ARA-C01 Question 128
Select 22.2 Design data sharing solutions, based on different use cases.A media company stores curated subscriber analytics in Snowflake and wants to provide the data to three external organizations. Partner A already uses Snowflake in the same cloud region. Partner B uses Snowflake in a different region and wants near-real-time access without building custom data pipelines. Partner C does not use Snowflake and only needs occasional access to a limited dataset for 30 days during a pilot. The company wants to minimize operational overhead while preserving secure, governed access to the shared data. Which approaches should the architect recommend?
- A
Create a direct secure share for Partner A, use a listing/replication-enabled sharing approach for Partner B across regions, and create a reader account for Partner C.
- B
Unload the data for all three partners to cloud storage and distribute pre-signed URLs, because Snowflake shares cannot support cross-region or non-Snowflake consumers.
- C
Create reader accounts for all three partners to standardize access and avoid cross-region data movement complexities.
- D
Create a direct secure share for Partner A, configure database replication/failover to an account in Partner B's region and share from there, and create a reader account for Partner C.
- E
Use data exchange exclusively for all three partners, because it is the only Snowflake-native way to share data securely with organizations in different regions and with non-Snowflake users.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, D
Explanation
Snowflake data sharing design should align to the consumer's platform, region, and governance requirements. For existing Snowflake consumers in the same region, direct secure sharing is typically the simplest and most operationally efficient solution. For consumers in different regions, architects should use Snowflake-native cross-region patterns, such as replication-based sharing or listing auto-fulfillment where appropriate, instead of building custom export pipelines. For consumers without a Snowflake account, reader accounts provide controlled access managed by the provider. These approaches preserve Snowflake governance, avoid unnecessary data movement where possible, and reduce operational complexity. Relevant Snowflake documentation includes Secure Data Sharing, Reader Accounts, Cross-Region/Cross-Cloud Sharing considerations, Listings, and Database Replication/Failover best practices.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A direct secure share is the lowest-overhead pattern for an existing Snowflake consumer in the same region. For a consumer in another region that needs Snowflake-native access without custom pipelines, cross-region sharing can be addressed through a provider listing and auto-fulfillment pattern where supported, or another Snowflake-managed cross-region sharing mechanism. For a non-Snowflake consumer with temporary, limited access, a reader account is appropriate because it allows the provider to grant access without requiring the consumer to have a Snowflake account.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. This introduces unnecessary operational overhead and weakens the governance model compared to Snowflake sharing. Snowflake does support sharing to Snowflake consumers, and non-Snowflake consumers can be served through reader accounts. Cross-region access is also supported through Snowflake-native patterns rather than requiring manual unload-and-distribute workflows.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Reader accounts are intended for consumers who do not already have their own Snowflake account. Using reader accounts for existing Snowflake customers is generally not the best fit, and it does not simplify cross-region architecture for organizations that already operate their own Snowflake environments.
- D. Correct.
Correct. This is a valid architecture. A secure share is appropriate for Partner A in the same region. For Partner B, one established pattern is to replicate the shared database to a Snowflake account in the consumer's region and then create the share there, enabling cross-region access without building external pipelines. A reader account is the correct choice for Partner C because they do not use Snowflake and only need limited-duration access.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Data Exchange is not the only Snowflake-native sharing option and is not required for all these use cases. Direct secure sharing is more appropriate for known one-to-one partner scenarios, and reader accounts are specifically designed for non-Snowflake consumers. This option reflects a common misconception that marketplace/data exchange constructs replace all other sharing models.