Pass the Snowflake SnowPro Advanced Certification DAA-C01 Questions and answers with CertsForce

The PERCENTILE_DISC (discrete percentile) function is an inverse distribution function that assumes a discrete distribution model. It takes a percentile value and a sort specification and returns the value from the set that corresponds to that percentile. Unlike PERCENTILE_CONT, which interpolates between values to find a continuous result, PERCENTILE_DISC always returns an actual value from the input set.

In this scenario, we have a set of four values: $\{1, 2, 3, 4\}$. The query specifies a descending order (order by v desc), so the ordered set for the calculation is $\{4, 3, 2, 1\}$.

To find the discrete percentile, Snowflake calculates the cumulative distribution. For a set of $N$ elements, each element represents a percentile rank of $1/N$. With 4 elements, each covers 25% ($0.25$) of the distribution:

Value 4: Cumulative Percentile $0.25$

Value 3: Cumulative Percentile $0.50$

Value 2: Cumulative Percentile $0.75$

Value 1: Cumulative Percentile $1.00$

The PERCENTILE_DISC(0.60) function looks for the first value whose cumulative distribution is greater than or equal to the specified percentile ($0.60$).

$0.25$ (Value 4) is not $\ge 0.60$.

$0.50$ (Value 3) is not $\ge 0.60$.

$0.75$ (Value 2) is the first value where the cumulative distribution is $\ge 0.60$.

Therefore, the result is 2. If the order had been ascending (ASC), the cumulative distribution would have been $\{1: 0.25, 2: 0.50, 3: 0.75, 4: 1.00\}$, and the result for $0.60$ would have been 3. Understanding the impact of the ORDER BY clause within the WITHIN GROUP syntax is a critical skill for the Data Analysis domain of the SnowPro Advanced: Data Analyst exam.

Working with nested semi-structured data requires a deep understanding of Snowflake's FLATTEN function and path notation. In the provided JSON exhibit, the data is hierarchical: the root contains a key named "events", which is an array containing multiple objects. Each object within that array contains the target field "f".

To transform this into a "consumable, tabular format" where each instance of "f" appears as a separate row, the Data Analyst must "explode" the array. Simply using path notation like data:events:f (Option A) will fail or return NULL because the engine cannot directly map a single path through an array structure to multiple scalar results without an explicit relational transformation.

The LATERAL FLATTEN function is the standard tool for this task. It takes a semi-structured column (or a specific path within it) as an input and returns a relational result set. By specifying input => data:events, the Analyst instructs Snowflake to look specifically at the array. For every element found in that array, FLATTEN generates a new row in the result set. The output of the flatten operation includes a column named VALUE, which represents the specific element (in this case, an object) currently being processed.

Evaluating the Options:

Option A and C are incorrect because they attempt to use direct pathing on an array. Without flattening, the query engine sees the array as a single block of data and cannot reach the "f" key inside individual array elements.

Option B is incorrect because it flattens the root data object. While this works for top-level keys, it wouldn't automatically iterate through the "events" array to expose the "f" values inside it; it would treat the entire array as a single value.

Option D is the 100% correct answer. It correctly targets the "events" array for flattening and then utilizes path notation (value:f) followed by the appropriate type casting (::number) to produce the final tabular output. This is a core competency for any SnowPro Advanced Data Analyst handling modern telemetry or event-based data.

To determine the output of the final statement, a Data Analyst must perform a step-by-step trace of the code execution, following standard order of operations (inner-to-outer) and procedural logic within the Snowflake Scripting environment.

Step 1: Evaluating the innermost function, func2(10)

The definition for func2 takes a number p and returns p + 10.

Input: 10

Calculation: $10 + 10 = 20$

Result: 20

Step 2: Evaluating the next function, func1(20)

The definition for func1 takes a number v and returns v + 10.

Input: 20 (the result from Step 1)

Calculation: $20 + 10 = 30$

Result: 30

Step 3: Evaluating the procedure call, proc1(30)

The procedure proc1 takes an input variable named result. It then executes a conditional IF statement:

Conditional Check: IF (result >= 30)

Since the input is 30, the condition evaluates to True.

Action: The procedure executes RETURN result - 10.

