Urgent: CSA Exam - Xanadu to Yokohama Release Transition Concerns (Need Prep Guidance)

[gagan930]

Hello ServiceNow Community,

I'm currently preparing for my Certified System Administrator (CSA) exam and have an urgent concern regarding the upcoming release transition.

I've extensively studied for the CSA exam using materials aligned with the Xanadu release (specifically, I've thoroughly read the SNAF book).

My exam is currently scheduled for July 23rd, 2025. I've recently become aware that the last date to take the CSA exam on the Xanadu version is July 15th, 2025. After this date, only the Yokohama release exam will be available.

I cannot reschedule my exam to July 15th or before, as I need this full time to adequately revise all the core concepts. I understand I have the option to reschedule my exam further out if absolutely necessary, but my current plan is to take it on July 23rd. Therefore, I will definitely be taking the Yokohama release version of the exam.

My main question is: How should I best and most efficiently prepare for the Yokohama release version of the CSA exam, given that my primary study has been on Xanadu and I have limited time until July 23rd?

I understand that the core concepts remain largely the same, but I'm looking for specific guidance on:

• What are the most critical new features or enhancements in Yokohama that a CSA candidate absolutely must know?

• Are there specific areas (e.g., UI, Now Assist/AI features, platform capabilities, security changes) where the Yokohama changes are most impactful for the CSA exam?

• What's the most efficient way to bridge this knowledge gap in the remaining time?

Any advice, tips, or recommended resources (beyond just reading the full release notes, which I plan to do) from those who have successfully transitioned between releases or have insights into the Yokohama CSA exam content would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help and understanding!

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 Nothing to worry about — only around 20–30 questions might change, and this is based on my experience. So don’t stress, your preparation is good enough.

[Nikhil Bajaj9 · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 ,

Dont worry, not many questions will change. Only few questions related to Yokohama release willbe there, else you will find rest of the admin concepts as same. Go through the release note of the Yokohama and see what new features are there, read about those and be prepare for exam. good luck.

Regards,

Nikhil Bajaj

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 

However, with 60 questions on the exam, 20-30 potential changes still feel like a significant portion to me, especially since those could be new concepts I haven't specifically studied yet.

Atul: You're assuming 20–30 questions is a big number, but in my 10 years in the ServiceNow ecosystem, I've rarely seen more than 2–3 questions get changed. Also, I feel you're worrying unnecessarily. Just focus on preparing well. The eBook is the single source of truth and your best resource. So, the best thing you can do is prepare thoroughly and go for the exam. The more you overthink, the more you'll stress.

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 Nothing to worry about — only around 20–30 questions might change, and this is based on my experience. So don’t stress, your preparation is good enough.

[gagan930]

Hi Sir,

Thanks so much for your reply and for sharing your experience! It's definitely reassuring to hear that the core content likely remains largely the same, and I appreciate you saying my preparation should be good enough.

However, with 60 questions on the exam, 20-30 potential changes still feel like a significant portion to me, especially since those could be new concepts I haven't specifically studied yet.

I'm keen to ensure I'm as prepared as possible and don't want to be caught off guard by these new questions.

Could you clarify where these new questions typically focus in a new release? Knowing which Yokohama areas to prioritize would be a huge help.

Thanks again!

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 

However, with 60 questions on the exam, 20-30 potential changes still feel like a significant portion to me, especially since those could be new concepts I haven't specifically studied yet.

Atul: You're assuming 20–30 questions is a big number, but in my 10 years in the ServiceNow ecosystem, I've rarely seen more than 2–3 questions get changed. Also, I feel you're worrying unnecessarily. Just focus on preparing well. The eBook is the single source of truth and your best resource. So, the best thing you can do is prepare thoroughly and go for the exam. The more you overthink, the more you'll stress.

[Nikhil Bajaj9 · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 ,

Dont worry, not many questions will change. Only few questions related to Yokohama release willbe there, else you will find rest of the admin concepts as same. Go through the release note of the Yokohama and see what new features are there, read about those and be prepare for exam. good luck.

Regards,

Nikhil Bajaj