Snowflake is a SaaS-based cloud data warehousing platform powering various enterprise data solutions. The Snowflake SnowPro Core certification exam covers core features of Snowflake along with architectural principles and best practices for implementing Snowflake solutions. In this blog post, we would explain the steps to prepare and pass the SnowPro Certification exam.
An ideal exam candidate must have a thorough understanding of the following Snowflake aspects:
- Loading and transforming data in Snowflake
- Scaling and optimizing virtual warehouses in Snowflake
- Data sharing in Snowflake
- DDL & DML query operations
- Snowflake accounts management
- Handling unstructured & semi-structured data
- Continuous data protection methods in Snowflake
Let’s discuss all components of Snowflake’s SnowPro Core certification in detail. In this blog post we are going to deep dive into the Snowflake Snowpro Core Certification exam and how to pass snowpro core certification exam with proper study materials.
Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification Exam Details
Candidates must understand the Snowflake SnowPro certification exam format and scoring mechanism. The exam contains multiple select, multiple-choice, and true/false questions, marked using a compensatory scaled scoring model (0 – 1000) to allow fair evaluation of all exam sections. Snowflake does not publish individual exam passing scores or passing rates as exam content is updated frequently. Other exam details include:
- Total Questions: 100
- Total Time Limit: 115 minutes
- Available Languages: English & Japanese
- SnowPro Core Certification Cost: USD 175
- Passing Scaled Score: 750
- Prerequisites: None
- Recertification: 2 years
SnowPro Core certification exam may also contain unscored questions to collect statistical information that does not affect the final score or the allotted time. Candidates can give the exam via online proctoring using Webassesor and onsite testing via Kryterion Testing Centers.
SnowPro Core Certification Exam Topics
Candidates must familiarize themselves with the recommended topics to ace the Snowflake SnowPro Core exam. We have summarized these topics below, along with their exam portion percentages.
| Domain | Weightage |
| Features and Architecture of Snowflake Cloud Data Platform | 20-25% |
| Account security and access | 20-25% |
| Performance concepts | 10-15% |
| Data loading and unloading | 5-10% |
| Data transformations | 20-25% |
| Data sharing and Data protection | 5-10% |
Features and Architecture of Snowflake Cloud Data Platform(20-25%)
Defining key features of Snowflake Cloud Data platform
- Elastic storage
- Elastic compute
- Three distinct layers of Snowflake
- Data cloud or Data Exchange or Partner Network
- Categories of Cloud partner
Defining tools and user interfaces of Snowflake
- Snowflake User Interfaces
- Snowsight
- Snowflake connectors
- Snowflake drivers
- Snowpark
- SQL scripting
Defining catalog and objects of Snowflake
- Databases
- Table types
- View types
- Data types
- Schemas
- User Defined functions and User Defined Table Functions
- Stored procedures
- Streams
- Sequences
- Pipes
- Shares
Defining storage concepts of Snowflake
- Micro Partitions
- Types of Column Metadata clustering
- Data storage Monitoring
- Search Optimization Service
Account security and access(20-25%)
Defining the compute principles
- Networking security and policies
- Multi factor Authentication
- Single Sign-On
- Federated authentication
Defining roles and entities used in snowflake
- Defining how the privileges can be accepted and revoked
- Explaining the role hierarchy and inheritance of privileges
Defining the capabilities of data governance in Snowflake
- Accounts
- Databases
- Organizations
- Secure views
- Information schemas
- History of access and read support
Performance concepts(10-15%)
- Outlining the usage of Query Profile
- Explaining the plans
- Data spilling
- History of query
- Usage of data cache
- Micro-partition pruning
Explaining the configurations of virtual warehouses
- Multi-clustering
- Warehouse sizing
- Warehouse access and settings
Defining performance tools of virtual warehouse
- Monitoring warehouse tools
- Performance of Query
- Resource monitors
- Comparison between scaling up and scaling out
Optimisation of query performance
- Describing the usage of materialized views
- Usage of SELECT commands
Data Loading and Unloading(5-10%)
Outlining the concepts and best practices while loading the data
- Stages and types of stages
- File size
- Folder structures
- Ad Hoc or bulk loading with usage of snowflake UI
Outlining the various commands to load the data and when it should be used
- CREATE PIPE
- COPY INTO
- PUT
- GET
- STREAM
- TASK
- VALIDATE
- INSERT/INSERT OVERWRITE
Outlining the concepts and best practices while unloading the data
- File formats
- Empty strings
- NULL values
- Unloading into single file
- Unloading the relational tables
Outlining the various commands to unload the data and when it should be used
- LIST
- CREATE FILE FORMAT…CLONE
- DROP FILE FORMAT
- DESCRIBE FILE FORMAT
- ALTER FILE FORMAT
- SHOW FILE FORMAT
- CREATE FILE FORMAT
- COPY INTO
Data transformation(20-25%)
Outlining how to work with the data
- Estimation of functions
- Sampling
- Supported function types
- User Defined functions and stored procedures
Outlining how to work with the semistructured data
- Supported data types, file formats and sizes
- VARIANT column
- Nested structure flattening
Outlining how to work with the unstructured data
- Explaining and usage of directory tables
- SQL file functions
- Defining the usage of User-Defined Functions for the analysis of data
Data sharing and data protection(5-10%)
Outlining Continuous Protection of the Data with Snowflake
- Time travel
- File-safe
- Cloning
- Replication
- Data encryption
Defining capabilities of Snowflake Data sharing
- Account types
- Private data exchange
- Access control options
- Shares
- Data Exchange and Data Marketplace
Top Skills you will gain from Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification Exam
Snowflake offers a great way to learn new skills and gain valuable experience in the field of data warehousing. The SnowPro Core Certification Exam is a great way to show employers that you have what it takes to be a successful data warehouse professional. In order to earn your certification, you must pass an online exam that covers a variety of topics. These topics include:
-Data modeling
-Data architecture
-Data warehousing
-ETL processes
-Data management
By studying for and passing the SnowPro Core Certification Exam, you will not only learn about these topics, but you will also prove that you have the skills and knowledge to be a successful data warehouse professional. With this certification, you will be one step ahead of the competition when applying for jobs and will be able to show employers that you are committed to your career.
