Snowflake ARA-R01 SnowPro Advanced: Architect Recertification Exam Practice Test

Answer : C

Enabling the search optimization service on the table can improve the performance of queries that have selective filtering criteria, which seems to be the case here. This service optimizes the execution of queries by creating a persistent data structure called a search access path, which allows some micro-partitions to be skipped during the scanning process. This can significantly speed up query performance without increasing compute costs1.

Reference

* Snowflake Documentation on Search Optimization Service1.

Answer : D

The Snowpipe REST API provides two endpoints for retrieving the data load history: insertReport and loadHistoryScan. The insertReport endpoint returns the status of the files that were submitted to the insertFiles endpoint, while the loadHistoryScan endpoint returns the history of the files that were actually loaded into the table by Snowpipe. To keep a log of data load history, it is recommended to use the loadHistoryScan endpoint, which provides more accurate and complete information about the data ingestion process. The loadHistoryScan endpoint accepts a start time and an end time as parameters, and returns the files that were loaded within that time range. The maximum time range that can be specified is 15 minutes, and the maximum number of files that can be returned is 10,000. Therefore, to keep a log of data load history, the best option is to call the loadHistoryScan endpoint every 10 minutes for a 15-minute time range, and store the results in a log file or a table. This way, the log will capture all the files that were loaded by Snowpipe, and avoid any gaps or overlaps in the time range. The other options are incorrect because:

Calling insertReport every 20 minutes, fetching the last 10,000 entries, will not provide a complete log of data load history, as some files may be missed or duplicated due to the asynchronous nature of Snowpipe. Moreover, insertReport only returns the status of the files that were submitted, not the files that were loaded.

Calling loadHistoryScan every minute for the maximum time range will result in too many API calls and unnecessary overhead, as the same files will be returned multiple times. Moreover, the maximum time range is 15 minutes, not 1 minute.

Calling insertReport every 8 minutes for a 10-minute time range will suffer from the same problems as option A, and also create gaps or overlaps in the time range.

Snowpipe REST API

Option 1: Loading Data Using the Snowpipe REST API

PIPE_USAGE_HISTORY

Answer : D

The best design to store and analyze large amounts of structured and semi-structured data for different business units and departments is to use a centralized Snowflake database for core business data, and use separate databases for departmental or project-specific data. This design allows for scalability, security, and cost efficiency by leveraging Snowflake's features such as:

Database cloning:Cloning a database creates a zero-copy clone that shares the same data files as the original database, but can be modified independently. This reduces storage costs and enables fast and consistent data replication for different purposes.

Database sharing:Sharing a database allows granting secure and governed access to a subset of data in a database to other Snowflake accounts or consumers. This enables data collaboration and monetization across different business units or external partners.

Warehouse scaling:Scaling a warehouse allows adjusting the size and concurrency of a warehouse to match the performance and cost requirements of different workloads. This enables optimal resource utilization and flexibility for different data analysis needs.Reference:Snowflake Documentation: Database Cloning,Snowflake Documentation: Database Sharing, [Snowflake Documentation: Warehouse Scaling]

Answer : D

Event notifications in Snowpipe are messages sent by cloud storage providers to notify Snowflake of new or modified files in a stage. Snowpipe uses these notifications to trigger data loading from the stage to the target table. When a pipe is paused, event messages received for the pipe enter a limited retention period, which varies depending on the cloud storage provider. If the pipe is not resumed within the retention period, the event messages will be discarded and the data will not be loaded automatically. To load the data, the pipe must be resumed and the COPY command must be executed manually. This is a characteristic of event notifications in Snowpipe that distinguishes them from other options.Reference:Snowflake Documentation: Using Snowpipe,Snowflake Documentation: Pausing and Resuming a Pipe

Answer : C, E

The Snowflake system functions used to view and monitor the clustering metadata for a table are:

SYSTEM$CLUSTERING_INFORMATION

SYSTEM$CLUSTERING_DEPTH

Comprehensive But Short Explanation:

The SYSTEM$CLUSTERING_INFORMATION function in Snowflake returns a variety of clustering information for a specified table. This information includes the average clustering depth, total number of micro-partitions, total constant partition count, average overlaps, average depth, and a partition depth histogram. This function allows you to specify either one or multiple columns for which the clustering information is returned, and it returns this data in JSON format.

The SYSTEM$CLUSTERING_DEPTH function computes the average depth of a table based on specified columns or the clustering key defined for the table. A lower average depth indicates that the table is better clustered with respect to the specified columns. This function also allows specifying columns to calculate the depth, and the values need to be enclosed in single quotes.

