Resources and FAQs

Jessica Braid

Jul 26, 2021

1319

FAQs

How frequently is the data in Snowflake refreshed?

Data in Snowflake is refreshed every 15 minutes.

Who should I contact for Support?

Leverage Snowflake’s robust Knowledge Base Documentation along with BenchPrep’s Data Dictionary to guide you in using Snowflake and understanding your data.

If you have questions related to data coherency or data discrepancies, please contact the BenchPrep Support team for additional assistance.

Are we able to have a customer LMS connect directly to Snowflake via an API?

The only connection that is allowed - taking data from Snowflake into a BenchPrep customer data warehouse.

I want to take data from Snowflake into my data warehouse, how do I start?

Review Snowflake’s connector documentation as you plan on moving data from Snowflake to your data warehouse.

What functions are available to a Reader account (Delete, Insert, Create, Update, etc.)? Can I create temporary tables in Snowflake?

Please consult the What is Restricted/Allowed in a Reader Account? Snowflake documentation for all the details.

Resources

Snowflake Knowledge Base

For in-depth documentation on using Snowflake, visit Snowflake’s robust Knowledge Base Documentation. It includes guides on a wealth of topics, including:

Getting Started
- Before You Begin
- Logging into Snowflake
- Quick Tour of the Web Interface
- Snowflake in 20 Minutes
Introduction to Snowflake
- Key Concepts & Architecture
- Supported Cloud Platforms
- Supported Cloud Regions
- Snowflake Editions
- Snowflake Releases
- Overview of Key Features
- Overview of the Data Lifecycle
- Continuous Data Protection
Tutorials, Videos & Other Resources
- Tutorials & Scripts
- Best Practices
- Feature Demonstration Videos
- Getting Started Videos
  - Architecture & Key Concepts
  - Introduction to Virtual Warehouses
  - Introduction to Worksheets & Queries
Release Notes
Connecting to Snowflake
- Snowflake Ecosystem
  - All Partners & Technologies
  - Data Integration
    Business Intelligence (BI)
  - Machine Learning & Data Science
  - Security & Governance
  - SQL Development & Management
  - Native Programmatic Interfaces
- Snowflake Partner Connect
  - Supported Partners
  - Security Requirements
  - Adding Partner IP Addresses to Network Policies
  - Launching a Partner Application
  - Disconnecting from a Partner Account
  - Connecting with a Snowflake Partner
    - Objects Created for the Partner
    - Automated Application Features and Resources Usage
  - Troubleshooting a Connection
    - Connection Already Exists
- General Configuration
  - Viewing Snowflake Client Versions
  - SnowCD (Connectivity Diagnostic Tool)
  - Allowing Hostnames
  - Limits on Query Text Size
  - OCSP Configuration
  - Snowflake Client Repository
  - SQL Statements Supported for Preparation
- SnowSQL (CLI Client)
  - Installing
  - Configuring
  - Connecting
  - Using
- Connectors & Drivers
  - Snowflake Connector for Python
  - Snowflake Connector for Spark
  - Snowflake Connector for Kafka
  - Node.js Driver
  - Go Snowflake Driver
  - .NET Driver
  - JDBC Driver
  - ODBC Driver
  - PHP PDO Driver for Snowflake
Unloading Data from Snowflake
- Key concepts related to data unloading, as well as best practices.
  - Overview of Data Unloading
  - Summary of Data Unloading Features
  - Data Unloading Considerations
- Overview of supported data file formats for unloading data.
  - Preparing to Unload Data
- Detailed instructions for unloading data in bulk using the COPY command.
  - Unloading into a Snowflake Stage
  - Unloading into Amazon S3
  - Unloading into Google Cloud Storage
  - Unloading into Microsoft Azure
Using Snowflake
- New Web Interface
- Databases, Tables & Views
- Semi-structured Data
- Binary Data
- Snowflake Time Travel & Fail-safe
- Sample Data Sets
- Classic Web Interface
  - General Usage Notes
  - Changing Your Password / Switching Your (Session) Role / Logging Out
  - Managing Your User Preferences
  - Worksheet page - Using for Queries
  - History page - Monitoring Queries
- Queries
  - Working with Subqueries
  - Querying Hierarchical Data
  - Working with CTEs (Common Table Expressions)
  - Querying Semi-structured Data
  - Using Window Functions
  - Identifying Sequences of Rows That Match a Pattern
  - Using Sequences
  - Using Persisted Query Results
  - Estimating Number of Distinct Values
  - Estimating Similarity of Two or More Sets
  - Estimating Frequent Values
  - Estimating Percentile Values
  - Analyzing Queries Using Query Profile
  - Canceling Statements
- Date & Time Data
  - Date and Time Input / Output
  - Using Dates and Timestamps
- Continuous Data Pipelines
  - Change Tracking Using Table Streams
  - Executing SQL Statements on a Schedule Using Tasks
Sharing Data Securely in Snowflake
Managing Your Snowflake Account
- Account Identifiers
- Trial Accounts
- Parameter Management
- User Management
- Behavior Change Release Management
General Reference
- Parameters
- Data Types
- Collation Support
- SQL Format Models
- Object Identifiers
- Constraints
- SQL Variables
- Transactions
- Table Literals
- Information Schema
- Organization Usage
- Account Usage
- Data Sharing Usage
SQL Command Reference
- Summary of Commands - use as a quick reference
  - DML (Data Manipulation Language) Commands
  - Query Syntax & Operators
  - TCL (Transaction Control Language) Commands
  - DDL (Data Definition Language) Commands
    - Account-based and Session-based
    - Account Object
    - Database / Schema Object
- All Commands (Alphabetical)
- DDL Commands
- DML Commands
- Query Syntax
  - Structure of SQL queries in Snowflake
- Query Operators
  - Arithmetic Operators
  - Comparison Operators
  - Logical & Boolean Operators
  - Set Operators
  - Subquery Operators
SQL Function Reference
- Summary of Functions
- All Functions (Alphabetical)
- Scalar Functions
- Aggregate Functions
- Window Functions
- Table Functions
- System Functions
Appendices
- Notational Conventions
- Reserved & Limited Keywords