Finally Passed my CIS -DF exam today

[AbinC]

 CIS- DF - CMDB& CSDM exam was truly a journey, for me and I am happy it was an happy ending. This was my first attempt at this as ServiceNow made it mandatory to keep all the certifications active  I was really worried reading posts and comments from people who passed stating that there are lot of  scenario questions heavily pushed in this exam.

Now that i completed the exam I would say that is somewhat untrue. 40% of the questions are straight theory and another 30-40% are like applied scenarios but not really, more like a theory question morphed into sounding like a scenario, so still kind of theory. Only like 20% of questions I feel like were actual scenarios from which an answer is not immediately obvious. My weakest 2 subjects were CSDM and apparently Insight( had some weird specific questions). Advice I would give for others:

1. Please do prepare the material from Configure the Cmdb, Ingest , Govern . Those are the easiest categories which will carry you, i got over 84 on all 3. Insight is a bit trickier because i feel like the course kind of blasts through it. CSDM  is hard... I have to admit I knew i would score the lowest in this one  . There are quite a few CSDM related questions 

2. The course quizzes are very helpful, know them perfectly. Take the CSDM quiz also , the Health deep dive quiz, all other quizzes from all the suggested courses.

3 . Read the important suggested courses at least one, the important Ines like SGC and try to memorize the top 5 most important sentences you can gather from them . I didnt feel like it went in depth in like Ingest modules or stuff like that . Just know what it does perfectly and maybe one characteristic or configuration.

4. Memorize table names, lifecycle mappings, and all others mentioned in the course. I had 3 questions on this on table names.

6. Know all the diagrams of the cycle of data in this ecosystem like how the IRE processes and all that 

7 Please do prepare below courses before attempting the same 

• Configuration Management Database (CMDB) Fundamentals
• Common Service Data Model (CSDM) Fundamentals
• CMDB Health Deep Dive
• 8Below are the weightage for each sections 

• Domain	Weight
  CMDB Fundamentals (concepts, classes, attributes, lifecycle)	~25%
  CSDM Concepts (domains, stages, mapping to CMDB)	~20%
  CMDB Data Management & Governance (Data Manager, Data Certification, policies)	~25%
  CMDB Health (completeness, correctness, compliance)	~20%
  Implementation Approach (phases, roles, data loading, maintenance)	~10%

I have appeared through Online Exam Experience (Virtual): My Honest Feedback

My exam was scheduled at 5.30 PM, but due to long wait I finally completed it at :10: 45 PM.

Issues I faced 

• System check and Nationality id Identification along with t up to 30 minutes 

• And no External camera is required now to give through Pearson, so only Front cam is enough which was smooth during my online session. 

   

  ## Final Thoughts on CIS-DF

  The CIS-DF exam is well-designed, with practical and implementation-oriented questions that genuinely test your CMDB and CSDM understanding. This is not an easy add-on certification—it demands clarity, experience, and reasoning, especially since there are no ready-made exam resources yet.

  ### If you’re planning to take CIS-DF:
  - Strengthen your CMDB and CSDM fundamentals
  - Practice scenario-based thinking
  - Manage your time carefully
  - Prefer a physical test center if possible

  I hope this write-up helps members of the ServiceNow Community currently searching for guidance on CIS-DF. If you have specific questions or want to discuss preparation strategies, feel free to comment—I’ll be happy to help. Let’s learn and grow together!

[ReddySurenC]

Thanks for sharing Abin 👍 

[Sachin_Nasa]

Thank you @AbinC for taking the time to explain everything so clearly and in such detail. It truly means a lot. Many of us, including me, hesitate to appear for the exam due to a lack of clarity, and your insights have really helped clear those doubts. I’m confident that your guidance will motivate many people to start their preparation and confidently appear for the exam in the coming months. Really appreciate you sharing your experience so openly.

[AbinC]

Thanks @Sachin_Nasa for your kind words .please do mark it as helpful so it can reach to our community. 

Thanks,

Abin 

[Sachin_Nasa]

Hi @AbinC ,

I had already marked it when I first saw the post itself.
Thanks.