Preparing for SnowPro Core Certification Exam
Wondering how to pass SnowPro core certification exam? We recommend the following steps to help you prepare and pass this exam:
1. Snowflake‘s SnowPro Core Certification Exam Guide
In this post, we have covered all major topics of the exam. You should always start with the Snowflake website. In the official website you will all the required details about the certification exam. This page will have details of certification overview, FAQs and StudyGuide. We recommend candidates examine to review the official Snowflake certification exam guide to better familiarize themselves with the exam content. The Snowflake certification guide provides an overview of the exam content and links to various learning and training resources.
- If you have not worked on Snowflake before and would like to try hands-on, Sign-up for a free trial account.
2. Enroll in the Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification Preparation Course
The SnowPro Core Preparation course is a five-hour-long self-paced on-demand course offered by Snowflake for USD 375 for six months from the day of enrollment.
Snowflake recommends pairing this course with another beginner-friendly instructor-led Snowflake Certification Fundamentals 4-day course covering Snowflake Cloud Data platform architecture, loading and transforming data, SQL operations, best practices for semi-structured data, continuous protection, data sharing, and managing virtual warehouses. This training costs around USD 3000 and can be taken onsite or online.
3. Self Study with Snowflake SnowPro Certification Study Guide
If you are looking for free SnowPro Core certification training, you can access and download the self-paced self-learning study guide for the SnowPro Core certification exam. The snowflake certification study guide covers all relevant exam topics and links to Snowflake documentation, along with additional exercises and training videos. Guide focuses on individual areas like Warehouses, Tables, Encryption, etc. where it provides a link into Snowflake documentation, which helps us to learn more about each topics.
4. Snowflake Documentation
Documentation often makes or breaks a software product. Good comprehensive software documentation guides developers to build standardized products, deployed with best practices.
Snowflake comes with easy-to-use developer-oriented documentation covering all Snowflake components in detail. Some major sections of the documentation are:
- Introduction to Snowflake
- Connecting to Snowflake
- Loading/unloading data to Snowflake
- Web interface, virtual warehouses, databases, queries, semi-structured data, and data pipelines
- Data security in Snowflake
- Snowflake accounts
- Developing applications with Snowflake
Candidates can explore each section to prepare for the Snowflake SnowPro Core certification exam. However, reading the documentation alone can take a lot of time without any targeted approach. Candidates must pair the documentation with the study guide or learning course to efficiently prepare for the exam questions.
5. Solve SnowPro Core Practice Test
If you feel comfortable with your exam preparation, it is time to put your Snowflake knowledge to the test. Whizlabs offers two full-length mock exams to help you assess your strength and weaknesses. To perform well in the proctored Snowflake SnowPro core exam questions, try to ace these practice tests.
6. Watch Snowflake Webinars
Candidates can also attend Snowflake webinars covering various product demos, virtual hands-on labs, and sharing key business insights. Webinars are delivered periodically by Snowflake employees and other industry experts, having diverse experience.
7. Join Snowflake’s Stack Overflow Community
Snowflake has a vibrant community of enthusiastic data cloud professionals who are always willing to guide aspiring developers and candidates. If you don’t understand anything about the Snowflake SnowPro Core certification exam, these professionals might have already answered your queries here.
Snowpro Core Recertification
There is a recertification for Snowflake Snowpro Core Certification exam. This exam can be taken by only those who have the valid Snowpro Core Certification at the time of applying for the recertification. The exam format has little variation for this exam, but the study guide and preparation techniques remain the same.
Here is the exam details:
- Approximate Number of Questions: 60
- Unscored Content: Exams may include unscored items to gather statistical information. These items are not identified on the form and do not affect your score, and additional time is factored into account for this content.
- Question Types: Multiple Select, Multiple Choice, True/False
- Time Limit: 90 minutes
- Language: English
- Registration Fee: $88 USD
- Passing Score: 750 + on Scaled Scoring from 0 – 1000
You can find more details here.
Resources
Summary
In this post, we have discussed all aspects of preparing for the Snowflake SnowPro Core certification exam. Candidates must acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge of managing, monitoring, developing, and deploying Snowflake solutions to pass this exam.
With all this preparation, the only thing left for you is to schedule the Snowflake SnowPro certification exam. If you’re ready to schedule your Snowflake SnowPro certification exam, click here.
Happy learning!
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