CMDB Vs CMDB_CI

[Chetna]

If I check the ServiceNow Tables document its states cmdb_ci is the base table while when we go to ServiceNow to can create a Transform Map, there is one more table that shows up as target table - Base Configuration Item [cmdb], screenshot attached.

Why does this Base Configuration Item table exists, there is no mention of it in the ServiceNow document. Please advise as it seems I am missing a concept here - https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/paris-servicenow-platform/page/product/configuration-management/reference/cmdb-tables-details.html 

In the link above cmdb_ci is described as base configuration item (screenshot attached), its pretty ambiguous. Please clarify 🙂 Thank you in advance.

[MrMuhammad]

Hi @Chetna,

• The Base Configuration Item [cmdb] table, which is the core CMDB table for non IT CIs.
• The Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] core table, which stores the basic attributes of all the CIs. The admin, itil, or asset user role is required to access this table.

Reference: https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_question&sys_id=080366f6dbe8c050feb1a851ca96...

Hope that helps!

Regards,

Muhammad

[Khalnayak]

Hi Chetna,

cmdb is a table which is parent table of cmdb_ci. We call cmdb as a base table which is most likely used for baseline properties.

cmdb_ci is a table which we use to extend any new custom table if you want but not cmdb table. If you want to add attributes to whole cmdb then you add it on this table not on cmdb table.

There used to be only one BASE table cmdb_ci, there was no cmdb table prior to Jakarta.

During the Jakarta upgrade, the cmdb_ci table went through a migration process called Table Per Partition, and cmdb table was introduced as the base table of cmdb_ci.

This was introduced to improve Overall performance of cmdb tables.

https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_blog&sys_id=64bc6a25dbd0dbc01dcaf3231f961916...

[Hitoshi Ozawa]

Try looking at table's schema map show the relationship between tables.

From Application Navigator, open "System Definition" > "Tables". Select a table. Click on "Show Schema Map" in the "Related Links" section.

Following is a schema map of table "cmdb". Also, try looking at the schema map of the some ci classes.

[Sergio43]

According with ServiceNow, All technical Configuration Items should be extended from cmdb_ci. Cmdb table can be used for extending non technical configuration items such as equipment.

Source: ITSM Implementation course, module 2