Calculation: $30 - 10 = 20$

Summary of Logic:

The nested calls flow as follows: call proc1(30) $\rightarrow$ proc1 evaluates $30 \ge 30$ $\rightarrow$ proc1 returns $30 - 10$, which is 20. If the initial input had been lower, such that the final result passed to the procedure was less than 30, it would have followed the ELSE branch and returned the original value. This question evaluates the analyst's ability to interpret modular code and procedural control flow, which are key components of the Data Transformation and Data Modeling domain in the SnowPro Advanced: Data Analyst exam.

In Snowsight, managing dashboard layouts requires an understanding of how tiles (queries or visualizations) are stored versus how they are displayed. When an analyst wants to remove a tile from the visible dashboard grid without destroying the underlying query logic or historical configuration, the Unplace action is the correct functional choice.

When a tile is unplaced, it is removed from the dashboard's active layout but remains part of the dashboard's "library" of available content. This is a critical distinction from the Delete action (Option C), which permanently removes the tile and its associated SQL code from the dashboard object. Unplacing allows the analyst to "archive" the work temporarily. Because the tile still technically exists within the dashboard's metadata, any new data added to the underlying tables will still be processed by the query whenever the tile is eventually placed back onto the grid.

Evaluating the Options:

Option A (Show/Hide) is not a standard standalone command for dashboard tile management in Snowsight; visibility is typically managed through placement on the grid.

Option B (Duplicate) creates a second copy of the tile. While this preserves the data, it does not satisfy the requirement to "hide" the current tile; it actually adds more clutter to the dashboard.

Option C (Delete) is incorrect because the prompt specifies that the data and tile will need to be available in the future. Deleting would require the analyst to rewrite the SQL and reconfigure the visualization from scratch.

Option D is the 100% correct answer. Unplacing is the "soft-remove" feature of Snowsight. It preserves the tile in the "Unplaced Tiles" sidebar, allowing for quick restoration at a later date. This feature is essential for analysts who need to manage evolving reporting requirements where certain metrics may only be relevant seasonally or during specific business cycles.

Secure Views in Snowflake are specifically designed for data privacy and security, particularly when data is being shared across different business units or external accounts. The primary benefit of a secure view is that it prevents users from seeing the internal definitions (the underlying SQL) and protects against "trial-and-error" data discovery.

In a standard view, a savvy user might be able to deduce information about data they are not authorized to see by observing the query optimizer's behavior or by looking at the query profile. For example, by using specific filters or functions, a user might observe how long a query takes to execute or check the statistics to guess the distribution of values in hidden columns. Secure views prevent this by ensuring that Snowflake does not expose the internal metadata or the specific row/column counts that would allow a user to make observations about the quantity or nature of the underlying data that falls outside their access privileges.

Evaluating the Options:

Option B and C are incorrect because Snowflake does not merely obfuscate bytes or micro-partitions in a way that suggests a simple "hiding" of metrics; it fundamentally changes the query plan generation to ensure security.

Option D is a common misconception. In fact, secure views can sometimes be less performant than regular views. This is because the Snowflake optimizer is restricted from using certain optimizations (like predicate pushdown) that might inadvertently reveal data patterns to an unauthorized user.

Option A is the 100% correct answer. The "secure" nature of the view ensures that the user cannot use statistical side-channels or metadata observations to infer the existence or volume of data they are restricted from seeing.

In the Snowflake data loading hierarchy, understanding the order of precedence for file format options is critical for troubleshooting and automation. Snowflake allows you to define file format options (such as CSV delimiter, header settings, or compression type) at multiple levels: as a standalone named File Format object, within a Stage definition, or directly inside a COPY INTO statement.

When data is loaded, Snowflake evaluates these definitions based on a specific override logic. The COPY INTO statement sits at the top of this hierarchy. This means that any file format options or named file formats explicitly called out in the COPY INTO command will override any conflicting settings defined at the stage or table level. For example, if a stage is defined to expect comma-separated files, but the COPY INTO command specifies a pipe delimiter, Snowflake will use the pipe delimiter for that specific load operation.

Evaluating the Options:

Options A, B, and C are incorrect because while they provide default behaviors for specific objects or namespaces, they are considered "lower-level" configurations.

Option D is the 100% correct answer. The COPY INTO statement provides the final, explicit instruction to the query engine. This design allows Data Analysts to use general-purpose stages for various file types by simply specifying the unique format requirements at the time of the execution, providing maximum flexibility in the Data Ingestion workflow.

