Snowflake SnowPro Certification Preparation Guide

Data Engineering Simplified
5 min readAug 27, 2023

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The Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification (COF-C02) validates an individual’s ability to implement and migrate to Snowflake using specific core expertise. A SnowPro Core Certified individual understands the Snowflake Cloud Data Platform in depth and has the knowledge required to design, develop, and manage secure, scalable Snowflake solutions to drive business objectives.

https://youtu.be/uwegs9PQewc

The Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification (COF-C02) is intended for people who want to demonstrate their understanding of the Snowflake Cloud Data Platform. The candidate is well-versed in the following topics:

  • Data Loading and Transformation in Snowflake.
  • Virtual Warehouse Performance and Concurrency
  • DDL and DML Queries
  • Using Semi-Structured and Unstructured Data
  • Cloning and Time Travel
  • Data Sharing
  • Snowflake Account Structure and Management

SnowPro Certification Exam Format

SnowPro Certification Exam Format

COF-C02 Exam Domain Breakdown

This exam guide contains information about test domains, weightings, and objectives. It is not an exhaustive list of everything that will be covered on this exam. The main content domains and their weighting ranges are listed in the table below.

SnowPro Core Certification Exam Domain L1-Breakdown
SnowPro Core Certification Exam Domain L1-Breakdown
SnowPro Core Certification Exam Domain L2-Breakdown

1.0: Snowflake Platform Features and Architecture

Outline key features of the Snowflake Cloud Data Platform

  • Elastic Storage
  • Elastic Compute
  • Snowflake’s three distinct layers
  • Data Cloud/ Data Exchange/ Partner Network
  • Cloud partner categories

Outline key Snowflake tools and user interfaces.

  • Snowflake User Interfaces (UI)
  • Snowsight
  • Snowflake connectors
  • Snowflake drivers
  • SQL scripting
  • Snowpark

Outline Snowflake’s catalog and objects.

  • Databases
  • Schemas
  • Tables Types
  • View Types
  • Data types
  • User-Defined Functions (UDFs) and User Defined Table Functions (UDTFs)
  • Stored Procedures
  • Streams
  • Tasks
  • Pipes
  • Shares
  • Sequences

Outline Snowflake storage concepts.

  • Micro partitions
  • Types of column metadata clustering
  • Data Storage Monitoring
  • Search Optimization Service

2.0: Account Access and Security

Outline compute principles.

  • Network security and policies
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Federated authentication
  • Single Sign-On (SSO)

Define the entities and roles that are used in Snowflake.

  • Outline how privileges can be granted and revoked
  • Explain role hierarchy and privilege inheritance

Outline data governance capabilities in Snowflake

  • Accounts
  • Organizations
  • Databases
  • Secure views
  • Information schemas
  • Access history and read support

3.0: Performance Concepts

Explain the use of the Query Profile

  • Explain plans
  • Data spilling
  • Use of the data cache
  • Micro-partition pruning
  • Query history

Explain virtual warehouse configurations.

  • Multi-clustering
  • Warehouse sizing
  • Warehouse settings and access

Outline virtual warehouse performance tools

  • Monitoring warehouse loads
  • Query performance
  • Scaling up compared to scaling out
  • Resource monitors

Optimize query performance

  • Describe the use of materialized views
  • Use of specific SELECT commands

4.0: Data Loading and Unloading

Define concepts and best practices that should be considered when loading data

  • Stages and stage types
  • File size
  • File formats
  • Folder structures
  • Adhoc/bulk loading using the Snowflake UI

Outline different commands used to load data and when they should be used

  • CREATE PIPE
  • COPY INTO
  • GET
  • INSERT/INSERT OVERWRITE
  • PUT
  • STREAM
  • TASK
  • VALIDATE

Define concepts and best practices that should be considered when unloading data

  • File formats
  • Empty strings and NULL values
  • Unloading to a single file
  • Unloading relational tables

Outline the different commands used to unload data and when they should be used

  • LIST
  • COPY INTO
  • CREATE FILE FORMAT
  • CREATE FILE FORMAT … CLONE
  • ALTER FILE FORMAT
  • DROP FILE FORMAT
  • DESCRIBE FILE FORMAT
  • SHOW FILE FORMAT

5.0: Data Transformation

Explain how to work with standard data.

  • Estimating functions
  • Sampling
  • Supported function types
  • User-Defined Functions (UDFs) and stored procedures

Explain how to work with semi-structured data.

  • Supported file formats, data types, and sizes
  • VARIANT column
  • Flattening the nested structure

Explain how to work with unstructured data.

  • Define and use directory tables
  • SQL file functions
  • Outline the purpose of User-Defined Functions (UDFs) for data analysis

6.0: Data Protection and Data Sharing

Outline Continuous Data Protection with Snowflake.

  • Time Travel
  • Fail-safe
  • Data Encryption
  • Cloning
  • Replication

Outline Snowflake data sharing capabilities.

  • Account types
  • Data Marketplace and Data Exchange
  • Private data exchange
  • Access control options
  • Shares

Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification Sample Questions

https://youtu.be/wqnxNzkWMGk

SnowPro Certification Preparation Strategy

This video will help you to find answer for following questions

  • What resources can I use to study for the SnowPro Core Exam?
  • How should I approach studying Snowflake’s content for the exam?
  • What topics should I prfioritize while studying?
  • How can I effectively practice hands-on exercises for the exam?
  • How much time should I dedicate to preparing for the exam?
  • What types of questions can I expect in the exam?
  • How can I simulate real exam conditions during my preparation?
  • How can I simulate real exam conditions during my preparation?
  • Last-minute tips for the day of the exam?
Coming Soon…. https://youtu.be/UCFgWtiVnJ4

Snowflake Data Cloud Features & Architecture

https://youtu.be/IocdgUB94KQ

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Data Engineering Simplified
Data Engineering Simplified

Written by Data Engineering Simplified

Passionate About Data Engineering, Snowflake Cloud Data Warehouse & Cloud Native Data Services

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