What database table contains the Finance Tables portal?

[DeShanaB]

We recently received a dump of our database, but it's hard to locate information. Does anyone have insight into 

table configurations and could provide some insight into the table structure and cmdb?

[Matthew_13 · Accepted solution]

Yeah, a raw database dump can feel pretty overwhelming the good news is there is a structure; it’s just not obvious at first.

At a high level everything in ServiceNow is table-based, and the CMDB is built using table inheritance:

• Most CI data ultimately rolls up under the base table cmdb_ci

• Specific CI types live in child tables, servers, network devices, databases, applications.

• Those child tables inherit fields from cmdb_ci, so you won’t always see everything defined in one place

If you aretrying to understand table configuration and structure these are the key meta tables to look at in the dump:

• sys_db_object → defines tables and their parent/child relationships

• sys_dictionary → defines fields - column name, type, reference table, display field, etc...

• sys_choice → stores choice list values - state, status, etc....

Those three tables explain how the rest of the data is shaped.

For CMDB specifically, the most important data tables are:

• cmdb_ci and the cmdb_ci_* child tables (actual CI records)

• cmdb_rel_ci → how CIs are related to each other (parent/child)

• cmdb_rel_type → what those relationships mean (depends on, runs on, hosted on, etc.)

A couple of things that can trip you up with dumps:

• Most joins are done by sys_id, not human-readable names

• Display values arent always stored directly; you often have to join to the referenced table

• Fields may be defined on a parent table but used by many child tables

• If domain separation is enabled, sys_domain matters a lot

If I had to suggest a starting point my Friend:

1. Use sys_db_object to identify the tables you care about

2. Use sys_dictionary to understand what fields are on those tables

3. Use cmdb_rel_ci to understand how CIs connect

@DeShanaB - Please mark Accepted Solution and Thumbs Up if you found Helpful!!

[DeShanaB]

Thanks!

[WillieW]

Data will be in the cmdb, cmdb$par1, and maybe cmdb$par2 tables. See table and field mapping to columns in the sys_storage_alias table. See:

Table flattening

For more information. Task table is flattened differently. Distinguish child table by the 'sys_class_name' value. And look in the sys_db_object table for logical table names.