Pass the ServiceNow Certified Technical Architect CTA Questions and answers with ValidTests

A ServiceNow governance framework provides structure and guidance for managing the platform and its applications. It typically defines:

A. How decisions are made: The framework outlines the processes for making decisions related to the platform, such as changes to configurations, new application development, and platform upgrades. This might include approval processes, escalation procedures, and communication protocols.

B. What decisions need to be made: The framework identifies the types of decisions that require governance oversight. This might include decisions about platform strategy, architecture, security, data management, and integration with other systems.

C. Who is involved in decision-making: The framework establishes roles and responsibilities for different stakeholders in the governance process. This might include defining a governance board, steering committees, and individual roles with specific decision-making authority.

Why not the other options?

D: While recurring schedules for governance meetings are important, they are not a defining element of the governance framework itself. The framework focuses on the overall structure and processes for decision-making.

E: How work gets done on the platform is more related to process definitions and workflows within specific applications, not the overarching governance framework.

In this scenario, the Executive Steering Board is the most appropriate group to consult. Here's why:

Portfolio Realignment: This implies significant changes to the overall IT portfolio, which falls under the purview of the Executive Steering Board. They have the authority to make strategic decisions about the IT portfolio and prioritize initiatives based on business goals and overall impact.

Why not the other options?

A. Demand Board: The Demand Board typically focuses on evaluating and prioritizing individual demands or requests, but they may not have the authority to make decisions about portfolio realignment.

C. Program Steering Committee: This committee focuses on the governance and oversight of specific programs, not on overall portfolio strategy.

D. Technical Governance Board: This board focuses on technical standards, architecture, and security, not on strategic portfolio decisions.

The ServiceNow Security Center's daily compliance score represents the security compliance percentage of the ServiceNow instance. It provides an overall measure of how well your instance adheres to defined security policies and best practices.

The score is calculated based on various factors, including:

Vulnerability Management: The number of identified vulnerabilities and their severity.

Configuration Compliance: How well the instance configuration aligns with security standards.

User Access Controls: The effectiveness of user access management and authentication.

Security Incident Management: The handling and resolution of security incidents.

Usability testing is the type of testing that relies on human observation to assess the user-friendliness of a software product.  

In usability testing:

Real users interact with the software or product in a realistic setting.

Observers watch and record user behavior, noting any difficulties, frustrations, or areas of confusion.

Feedback is gathered from users to understand their experiences and identify areas for improvement.  

Why not the other options?

A. Smoke testing: A quick, preliminary test to ensure basic functionality is working.

C. Integration testing: Tests the interaction between different modules or components of a system.  

D. System testing: Tests the entire system as a whole.

IP address access control is considered part of the network layer because it restricts access to the instance based on IP address ranges.

Here's why:

Network Layer Functionality: IP address filtering operates at the network level by controlling which IP addresses are allowed to connect to the ServiceNow instance. This is similar to firewall rules that control network traffic.

Application Layer Implementation: While the filtering might be implemented within the ServiceNow application (application layer), the underlying functionality is related to network access control.

Why not the other options?

A. It performs data tokenization and substitution for security: This is a data security technique, not related to network layer access control.

B. It uses encryption to protect data at rest in the ServiceNow instance: This is a data security measure, not network access control.

D. It manages user authentication to the ServiceNow platform: Authentication is a separate security layer (usually application layer) that verifies user identities.

ServiceNow provides several methods for exporting bulk data:

A. Using an external ODBC connector to query tables: ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) allows external applications to connect to the ServiceNow database and extract data using SQL queries. This is a powerful method for extracting specific data sets.

D. Utilizing export sets with MID Server scheduling: Export sets define the data to be exported. The MID Server acts as an intermediary between ServiceNow and external systems, enabling scheduled data exports to files or other destinations.

E. Extracting data using HTTP-based web services: ServiceNow provides REST APIs that allow you to programmatically extract data from the platform. This is a flexible method for integrating with other systems and automating data extraction.

Why not the other options?

B. Using SMS push notifications for data extraction: SMS notifications are not suitable for bulk data extraction.

C. Using printed reports for data extraction: Printed reports are not designed for efficient data extraction. They are intended for human-readable output.

To control access to sensitive data at the field level, the system administrator should use Column Level Encryption (CLE).

Here's how CLE works:

Field-Level Encryption: CLE allows you to encrypt specific fields within a table, ensuring that only authorized users with the necessary decryption keys can access the data.

Granular Control: You can define different encryption keys for different fields or groups of fields, providing fine-grained control over data access.

Role-Based Access: You can grant access to decryption keys based on user roles, ensuring that only authorized personnel can view sensitive information.

Why not the other options?

A. PI1 Encryption: This is not a standard ServiceNow encryption feature.

C. Cloud Encryption: This is a broader term for encryption solutions provided by cloud providers, not a specific ServiceNow feature.

D. Full Disk Encryption (FDE): This encrypts the entire hard drive, not individual fields within the application.

The primary purpose of analyzing an organization's existing architecture as a Certified Technical Architect (CTA) is to identify issues and gaps in the system. This analysis helps to:

Understand the Current State: Gain a clear picture of the current architecture, including its components, integrations, and limitations.

Identify Pain Points: Pinpoint areas where the architecture is not meeting business needs or causing challenges.

Assess Risks: Evaluate potential risks and vulnerabilities within the architecture.

Inform Recommendations: Provide a basis for making recommendations for improvements and future architecture planning.

Why not the other options?

A. To evaluate existing system performance: While performance is important, it's one aspect of the broader architectural analysis.

C. To recommend a product roadmap: A product roadmap might be an outcome of the analysis, but the primary purpose is to understand the current state and identify areas for improvement.

D. To evaluate existing testing practices: Testing practices are important, but they are not the primary focus of architectural analysis.

Service Mapping in ServiceNow has two primary capabilities:

A. Create a service-centric Configuration Management Database (CMDB): Service Mapping helps shift the focus of the CMDB from individual components to a service-centric view. It achieves this by mapping the relationships between infrastructure components and the services they support, providing a clear understanding of how IT supports business services.

E. Establish links between IT infrastructure components and application services: This is the core function of Service Mapping. It automatically discovers and maps the dependencies between applications, infrastructure (servers, databases, network devices), and the services they deliver. This creates a visual representation of the IT landscape and how it supports business services.

Why not the other options?

B: While Service Mapping can indirectly contribute to cybersecurity by providing visibility into the IT environment, enhancing cybersecurity measures is not its primary function.

C: Automating routine IT infrastructure updates is typically handled by other ServiceNow capabilities like Orchestration, not Service Mapping.

D: Software licensing management is usually handled by Software Asset Management tools, not Service Mapping.

Client-side Encryption is the best solution to encrypt customer credit card numbers before they are stored in the cloud and provide easy key management. Here's why:

Encryption Before Storage: Data is encrypted on the client-side (e.g., user's browser or device) before being sent to the cloud, ensuring that even if the cloud storage is compromised, the sensitive data remains protected.

Key Management: The encryption keys are managed by the client or a trusted key management system, providing greater control and flexibility.

Reduced Risk: Client-side encryption minimizes the risk of sensitive data being exposed in the cloud environment.

Why not the other options?

A. Edge Encryption: This is a broader term that can refer to various encryption techniques applied at the edge of the network.

B. Server-side Encryption: Data is encrypted on the server-side, which means the cloud provider has access to the encryption keys.

D. Database Encryption: This encrypts the entire database, but it doesn't provide the same level of control and key management as client-side encryption.