SYSTEM$CLUSTERING_INFORMATION: Snowflake Documentation

SYSTEM$CLUSTERING_DEPTH: Snowflake Documentation

Answer : D

The SHOW GRANTS command in Snowflake can be used to list all the access control privileges that have been explicitly granted to roles, users, and shares.The syntax and the output of the command vary depending on the object type and the grantee type specified in the command1. In this question, the two commands have the following meanings:

Command 1: show grants to user user_01; This command lists all the roles granted to the user user_01. The output includes the role name, the grantee name, and the granted by role name for each grant.This command is equivalent to show grants to user current_user if user_01 is the current user1.

Command 2: show grants on user user_01; This command lists all the privileges that have been granted on the user object user_01. The output includes the privilege name, the grantee name, and the granted by role name for each grant.This command shows which role owns the user object user_01, as the owner role has the privilege to modify or drop the user object2.

Therefore, the correct inference is that command 1 defines all the grants which are given to user_01, and command 2 defines which role owns user_01.

SHOW GRANTS

Understanding Access Control in Snowflake

Answer : A, C

Zero-copy cloning is a feature that allows creating a clone of a table, schema, or database without physically copying the data. Zero-copy cloning is suitable for scenarios where the cloned object needs to have the same data and metadata as the original object, and where the cloned object does not need to be modified or updated frequently.Zero-copy cloning is also suitable for scenarios where the cloned object needs to be shared within the same Snowflake account or across different accounts in the same cloud region2

However, zero-copy cloning is not suitable for scenarios where the cloned object needs to have different data or metadata than the original object, or where the cloned object needs to be modified or updated frequently. Zero-copy cloning is also not suitable for scenarios where the cloned object needs to be shared across different accounts in different cloud regions.In these scenarios, copying of data would be required, either by using the COPY INTO command or by using data sharing with secure views3

The following are examples of development and testing scenarios where copying of data would be required, and zero-copy cloning would not be suitable:

Developers create their own datasets to work against transformed versions of the live data. This scenario requires copying of data because the developers need to modify the data or metadata of the cloned object to perform transformations, such as adding, deleting, or updating columns, rows, or values.Zero-copy cloning would not be suitable because it would create a read-only clone that shares the same data and metadata as the original object, and any changes made to the clone would affect the original object as well4

Data is in a production Snowflake account that needs to be provided to Developers in a separate development/testing Snowflake account in the same cloud region. This scenario requires copying of data because the data needs to be shared across different accounts in the same cloud region. Zero-copy cloning would not be suitable because it would create a clone within the same account as the original object, and it would not allow sharing the clone with another account.To share data across different accounts in the same cloud region, data sharing with secure views or COPY INTO command can be used5

The following are examples of development and testing scenarios where zero-copy cloning would be suitable, and copying of data would not be required:

Production and development run in different databases in the same account, and Developers need to see production-like data but with specific columns masked. This scenario can use zero-copy cloning because the data needs to be shared within the same account, and the cloned object does not need to have different data or metadata than the original object. Zero-copy cloning can create a clone of the production database in the development database, and the clone can have the same data and metadata as the original database.To mask specific columns, secure views can be created on top of the clone, and the developers can access the secure views instead of the clone directly6

Developers create their own copies of a standard test database previously created for them in the development account, for their initial development and unit testing. This scenario can use zero-copy cloning because the data needs to be shared within the same account, and the cloned object does not need to have different data or metadata than the original object. Zero-copy cloning can create a clone of the standard test database for each developer, and the clone can have the same data and metadata as the original database.The developers can use the clone for their initial development and unit testing, and any changes made to the clone would not affect the original database or other clones7

The release process requires pre-production testing of changes with data of production scale and complexity. For security reasons, pre-production also runs in the production account. This scenario can use zero-copy cloning because the data needs to be shared within the same account, and the cloned object does not need to have different data or metadata than the original object. Zero-copy cloning can create a clone of the production database in the pre-production database, and the clone can have the same data and metadata as the original database.The pre-production testing can use the clone to test the changes with data of production scale and complexity, and any changes made to the clone would not affect the original database or the production environment8Reference:

1: SnowPro Advanced: Architect | Study Guide9

2: Snowflake Documentation | Cloning Overview

3: Snowflake Documentation | Loading Data Using COPY into a Table

4: Snowflake Documentation | Transforming Data During a Load

5: Snowflake Documentation | Data Sharing Overview

6: Snowflake Documentation | Secure Views

7: Snowflake Documentation | Cloning Databases, Schemas, and Tables

8: Snowflake Documentation | Cloning for Testing and Development

:SnowPro Advanced: Architect | Study Guide

:Cloning Overview

:Loading Data Using COPY into a Table

:Transforming Data During a Load

:Data Sharing Overview

:Secure Views

:Cloning Databases, Schemas, and Tables

:Cloning for Testing and Development