This scenario hinges on how theIdentification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE)inServiceNowevaluatesidentification rules.

The identification rule for theApache Web Serverclass includesVersionas part of theidentifier criteria, along with Class and Configuration file. Identification rules must matchall criterion attributes exactlyfor an incoming record to be identified as an existing CI and reconciled.

Yesterday’s discovery created an Apache Web Server CI with a specific version value. When Apache is upgraded and discovery is rerun, theVersion attribute changes. Because Version is part of the identifier, the incoming recordno longer matchesthe existing CI’s identifier entry. As a result, the IREcannot identify the existing CIas the same configuration item.

When identification fails and no matching identifier entry is found, the IRE proceeds toinsert a new CI recordrather than updating the existing one. This behavior is intentional and protects the CMDB from incorrectly reconciling records that no longer meet identification criteria.

Option A is incorrect because reconciliation only occursafter successful identification.

Option C is incorrect because reclassification is unrelated to identification criteria.

Option D is incorrect because this is not an error condition; it is expected IRE behavior.

This example highlights abest practice caution:volatile attributes (such as Version)should generallynot be used as identifier attributes, as they can cause unintended CI duplication during upgrades.