SNOW-CSA Database Administration and CMDB Practice Question
This SNOW-CSA practice question tests your understanding of database administration and cmdb. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is implementing ServiceNow CMDB and wants to ensure that all CIs in the 'Production' environment are backed up daily. What is the best practice to achieve this?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the instance's automatic daily backup
Option C is correct because ServiceNow instances have a built-in automatic daily backup feature that captures the entire instance, including all CMDB records and CIs, regardless of environment. This ensures that production CIs are backed up daily without requiring manual configuration or selective exports, aligning with best practices for data protection and disaster recovery.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Set the 'cmdb_ci' table's 'Backup' field to true
Why it's wrong here
There is no such field; backup is managed at instance level.
✗
Use the 'Export to XML' feature every night for production CIs
Why it's wrong here
Manual exports are not automated backups and can miss changes.
✓
Configure the instance's automatic daily backup
Why this is correct
ServiceNow provides automatic daily backups of the entire instance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a scheduled data export for only production CMDB records
Why it's wrong here
ServiceNow does not support selective backups; full instance backup is recommended.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse CMDB-specific data management (like exporting records) with instance-level backup, or assume that a field or table-level setting can control backup behavior, when ServiceNow's backup is an all-or-nothing instance feature.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ServiceNow's automatic daily backup is a platform-level feature that creates a full backup of the instance database, including all tables, attachments, and system properties, typically stored in a secure off-site location. This backup is managed by ServiceNow's infrastructure and is not configurable per table or CI, ensuring consistency and recoverability. In contrast, custom exports or XML tools lack transactional integrity and may not capture all CI relationships or audit trails, making them unsuitable for production environments.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the SNOW-CSA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Database Administration and CMDB — This question tests Database Administration and CMDB — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the instance's automatic daily backup — Option C is correct because ServiceNow instances have a built-in automatic daily backup feature that captures the entire instance, including all CMDB records and CIs, regardless of environment. This ensures that production CIs are backed up daily without requiring manual configuration or selective exports, aligning with best practices for data protection and disaster recovery.
What should I do if I get this SNOW-CSA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This SNOW-CSA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ServiceNow 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 SNOW-CSA exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.