Many organizations use the ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB), which is central to most of the IT solutions of ServiceNow, for effective IT operations management. However, the majority fail to establish an effective data model for their CMDB, hindering their ability to unlock the full potential of their ServiceNow solutions and adapt to growing market needs.
This is where the ServiceNow Common Service Data Model (CSDM) comes into the picture.
What is ServiceNow CSDM? Why should organizations care about CSDM? And how can they get started with it?
Find out the answers to these questions in this blog post.
Table of Contents
What is ServiceNow CSDM?
ServiceNow CSDM is a framework that provides guidance on how the data regarding applications and services should be organized within the CMDB. It establishes standard service-related definitions to enable proper service-level reporting. As the best practice for CMDB data modeling, CSDM helps organizations align their IT infrastructure and services with business strategies and ensure all their ServiceNow products function efficiently. Many organizations are transitioning from CI-based CMDB to a Service-aware CMDB, and the ServiceNow CSDM, with its standardized service definitions, makes this transition easy.
Discover how we empower organizations to align ServiceNow CMDB with unique organizational needs and objectives.
Importance of ServiceNow CSDM
A ServiceNow CSDM-driven CMDB enables organizations to maximize the value of their ServiceNow solutions, streamlining processes, automating workflows, and building a sustainable business. Here are the various reasons organizations must leverage ServiceNow CSDM:
- To Ensure Compatibility with Current and Future ServiceNow Products
Leveraging ServiceNow CSDM enables organizations to ensure their CMDB aligns with current and future ServiceNow products. This alignment with ServiceNow’s recommended data model empowers organizations to maximize the value of their ServiceNow investments.
An inconsistent data model can make upgrading the ServiceNow instances a complex and time-consuming process. ServiceNow CSDM makes it easier to upgrade, empowering organizations to reduce the risk of data loss, minimize downtime, and quickly transition to the newer version.
- To Standardize Data Management
ServiceNow CSDM helps organizations establish a consistent and structured data management approach within their CMDB and standardize it across the organization. This facilitates the management of information stored in the CMDB.
- To Establish Accurate Service Reporting
By providing a standardized framework for organizing service-related data within the CMDB, ServiceNow CSDM helps organizations ensure accurate service-level reporting. These reports help drill down into the service configurations, performance, availability, and utilization, contributing to informed decision-making and improved service delivery.
The 5 Domains of ServiceNow CSDM
ServiceNow CSDM is made up of five domains to support various activities on the ServiceNow platform. These include:
1. Design Domain
The Design Domain in the ServiceNow CSDM includes tables that help create a logical design of the applications used by an organization. The elements that make up the design domain include:
- Business Capabilities – Represents key initiatives necessary for achieving organizational goals.
- Business Applications – Describes the IT components used to deliver business functionality.
- Information Objects – Specifies the type of data exchanged between applications and databases.
These tables in the design domain outline how technology aligns with business objectives and processes.
2. Build Domain
The Build Domain includes tables that represent the development activities for digital products. The SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) Component Table is the key element of this domain that records specific parts of digital products as they are being developed. Essentially, the build domain focuses on managing the development journey of digital products.
3. Manage Technical Services Domain
The Manage Technical Services Domain is all about managing the technical services of a business. It represents tables used by tools such as ServiceNow Discovery and Service Mapping and includes personas like Application Service Owners and Technology Service Owners responsible for managing the optimization of technical services.
4. Sell/Consume Domain
The Sell/Consume Domain includes tables that represent an organization’s business service portfolio. It involves clearly defining business services and facilitates the management of service-related data, enabling enterprises to categorize services based on certain criteria. Additionally, it outlines the importance of service commitments and plays a crucial role in streamlining the process of accessing the services.
5. Foundation Domain
The Foundation Domain is the base for all other domains of ServiceNow CSDM, containing essential reference data. This includes tables such as:
- Business Processes – Defines the steps needed to achieve business goals.
- Contracts – Defines the agreement information between parties.
- Products (Models) – Records specific versions or configurations of ServiceNow products.
- CMDB Groups – Provides a way to group Configuration Items (CIs) based on certain criteria
- Lifecycle Stages – Provides guidelines for tracking the different stages that the items go through.
How to Get Started with ServiceNow CSDM
Various elements make up the ServiceNow CSDM, and ServiceNow recommends following a phased approach to implementing it. Here’s how enterprises can get started with the CSDM in the most efficient manner:
1. Setting Up the Foundational Elements (Foundation)
The initial step in getting started with ServiceNow CSDM is to identify the fundamental data elements required for an organization’s reporting needs. This involves organizing data in out-of-the-box (OOTB) tables such as company, business unit, location, users, CMDB group, product models, contracts, and others. This helps lay the groundwork for effective alignment with reporting requirements, data management, and integration with other ServiceNow products, contributing to organizational objectives.
2. Focusing on Application Insights (Crawl)
Application-related data should be the focus in this stage. Four OOTB tables such as Business Application, SDLC Component, Application Service, and Application play a major role in this stage. This facilitates setting up essential CMDB requirements for IT service management processes, establishing the foundation for future Service Mapping initiatives, integrating DevOps methodologies, and laying the framework for Technology Portfolio Management.
3. Architecting Technical Services (Walk)
The main tables in this phase are Technical Service, Technical Service Offering, and Dynamic CI Group. Focusing on these elements enables organizations to streamline the management of Configuration Items, automate data management tasks, establish a clear view of CIs for technical teams, and set the stage for future Service Portfolio Management (SPM) operations. Additionally, it helps ensure seamless integration of ServiceNow Discovery and Service Mapping.
4. Integrating Business Functions (Run)
The Run phase of the ServiceNow CSDM journey is where organizations should shift their focus to understanding the impact of technology on business operations. ServiceNow offers three tables–Business Service Portfolio, Business Service, and Business Service Offering–for this function–that help define the strategic business value derived from the infrastructure. Organizations can assess the business services affected by incidents or problems, get a comprehensive understanding of service-related information, and identify the stakeholders impacted by service offerings.
5. Enhancing Business Capabilities (Fly)
In the fly stage, the remaining elements of the ServiceNow CSDM framework should be the focus. The three main tables that address the remaining elements and facilitate the prioritization of business services and applications are Request Catalog, Business Capability, and Information Object. These components help enterprises set the cornerstone for advanced functionalities like Application Portfolio Management (APM) and Service Portfolio Management (SPM), oversee business services efficiently, and optimize resource allocation.
Seeking expert guidance to get started with ServiceNow CSDM and unlock the full potential of your ServiceNow solutions?
The Way Forward
ServiceNow CSDM is not a product or a module that can be purchased. It is a framework that empowers organizations to optimize their ServiceNow solutions, particularly CMDB, and align IT infrastructure with business strategies effectively. A phased approach, guided by experts, must be followed to ensure the successful implementation of ServiceNow CSDM.
As a ServiceNow Premier Partner, KANINI has been helping enterprises leverage the full potential of ServiceNow CSDM and embark on their journey toward digital transformation with confidence. Click here to learn more about our ServiceNow capabilities.
Author
Jeeva Xavier
Jeeva is a ServiceNow Technical Architect at KANINI. With 13+ years of experience in Information Technology and the ServiceNow platform, he brings in-depth expertise in designing and implementing ServiceNow solutions such as ITSM, CSM, HRSD, FSM, and more. Jeeva specializes in ensuring smooth ServiceNow upgrades and migration.
