ITIL 4 Foundation Practice Exam

What is the role of a configuration management database (CMDB)?

1. To store configuration records during their lifecycle

2. To manage service requests from users

3. To monitor incidents reported by system users

4. To provide financial records of IT services

The correct answer is: To store configuration records during their lifecycle

The role of a configuration management database (CMDB) is primarily to store configuration records throughout their lifecycle. A CMDB maintains an inventory of assets, known as configuration items (CIs), and their relationships to each other within the IT environment. This is critical for the effective management of IT services, as it provides visibility into the components that make up services, their attributes, and how they interrelate. Through this comprehensive repository, organizations can better understand the impact of changes, manage incidents more effectively, and support decision-making processes around IT infrastructure management. This aligns with key ITIL principles of managing services based on a deep understanding of the IT environment. Other options, while related to IT service management, do not capture the core function of a CMDB. Managing service requests, monitoring incidents, and providing financial records are distinct functions that fall under other practices within the ITIL framework, such as service request management, incident management, and financial management for IT services. These practices may utilize the data stored in the CMDB, but they do not define its primary role.