Key CMDB success advisor concepts

concept brazil Updated Sep 10, 2026 1 min read cmdb-sa-key-concepts.md

Familiarize yourself with the key terms and concepts to work with CMDB success advisor.

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

The central database that stores information about IT assets (CIs) and their relationships.
Configuration item (CI)

Any IT component tracked in the CMDB, including hardware, software, applications, or network devices.
Scope

The set of principal classes in Data Foundations, model categories in HAM, or software products in Software Asset Management (SAM) that CMDB success advisor monitors for your organization.
Principal class

A CI class, such as Server [cmdb_ci_server], designated as important for your organization within Data Foundations. When a class is principal, a filter is automatically applied to the CI fields in incidents, changes, and problems.
Model category

A hardware classification used as the scope unit for HAM such as Computers, Servers, Printers.
Software product

A licensable software classification, grouped by publisher, used as the scope unit for Software Asset Management (SAM).
Service Graph Connectors

A pre-built integration that imports data from an external system into the CMDB.
Discovery pattern

An automated ServiceNow Discovery rule that scans the network to find and populate CI attributes.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

A measurable metric showing CMDB health in a specific area including completeness, correctness, and compliance.
Remediation actions

Context-aware suggestions shown on the KPI details page for addressing a specific data quality issue. Actions appear only when actionable insights are available for the selected chart segment.
Data quality issue

A detected problem in CMDB data, such as a CI missing a serial number, a stale record, or a duplicate.
CMDB Data Manager

A ServiceNow feature that defines which integration source has authority (ownership) over each CI attribute.

Parent Topic:CMDB success advisor reference

Keywords CMDB success advisor key conceptsCMDB success advisor glossaryprincipal class definitionmodel category definitionscope definition CMDB success advisorremediation actions definition

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---
title: Key CMDB success advisor concepts
description: Familiarize yourself with the key terms and concepts to work with CMDB success advisor.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/servicenow-platform/configuration-management-database-cmdb/cmdb-sa-key-concepts.html
release: brazil
product: Configuration Management Database \(CMDB\)
classification: configuration-management-database-cmdb
topic_type: concept
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
keywords: [CMDB success advisor key concepts, CMDB success advisor glossary, principal class definition, model category definition, scope definition CMDB success advisor, remediation actions definition]
breadcrumb: [Reference, CMDB success advisor, Configuration Management Database \(CMDB\), Configuration Management, Extend ServiceNow AI Platform capabilities]
---

# Key CMDB success advisor concepts

Familiarize yourself with the key terms and concepts to work with CMDB success advisor.

- **Configuration Management Database \(CMDB\)**

The central database that stores information about IT assets \(CIs\) and their relationships.

- **Configuration item \(CI\)**

Any IT component tracked in the CMDB, including hardware, software, applications, or network devices.

- **Scope**

The set of principal classes in Data Foundations, model categories in HAM, or software products in Software Asset Management \(SAM\) that CMDB success advisor monitors for your organization.

- **Principal class**

A CI class, such as Server \[cmdb\_ci\_server\], designated as important for your organization within Data Foundations. When a class is principal, a filter is automatically applied to the CI fields in incidents, changes, and problems.

- **Model category**

A hardware classification used as the scope unit for HAM such as Computers, Servers, Printers.

- **Software product**

A licensable software classification, grouped by publisher, used as the scope unit for Software Asset Management \(SAM\).

- **Service Graph Connectors**

A pre-built integration that imports data from an external system into the CMDB.

- **Discovery pattern**

An automated ServiceNow Discovery rule that scans the network to find and populate CI attributes.

- **Key Performance Indicator \(KPI\)**

A measurable metric showing CMDB health in a specific area including completeness, correctness, and compliance.

- **Remediation actions**

Context-aware suggestions shown on the KPI details page for addressing a specific data quality issue. Actions appear only when actionable insights are available for the selected chart segment.

- **Data quality issue**

A detected problem in CMDB data, such as a CI missing a serial number, a stale record, or a duplicate.

- **CMDB Data Manager**

A ServiceNow feature that defines which integration source has authority \(ownership\) over each CI attribute.

**Parent Topic:**[CMDB success advisor reference](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/servicenow-platform/configuration-management-database-cmdb/cmdb-sa-reference.md)