SnowPro Specialty: Gen AI Question 30
Single answerCORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST parameterA Snowflake administrator needs to restrict which large language models analysts can use with Snowflake Cortex in a shared analytics environment. The security team approves only a small set of models for cost and governance reasons, but developers report that calls to other Cortex models are failing in one database while working in another. Which action should the administrator take to enforce a consistent, account-wide model restriction policy using the CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST parameter?
- A
Set the CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST parameter at the account level with the approved model names so only those Cortex models are available across the account.
- B
Grant USAGE on the approved models to the analyst role, because model access is controlled only through role grants rather than account parameters.
- C
Configure CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST separately on each database that uses Cortex so each database inherits its own approved model set.
- D
Set the parameter on each virtual warehouse, because Cortex model restrictions are enforced where compute executes.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The key requirement in this scenario is centralized governance: the administrator wants the same approved set of Cortex models enforced consistently across the account. Snowflake provides the CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST account parameter for this purpose. By setting the allowlist at the account level, administrators can limit model usage to approved models for security, compliance, and cost-management reasons. Incorrect answers reflect common misunderstandings: treating models like securable objects with role-based grants, assuming database-level inheritance is the right mechanism, or confusing warehouse compute settings with AI governance controls. In Snowflake best practice, account parameters are used when a policy must be consistently enforced across multiple workloads and teams.
- A. Correct.
Correct. CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST is an account parameter used to control which Snowflake Cortex models are permitted. Setting it at the account level is the appropriate way to apply a consistent governance policy across environments, rather than relying on object-by-object settings. This matches the scenario requirement for a uniform, account-wide restriction.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. This reflects a common misconception that Cortex model selection is managed like object privileges. While roles and privileges matter for accessing Snowflake features, the specific restriction of which Cortex models may be used is governed through the CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST parameter, not by granting model-specific USAGE privileges.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Databases are not the correct scope for this parameter in this governance scenario. The question asks for a consistent, account-wide restriction. Setting controls per database would not provide centralized enforcement and does not reflect how CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST is intended to be used.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Warehouses provide compute resources, but CORTEX_MODELS_ALLOWLIST is not enforced as a warehouse-level setting. Choosing this option suggests confusion between compute configuration and account-level governance controls for Cortex model usage.