SnowPro Associate: Platform Question 141
Single answer2.2 Create a database, explore data, configure parameters, and transfer ownership.A Snowflake administrator created a database named FINANCE_DB for the accounting team. The database and all existing objects in it are currently owned by the SYSADMIN role. The company has created a new custom role, FINANCE_ADMIN, that must become the owner of FINANCE_DB so the accounting team can manage the database going forward. However, the administrator wants to avoid unintentionally removing existing outbound privileges that have already been granted on the database to other roles. Which command should the administrator use?
- A
GRANT OWNERSHIP ON DATABASE FINANCE_DB TO ROLE FINANCE_ADMIN
- B
TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF DATABASE FINANCE_DB TO ROLE FINANCE_ADMIN COPY CURRENT GRANTS
- C
GRANT OWNERSHIP ON DATABASE FINANCE_DB TO ROLE FINANCE_ADMIN COPY CURRENT GRANTS
- D
ALTER DATABASE FINANCE_DB SET OWNER = FINANCE_ADMIN
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
In Snowflake, object ownership is transferred with the GRANT OWNERSHIP command. Ownership is a special privilege because it gives full control over the object. By default, transferring ownership revokes existing outbound privileges on that object unless COPY CURRENT GRANTS is specified. In this scenario, the administrator explicitly wants to preserve existing database grants, so the correct command is GRANT OWNERSHIP ON DATABASE FINANCE_DB TO ROLE FINANCE_ADMIN COPY CURRENT GRANTS. This aligns with Snowflake security and access-control best practices for controlled ownership changes. Candidates should recognize both the correct command syntax and the effect of COPY CURRENT GRANTS when transferring ownership.
- A. Incorrect.
Incorrect. In Snowflake, ownership is transferred using the GRANT OWNERSHIP command, but if COPY CURRENT GRANTS is not included, outbound privileges on the object are revoked as part of the ownership transfer. An administrator might choose this option because it appears syntactically close to the correct command, but it does not meet the requirement to preserve existing granted privileges.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Snowflake does not use a TRANSFER OWNERSHIP command for object ownership changes. This option reflects a common assumption based on terminology rather than actual Snowflake SQL syntax.
- C. Correct.
Correct. GRANT OWNERSHIP ON DATABASE FINANCE_DB TO ROLE FINANCE_ADMIN COPY CURRENT GRANTS is the correct Snowflake syntax to transfer ownership of the database while preserving the current outbound privileges granted on that database. This is the safest choice when the goal is to change ownership without disrupting existing access granted to other roles.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Snowflake does not support changing object ownership with ALTER DATABASE ... SET OWNER syntax. Ownership transfer is handled through GRANT OWNERSHIP, not through ALTER statements.