ITIL 4 Foundation Practice Exam

What is the primary purpose of a Configuration Management System (CMS)?

1. A set of tools, data, and information to support service configuration management

2. A database containing organizational policies and procedures

3. A software application for managing employee records

4. A collection of guidelines for project management

The correct answer is: A set of tools, data, and information to support service configuration management

The primary purpose of a Configuration Management System (CMS) is to provide a structured set of tools, data, and information that support service configuration management. This encompasses the ability to effectively manage configuration items (CIs), which are the critical components of IT services, throughout their lifecycle. The CMS allows organizations to maintain an accurate record of their IT infrastructure and service configurations, which is essential for improving operational efficiency, reducing service disruptions, and facilitating impact assessments during changes. By utilizing a CMS, organizations can ensure that all configuration data is consistently updated and accessible, which is vital for troubleshooting, monitoring, and optimizing service performance. This comprehensive overview enables better decision-making aligned with best practices in IT service management. In contrast, while the other choices offer important aspects related to organizational management, they do not align with the core definition and functionality of a CMS. A database for policies and procedures focuses on governance rather than configuration management; a software application for managing employee records pertains to human resources rather than IT services; and a collection of guidelines for project management relates to managing projects rather than the maintenance and tracking of configuration items and their relationships. Thus, the correct answer highlights the specific role that a CMS plays in the context of IT service management.