CSDM data domains

The CSDM is the data model that admins should follow when they set up ServiceNow products and applications. The standards for defining configuration items (CIs) and relationships between CIs in the CMDB ensure that your data resides in the appropriate CMDB tables. The result is maximum value from ServiceNow AI Platform applications.

CSDM data domains

As described in Exploring the CSDM model, each domain is associated with one or more products, services, or service types, each of which you can extend as needed. Every box in the diagram (except Catalog Item) represents tables that hold CIs in the CMDB. Each connecting line represents a relationship between CI classes. Roles and user types appear next to their area of responsibility.

Foundation domain

Tables in the Foundation domain contain base data that is referenced from or to objects in the other CSDM domains. Before you can use ServiceNow products, you must populate foundational data. For more information, see Foundation domain in the CSDM model

Ideation & Strategy domain

The Ideation & Strategy domain represents the ideas, concepts, and considerations for both the creation of new or additional services as well as improvements and enhancements to existing services. These capabilities are part of Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM). For more information, see Ideation & Strategy domain in the CSDM model.

Design & Planning domain

Enterprise architects and digital product owners work on the design and planning of digital products that your organization can either buy or build. For more information, see Design & Planning domain in the CSDM model.

Build & Integration domain

Development teams use the tables in the Build & Integration domain during the build effort (systems development life cycle — SDLC or Agile development) of digital products. The tables represent the logical development details of the enterprise applications (digital products) to be deployed and used by your organization. These are not operational CIs. For more information, see Build & Integration domain in the CSDM model.

Service Delivery domain

The Service Delivery domain represents the overall end-to-end service delivery system that includes the infrastructure, technologies, integration patterns (infrastructure, systems, data, processes, dependency models), service delivery networks, and operational models. Together, these items deliver the CSDM-compliant services to internal and external users and/or organizations. For more information, see Service Delivery domain in the CSDM model.

Service Consumption domain

Internal or external consumers can request business services through the request catalogs in the Service Consumption domain. The business service offerings in the request catalogs are the deployed digital products in the Service Delivery domain. Business relationship managers and customer service managers might sell or even consume elements of the Service Delivery domain. For more information, see Service Consumption domain in the CSDM model.

Manage Portfolio domain

The Manage Portfolio domain is a layer on top of the CSDM conceptual model that interacts with the other CSDM domains. The typical user, a service owner, might be responsible for services in more than one domain. For more information, see Manage Portfolio domain in the CSDM model.

Services and service types

A service enables you to achieve the outcomes that you want with minimal risks and without ownership of specific costs and risks. (This definition is consistent with the base definition of “service” in ITIL v3 and IT4IT.) Services typically have three components: the interaction, the offering, and the service system.

The ServiceNow AI Platform includes the following base-system service types that you can extend to align with the service types in your organization.

Technology management service [cmdb_ci_service_technical] table (formerly Technical service)

Technology management services are the systems associated with the admins of CIs in the Service Delivery domain. Service instance owners, Technology management service owners, and Technology service owners. Technology management services are typically lower-level leaf nodes of one or more business services or business service instances in a structured hierarchy.

• Technology management services are operational CIs.
• A technology management service must be a one-level service and not a hierarchy of technology management services.
• Technology management services are used for impact in Incident Management, Problem Management, and Change Management. Also used for approvals for Change Management.
• Technology management services must be provider-focused and include the technology provided for the business to consume or sell.

For more information, see Manage Portfolio domain in the CSDM model.

Service Instances — Service Instance (called application service before CSDM v5) [cmdb_ci_service_auto] table

A service instance is a logical representation of a deployed application stack. Because service instances are logical in nature, they should use the Logical life-cycle value pairs. Service instances follow the same life-cycle guidance as any other logical CI.

• A service instance is an operational CI and a unique instance of an application.
• Used in Incident Management, Problem Management, and Change Management.
• Can be created for each region and each environment (Development, QA, and Production).
• Can be created via manual mapping, service mapping with entry point, and dynamic query.

For more information about leaf nodes and structured hierarchies, see Design & Planning domain in the CSDM model.

You can monitor service instances (called application service before CSDM v5) on the Application Services dashboard. For more information, see Use Service instance (Application Services) dashboard to monitor health.

Business services (cmdb_ci_service_business)

A business service is a service type that is published to business users. A business service typically implements one or more business capabilities.

Usually, business users order business services. Business users can select the desired offering and service commitment levels via the Service Catalog. For example, procurement, shipping, and finance.

• A business service is an operational CI.
• A business service must be a one-level service and not a hierarchy of business services.
• A business service can be used for impact in Incident Management, Problem Management, and Change Management and for approvals for Change.
• A business service must be focused on the consumer or seller.

For more information, see Service Consumption domain in the CSDM model.

CSDM videos in the ServiceNow Community

Playlist of all CSDM videos

• Foundation domain in the CSDM model
  Tables in the Foundation domain contain base data that is referenced from or to objects in the other CSDM domains. Before you can use ServiceNow products, you must populate foundational data.
• Ideation & Strategy domain in the CSDM model
  The Ideation & Strategy domain represents the ideas, concepts, and considerations for both the creation of new or additional services as well as improvements and enhancements to existing services. These capabilities are part of Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM).
• Design & Planning domain in the CSDM model
  Enterprise architects and digital product owners work on the design and planning of digital products that your organization can either buy or build.
• Build & Integration domain in the CSDM model
  Development teams use the tables in the Build & Integration domain during the build effort (systems development life cycle — SDLC or Agile development) of digital products. The tables represent the logical development details of the enterprise applications (digital products) to be deployed and used by your organization. These are not operational CIs.
• Service Delivery domain in the CSDM model
  The Service Delivery domain represents the overall end-to-end service delivery system that includes the infrastructure, technologies, integration patterns (infrastructure, systems, data, processes, dependency models), service delivery networks, and operational models. Together, these items deliver the CSDM-compliant services to internal and external users and/or organizations.
• Service Consumption domain in the CSDM model
  Internal or external consumers can request business services through the request catalogs in the Service Consumption domain. The business service offerings in the request catalogs are the deployed digital products in the Service Delivery domain. Business relationship managers and customer service managers might sell or even consume elements of the Service Delivery domain.
• Manage Portfolio domain in the CSDM model
  The Manage Portfolio domain is a layer on top of the CSDM conceptual model that interacts with the other CSDM domains. The typical user, a service owner, might be responsible for services in more than one domain.