' (which prevent duplicates by uniquely matching CIs) with 'reconciliation rules' (which resolve attribute conflicts after matching), leading them to incorrectly select option C.
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
✓
The identification rules for the CI class are not correctly defined.
Duplicate CIs occur when multiple discovery sources (e.g., Service Mapping, Discovery, or cloud APIs) identify the same server but the identification rules fail to reconcile them into a single CI. Identification rules define which attributes (such as serial number, MAC address, or FQDN) uniquely identify a CI class. If these rules are missing, incomplete, or incorrectly prioritized, the system treats each discovery event as a new CI, leading to duplicates.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The identification rules for the CI class are not correctly defined.
Why this is correct
Identification rules determine how CIs are uniquely identified; misconfiguration leads to duplicates.
- ✗
The 'Prevent duplicates' flag is not enabled.
Why it's wrong here
There is no such flag; duplicates are prevented by identification rules.
- ✗
The reconciliation rules are misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
Reconciliation rules handle attribute updates, not CI identification.
- ✗
The CMDB is set to read-only mode.
Why it's wrong here
Read-only mode would prevent any updates, not cause duplicates.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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