ServiceNow CIS-DF Exam Weightings & Topic Analysis

Prathmeshda · 4 hours ago

The ServiceNow Certified Implementation Specialist – Data Foundations (CIS-DF) exam needs a strategic mindset when it comes to the CMDB and CSDM. To pass the exam, you need to be aware of the relative weight and number of questions for each domain. This guide contains an in-depth review of the exam format, with a focus on the technical pillars that power the majority of the exam.

1. Core Exam Domains & Question Distribution

The CIS-DF exam comprises a total of 75 questions. The following table provides the official weightage, the approximate number of questions for each domain, and the key focus areas that you need to be familiar with in each domain.

Domain 1: Configuration	15%	~11 Questions	CI Class Manager (Inheritance, Attributes), Principal Classes, CSDM 5.0 7-Domain Model, Identification Rules.
Domain 2: Ingestion	19%	~14 Questions	Service Graph Connectors vs. Discovery, IRE Logic, Multisource CMDB (CMDB 360), IntegrationHub ETL.
Domain 3: Governance	35%	~26 Questions	The Heavyweight. CMDB Health (3 C's), Data Manager Policies, Attestation, Lifecycle Stage/Status mapping.
Domain 4: Insight	20%	~15 Questions	CMDB Query Builder (Complex Joins), CSDM Data Foundations Dashboard, Unified Map, Impact Analysis.
Logistics/General	11%	~9 Questions	Exam format, prerequisites, and general platform knowledge.

2. Technical Pillar Analysis

A. The Governance Pillar (Weight: 35%)

Governance is the "Heavyweight" part of the exam and deals with the long-term viability and trustworthiness of the CMDB.

CMDB Health (The 3 C's): You need to be able to distinguish between Completeness (missing information), Compliance (audits), and Correctness (duplicates, orphans, and stale CIs).
CMDB Data Manager: Learn to create policies for Attestation (validation of information with owners) and Lifecycle Management (archiving or deleting end-of-life CIs).
Lifecycle Mapping: Learn about the transition to the CSDM standard for Lifecycle Stage and Lifecycle Stage Status.

B. The Ingestion Pillar (Weight: 19%)

This pillar will test your knowledge of data entry into the CMDB while preserving integrity.

IRE Logic: In-depth knowledge of how Identification Rules avoid duplicates and Reconciliation Rules handle data priority for multiple sources.
Multisource CMDB (CMDB 360): Learn to query and compare data from multiple sources (e.g., Discovery vs. SCCM) to find missing information.

C. The Configuration Pillar (Weight: 15%)
This section will cover the CMDB and CSDM structural basics.

CI Class Manager: Learn to manage the hierarchy, inheritance, and specific configuration of Principal Classes.
CSDM 5.0 Domains: Memorize the 7 domains, including the new Ideation & Strategy and Build & Integration layers.

D. The Insight Pillar (Weight: 20%)

Extracting value and visibility from the governed CMDB data.

CMDB Query Builder: Practice building complex joins and relationships between CIs.
CSDM Data Foundations Dashboard: Use this to measure and improve your CSDM maturity level.

3. Preparation Resources from My Blog Series

For an exhaustive deep-dive into these technical pillars, refer to my specialized blog posts:

•CSDM 5.0: The Digital Transformation Roadmap

•Mastering Data Ingestion: IRE & Service Graph

•CMDB Cleanup: Classification & Deduplication

•CI Class Manager and IRE Servicenow CMDB
•Data Ingestion and Management in CMDB

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All the best to everyone giving the exam !!!

yashkamde · 44m ago

Nice Breakdown @Prathmeshda !