SnowPro Associate: Platform Question 67
Single answer● Notebook sessionsA data engineering team uses Snowsight notebooks to explore a large sales dataset and prototype Python-based transformations. Several analysts leave their notebook sessions running throughout the day, even when they are no longer actively working. The Snowflake administrator notices unnecessary compute consumption and wants to reduce cost without preventing analysts from using notebooks when needed. Which action is the MOST appropriate?
- A
Configure notebook sessions to use a smaller warehouse and instruct users to suspend or end sessions when they are no longer needed
- B
Disable auto-suspend on the warehouse so notebook sessions can reconnect faster after periods of inactivity
- C
Convert the notebooks to SQL worksheets because notebook sessions do not consume compute resources
- D
Increase the warehouse size so running notebook sessions finish faster even when users are idle
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Notebook sessions in Snowflake are tied to compute usage, so leaving them running when not in active use can increase costs. A practical response is to right-size the compute backing notebook work and have users stop idle sessions. This is consistent with Snowflake guidance to manage compute consumption through appropriate warehouse sizing and suspension of unused resources. Options that keep compute active longer, such as disabling auto-suspend or increasing warehouse size without a workload need, run counter to cost-optimization best practices.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Notebook sessions use compute resources, so cost control should focus on right-sizing the compute used by notebooks and ensuring sessions are not left running unnecessarily. Using a smaller warehouse when appropriate and ending or suspending idle sessions aligns with Snowflake cost-management best practices.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Disabling auto-suspend generally increases cost because the warehouse can continue running during idle periods. This does not address the problem of notebook sessions being left open and can make compute waste worse.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. SQL worksheets can also use warehouse compute for query execution, and replacing notebooks does not inherently eliminate compute consumption. This option reflects the misconception that only notebooks consume compute while other interactive development tools do not.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Increasing warehouse size may help some active workloads complete faster, but it does not solve the core issue here: users are leaving notebook sessions running while idle. A larger warehouse would likely increase, not reduce, unnecessary cost.