3 Database Administration Flashcards

1
Q

Name the three different components of the ServiceNow Database and their definition:

A

Tables
- structure/component which contains records

Records (row)
- data stored on tables which contains fields

Fields (corresponds to a column on a table)
- individual pieces of data within a record

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2
Q

Where can you find information about every table and field in ServiceNow?

A

System Dictionary:

System Definition > Dictionary

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3
Q

Every field has three key attributes, name these:

A

Field Label
- user-friendly term, e.g. User ID

Field Name
- unique system name, e.g. user_id

Value
- actual data

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4
Q

How can you access tables in ServiceNow?

A

Within the System Definition application:

> Dictionary

> Tables & Columns

> Tables

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5
Q

What is a reference field?

A

It stores a unique system identifier (sys_id) of a record on another table, which is what establishes the reference relationship

They can be identified by the reference lookup icon (magnifying glass), and if a record is specified in the field, then with a reference icon (i), that you can use to preview a record

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6
Q

In what ways can tables be related to each other? (4)

A

One-to-Many

Many-to-Many

Database views
- plugin; create database views by going to System Definition > Database Views

Extensions
- child class contains all fields from parent class (table)
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7
Q

Name the three one-to-many relationship fields:

A

Reference Fields
- select a record on a table defined by the reference field

Glide List
- select multiple records on a table defined by the reference field, e.g., Watchlist field on the Incident table

Document ID Fields
- select a record of any table in the instance

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8
Q

What is a base table?

A

A table that is extended but is not extending other tables

  • e.g. Task table
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9
Q

What is a child table?

A

A table that extends another table

  • every child table is a specialization of its base table or previous child table
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10
Q

What is a parent table?

A

A table that is extended by other tables

- possible because it has “Extensible” set as true

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11
Q

What does the schema Map provide?

What colors are used in the schema map and what do these colors represent?

A

It provides graphical representation of other tables related to a specific table

  • yellow is table in focus
  • tables with blue bars extends table in focus
  • tables with red bars are tables referenced by table in focus
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12
Q

What is a custom table?

A

A table created (not a core table, which are tables that exist in the base system)

Name prefixed with:
u_ if created in global application
x_ namespace identifier if created in scoped application

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13
Q

How is a custom table named? (1 + 2)

A

Based on table label and a prefix:

  • u_ if created in global application
  • x_ namespace identifier if created in scoped application
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14
Q

Which modules can you use to create a new table?

A

Tables

Tables & Columns

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15
Q

What is created by default when you create a new table? (4)

A

Application Menu with the same name as the table Label (e.g. Infinity)

Module with the plural of the table label (e.g. Infinities)

A user role

Four access control rules, one for each CRUD

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16
Q

What does CRUD stand for?

A

Create
Read
Update
Delete

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17
Q

What three security levels does ServiceNow provide before an end user has the capability to perform CRUD on a table?

A

User Authentication/Login
- users, groups, roles

Application and modules access
- controlled by roles configured at the app and module level

Database access
- tables, governed by global system properties, governed by table and field-level access control rules

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18
Q

What is an access control?

At what level can it be set?

A

A security rule defined to restrict the permissions of a user from viewing and interacting with data

Set at the row and/or column level

Can restrict CRUD operations and ServiceNow-specific operations such as execute, report_on, etc.

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19
Q

Name the three security modules on the Application Navigator often used by the System Admin

A

System Properties > Security
System Security > Access Control (ACL)
System Security > High Security Settings

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20
Q

What is the ACL?

A

Access Control List

- contains a list of the instance’s access control rules

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21
Q

What is specified in an access control list rule? (3)

A
  1. The object being secured
  2. The permissions required to access the object
    - roles, conditional expressions, scripts
  3. Operation - a valid action the system can take (CRUD)
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22
Q

What happens, with access control in mind, when a table is created?

A

Four access control rules are created by default, one for each CRUD

A new role is created and associated with these access control rules

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23
Q

In what order are AC rules processed?

A
  1. Match the object against table ACL rules (most specific to most general)
  2. Match the object against field ACL rules (most specific to most general)
    - a user must pass both table and field ACL rules to access a record object
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24
Q

Which elevated role is required to modify access control rules?

A

security_admin

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25
Q

What type of permissions can be configured in an access control rule? (3)

A

Roles
Conditions
Scripts that sets the ‘answer’ variable to true or false

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26
Q

Which object grants access to all table records?

A

.None

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27
Q

What is an import set?

A

A tool used to import data from various data sources and then map that data into ServiceNow tables

28
Q

What roles are needed to manage all aspects of import sets? (2)

A

admin

import_admin

29
Q

What are the steps for importing data using an import set? (4)

A

Load the data (System Import Sets > Load Data)

Create a transform map (under Next steps section of the Load Data screen OR System Import Sets > Create Transform Map)

Transform the data (System Import Sets > Run Transform)

Clean the import table (System Import Sets > Import Set Tables > Cleanup)

30
Q

What is the Import set table?

A

A staging area for records imported from a data source

31
Q

Which option allows you to update existing target table records when importing data from an import set?

A

Coalasce

32
Q

What is the Transform Map?

A

A tool used to determine relationships between fields in an import set and an existing (target) table

33
Q

What is a Target Table?

A

An existing table in where the data will be placed, post-transformation

34
Q

What are the Importing Best Practices? (3)

A

Understand what data you are bringing in and where it should be placed

Remove obsolete data
- easier to fix inaccurate data before importing

Don’t import large chunks of data

35
Q

What does coalescing a field mean?

