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.
During a CMDB audit, an administrator discovers that some CIs have a 'sys_class_name' of 'cmdb_ci' instead of a specific subclass like 'cmdb_ci_server'. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The identification rule is incorrectly configured to map to the base table.
The most likely cause is an incorrectly configured identification rule that maps the CI to the base table 'cmdb_ci' instead of a specific subclass. Identification rules determine how CIs are matched and created; if the rule's 'Table' field is set to 'cmdb_ci' rather than a subclass like 'cmdb_ci_server', all new CIs matching that rule will be created at the base class level, losing subclass-specific attributes and relationships.
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.
✗
The administrator manually changed the class field to 'cmdb_ci'.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, manual change is unlikely to be the cause of multiple CIs.
✗
The CI was created by Discovery and the sensor failed to classify it.
Why it's wrong here
Discovery typically sets the correct class; failure would result in a status of 'unclassified', not necessarily a base table record.
✓
The identification rule is incorrectly configured to map to the base table.
Why this is correct
If identification rules or scripts directly create records in cmdb_ci without subclass, the CI will have sys_class_name 'cmdb_ci'.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The CI has been retired and the class was reset.
Why it's wrong here
Retiring a CI does not change its class.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume Discovery sensors are solely responsible for classification, but the identification rule's table setting is the primary driver for the CI's class assignment, and a misconfigured rule can override sensor classification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, ServiceNow's CMDB uses a single-table inheritance model where all CIs are stored in the 'cmdb_ci' table, and subclassing is implemented via the 'sys_class_name' field and class hierarchy. When an identification rule is configured with a base table (e.g., 'cmdb_ci'), the system creates the CI record directly in that table without triggering the subclass-specific business rules, scripts, or attributes. In real-world scenarios, this often occurs when administrators copy identification rules from one environment to another without updating the table field, leading to a 'flat' CMDB where all CIs appear as generic 'cmdb_ci' entries, breaking reporting and relationship mapping.
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: The identification rule is incorrectly configured to map to the base table. — The most likely cause is an incorrectly configured identification rule that maps the CI to the base table 'cmdb_ci' instead of a specific subclass. Identification rules determine how CIs are matched and created; if the rule's 'Table' field is set to 'cmdb_ci' rather than a subclass like 'cmdb_ci_server', all new CIs matching that rule will be created at the base class level, losing subclass-specific attributes and relationships.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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