Platform Architecture and Cloud Services: 10 practice questions

Question 1 of 10

Which three layers form the Snowflake architecture?

1. ADatabase storage, compute, and cloud services
2. BDatabase storage, networking, and client drivers
3. CCompute, private hardware, and client software
4. DCloud services, local storage, and user hardware

Question 2 of 10

What does Snowflake's self-managed service model remove from the customer?

1. ASelecting which persisted tables a query should read
2. BChoosing a warehouse for statements that require compute
3. CSelecting, installing, configuring, and managing service hardware
4. DSubmitting SQL statements to process stored data

Question 3 of 10

How do two virtual warehouses relate at the compute-resource level?

1. AThey share one compute cluster but keep separate storage copies
2. BThey share compute nodes whenever they access the same table
3. CThey are independent clusters that do not share compute resources
4. DThey divide one fixed compute pool according to query priority

Question 4 of 10

Why is Snowflake described as a hybrid of shared-disk and shared-nothing architectures?

1. AIt combines central persisted storage with MPP compute clusters
2. BIt assigns separate cloud-services layers to each storage object
3. CIt duplicates all persisted data inside every compute cluster
4. DIt combines local private storage with one shared compute server

Question 5 of 10

Which responsibility belongs to database storage for Snowflake tables?

1. AAuthenticating users before they submit their requests
2. BParsing SQL and dispatching each optimized query
3. CManaging compressed columnar data and its storage metadata
4. DProviding the independent cluster that executes each statement

Question 6 of 10

Which activity is coordinated by the cloud services layer?

1. AExecuting SQL with an independent warehouse cluster
2. BPersisting table rows in compressed columnar storage
3. CAuthenticating a request and optimizing its query
4. DKeeping a local persistent table copy on every node

Question 7 of 10

Which deployment request conflicts with the Snowflake service model?

1. AInstall Snowflake on hosted private-cloud infrastructure
2. BUse public-cloud storage for persistent Snowflake table data
3. CRun SQL on a Snowflake-managed virtual compute instance
4. DLet Snowflake manage software updates and infrastructure

Question 8 of 10

Two teams query the same persisted tables, but one team's heavy workload must not reduce the other's compute performance. Which architectural choice addresses this requirement?

1. AAssign each team an independent virtual warehouse
2. BPlace both teams on the same warehouse compute cluster
3. CCreate a separate cloud-services layer for each team
4. DCopy every table into each warehouse's persistent storage

Question 9 of 10

A request is authenticated and parsed successfully, but no execution resources have yet run the SQL. Which handoff should occur next?

1. AThe warehouse moves persisted data into private-cloud storage
2. BDatabase storage authenticates the request on a compute node
3. CCloud services dispatches the work to the selected warehouse
4. DA client driver optimizes and executes the query without compute

Question 10 of 10

A team wants to set the file size, compression, and internal organization of every Snowflake table manually. What should the architect explain?

1. ASnowflake manages those storage details and table organization
2. BEvery query must recreate those details before execution begins
3. CEach virtual warehouse must configure those details independently
4. DCloud services delegates those details to each client driver