A

When coalescing a field, the field will be used as a unique key during imports

36
Q

What configurations are possible to use when coalescing data in Import Sets?

A

No coalesce
- all imported rows are treated as new records

Single-field coalesce

Multiple-field coalesce
- all must match

Conditional coalesce
- script

37
Q

What happens when a match is found using the coalesce field(s)?

A

The existing record will be updated with the information being imported

38
Q

What happens when no match is found using the coalesce field(s)?

A

A new record will be inserted into the database

39
Q

What is a Data Policy?

A

A rule that enforces data consistency by setting fields as mandatory and/or read only

(not about security but about integrity of data)

Are similar to UI policies but UI policies are only enforced on data entered into a form (passing through the UI)

Data policies run on the server side (but can also run as a UI policy on the client side) and are applied to all data entered into the platform

40
Q

Which tool is used to determine relationships between fields in an import set and an existing table?

A

Transform Map

41
Q

What is the CMDB?

A

The Configuration Management Database
- a series of tables and fields that store all of the information about the configuration items (CIs), and their attributes and relationships, controlled by your organization

42
Q

What roles are required to access the CMDB tables and underlying data?

A

asset
itil
itil_admin
cmdb_read

43
Q

What is a configuration item (CI)?

A

Configuration Item:
- tangible (hardware, software, servers etc) or intangible (services, email etc) devices or applications in the CMDB that need to be managed in order to deliver services

44
Q

Name the three CMDB tables:

A

Base Configuration Item [cmdb]
- base CMDB table

Configuration Item [cmdb_ci]
- stores the basic attributes of all the CIs

CI Relationship [cmdb_rel_ci]
- contains CI relationship data

45
Q

What does the Configuration Item Form contain?

A

All relevant attribute data about an item (CI Attributes/fields)

Information about the relationship between items (related items toolbar)

46
Q

What are the two views you can toggle between on the Configuration Item Form?

A

Form View

Health Dashboard View

47
Q

What are the benefits of having an accurate and up-to-date CDMB?

A

Locating failed changes and associated incidents

Facilitating quick analysis of impact, helping reduce or eliminate downtime

48
Q

What does the CI Relationship Editor provide?

A

It uses a concept of suggested relationships to help users see reasonable relationships between CIs

49
Q

What does the (Configuration Items) Dependency View provide?

A

It graphically display an infrastructure view for a configuration item and the services that it is part of and that it supports

It also indicates the status of its CIs, and allows access to CI related alerts, incidents, problems, changes, and services

50
Q

Which ServiceNow product can be used to populate the CMDB?

A

Discovery

51
Q

What are the three Access Control Definition Rule Types?

A

table. None
- applies to entire table (set condition read = can read entire table)

table. field
- applies to the specified field (set condition to read = can read specified field on the table)

table. *
- applies to every field on e record without a table field rule

52
Q

How can you extend a table?

A

When creating a table, on the table record, select the table to extend in the Extends Table field

53
Q

What are some ways to access and edit an application/module?

A

Find the application/module in the application navigator and click the pencil icon beside it, OR

System Definition > Application Menus
System Definition > Modules

54
Q

How can you access a schema map from the table’s record?

A

Scroll down to related links and click on Show Schema Map

55
Q

What is a way to view the access controls associated with a table?

A

Type [table name].CONFIG and select the Access Controls tab

56
Q

Which module allows you to create a new role?

A

System Security > Users and Groups > Roles
OR
User Administration > Roles

Once you’ve located an existing role, you can check which apps and modules are associated with the role and also edit which roles contain other roles (Contains Roles List tab)

57
Q

How do you associate a role with a group?

A

System Security > Users and Groups > Groups
OR
User Administration > Groups

Once group is located, go to Roles tab and click Edit

58
Q

What is the Automatic Mapping Utility?

A

Matches fields from the Import Set with those of the target table if they have the same names

Click “Auto Map Matching Fields” in the related links in the Table Transform Maps form and confirm proper matching

59
Q

What is the Mapping Assist Utility?

A

A visually intuitive environment to specify mapping between Import Set and Target table fields

60
Q

How would you set coalesce field(s)?

A
  1. System Import Sets > Administration > Transform Maps
  2. Locate the transform map
    Scroll to the Field Maps related lists
  3. In the Coalesce column, select and save true
  4. Save
61
Q

How do you clean up Import Set Tables?

A
  1. System Import Sets > Import Set Tables > Cleanup
  2. Add the import set table to the “Delete these tables box”
  3. Check/uncheck “Delete related transform maps” as appropriate
  4. Check/uncheck “Delete data only (preserve table structure)” as appropriate. Checking this preserves the transform map
  5. Click the Cleanup button
62
Q

What is the CMDB Data Manager?

A

A tool to create, publish, and manage CI policies and help maintain the CMDB in an efficient and operational state

63
Q

How would you create new relationships/relationship rules?

A

Configuration > Relationships > Suggested Relationships

OR

Go to the CI and under Related Items toolbar of the configuration item form, click the + sign

64
Q

ServiceNow Service Mapping

A

Discovers and models the relationships and dependencies between discovered CIs and automatically populates this information into the CMDB

65
Q

What is the CSDM?

A

Common Service Data Model

A set of terms and definitions that can be used with all ServiceNow products on the Now Platform

66
Q

What is the CI Class Manager and how do you get to it?

A

Configuration > CI Class Manager

The CI Class Manager displays the entire CI Class hierarchy in a tree-view format, consolidating class definitions into a central location.

67
Q

How would you view all base configuration items?

A

cmdb.list
OR

Configuration > Base Items > All