What must happen before a new CI can be created if a match is not found?

In ServiceNow Discovery, when a new Configuration Item (CI) is being created and no existing match is found in the CMDB, it is essential to verify the parent identifier for a potential match. This is because associated relationships are critical in the CMDB, and a CI may not be considered in isolation. By checking the parent identifier, the system can ascertain whether there is an existing parent CI that could be relevant to the new CI being created.

This step is part of the reconciliation process, which helps maintain the integrity and accuracy of the CMDB. If a parent CI exists, it may share attributes or relationships that could affect how the new CI is set up or categorized. This is crucial in environments where CIs are often interconnected.

In contrast, the other options do not directly facilitate the creation of a new CI when no match is found. Updating existing CIs would not resolve the determination of a new CI's uniqueness, restarting the discovery process could lead to redundancy without addressing the underlying match issue, and clearing the discovery log is not relevant to the CI creation process itself. Each of these alternatives fails to consider the necessity of validating relationships through parent identifiers, which is integral to successful CI management.