CMDB & Cmdb_ci

[SatishChitti]

Hello Folks
Can anyone explain the major difference between the cmdb & cmdb_ci tables in ServiceNow?
I understand that cmdb is the parent of cmdb_ci. But what is the key difference between them?
Also, can we say that cmdb stores both assest and CI related information, while cmdb_ci only stores the actual CI records?
Thanks

[YaswanthKurre · Accepted solution]

Hi @SatishChitti ,

cmdb Table (Base Class)

• This is the top-level base table for all Configuration Items (CIs).
• It defines the core attributes that are common to all CIs, such as:
  • Name
  • Class
  • Manufacturer
  • Install status
• It does not store actual CI records directly. Instead, it provides a common schema that all CI classes inherit from.

cmdb_ci Table (First-Level Child)

• This is a child table of cmdb and is the base class for all actual CI types.
• It stores real CI records like:
  • Servers
  • Applications
  • Network devices
  • Databases
• Each specific CI type (e.g., cmdb_ci_server, cmdb_ci_appl) extends from cmdb_ci.

To clarify:

cmdb defines the structure,
cmdb_ci stores the actual CI records,
and assets are managed separately, though they can be linked to CIs.

Please mark this as helpful and correct if this solves your question.

Thanks,

Yaswanth