To achieve the desired result, an analyst must understand the fundamental behavior of different JOIN types within Snowflake and how they affect the retention of records from the "left" or primary table. The goal here is to list all brokers, even those who have zero customers (like "Drew") or customers with zero orders (like "Debby").

In SQL, an INNER JOIN only returns rows when there is a match in both tables. If we were to use an INNER JOIN between BROKER and CUSTOMER, Drew would be excluded from the results because he has no associated records in the CUSTOMER table. Similarly, an INNER JOIN with the ORDERS table would exclude any broker whose customers haven't placed an order.

Evaluating the Join Logic:

Option C is the correct solution because it utilizes a chain of LEFT JOINs. A LEFT JOIN (or LEFT OUTER JOIN) ensures that every record from the left table (BROKER) is preserved in the result set. If no matching record exists in the joined table (CUSTOMER or ORDERS), Snowflake populates the columns with NULL. This is why "Drew" appears with a CUST_COUNT of 0 and "Debby" appears with a NULL for the total order amount.

Option A fails because it uses an INNER JOIN for the CUSTOMER table, which would immediately filter out "Drew."

Option B and Option D fail because they use INNER JOINs at different stages of the query, which would strip away brokers or customers that do not have matching order activity.

Additionally, the query correctly uses COUNT(DISTINCT c.customer_id) to ensure that customers are not double-counted if they have multiple orders, and GROUP BY 1 (referencing b.broker_name) to aggregate the data at the broker level. This pattern is essential for accurate Data Analysis in Snowflake when dealing with "optional" relationships in a star or snowflake schema.

Understanding how Snowflake handles integrity constraints is vital, as it differs significantly from traditional transactional databases like PostgreSQL or SQL Server. In Snowflake, most constraints are not enforced by the system, with one major exception.

Enforcement vs. Documentation: Snowflake does not enforce PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, or UNIQUE constraints during data loading or updates. If you define a primary key, Snowflake will still allow duplicate values to be inserted. The primary reason for including these is for documentation and metadata (Option C), allowing data analysts and BI tools to understand the intended relationships and schema design.

The NOT NULL Exception: The only integrity constraint that Snowflake actively enforces is NOT NULL (Option B). If a column is defined as NOT NULL, any attempt to insert or update a record with a null value in that column will result in an error.

Evaluating the Options:

Options A and D are incorrect because Snowflake does not actually enforce these constraints; it merely stores them as metadata.

Option E is incorrect because while keys can be used for clustering, defining them as constraints is not a prerequisite for specifying them as clustering keys.

Options B and C are the 100% correct reasons. They represent the practical application (enforcing data quality for nulls) and the architectural application (providing context for the data model).

Snowflake utilizes a unique architecture known as Zero-Copy Cloning, which allows users to create a replica of a table, schema, or entire database without physically duplicating the underlying data files (micro-partitions). When you execute the CLONE command, Snowflake simply creates new metadata that points to the existing micro-partitions of the source object.

Because the data is not physically copied, the clone operation is nearly instantaneous and, crucially, incurs no additional storage costs at the moment of creation. Storage costs only begin to accumulate for the clone when the data in the source or the clone diverges—for example, if rows are updated or deleted in the clone, Snowflake creates new micro-partitions to store the changed data while preserving the original state in the source.

Evaluating the Options:

Option A (LIKE) only copies the column definitions and structure of the table. It does not copy the data itself, so while it doesn't incur storage, it also doesn't provide the "data" requested by the prompt.

Option B (CTAS - Create Table As Select) performs a full deep copy of the data. This creates entirely new micro-partitions, which immediately increases the storage footprint and associated costs.

Option D is a filtered CTAS operation. While it may result in less data than the full table, it still involves creating new physical storage for the 2019 records, thus incurring additional costs.

Option C is the 100% correct answer. It uses the CLONE keyword, which is the specific Snowflake feature designed to provide a full dataset for dev/test environments with zero initial storage impact. This is a core competency in the Data Transformation and Data Modeling domain.

Snowflake provides several "approximate" functions designed to handle massive scale with high efficiency. While HyperLogLog (HLL) is the standard for estimating cardinality (unique counts), and APPROX_TOP_K is used for frequency estimation, the specific task of determining the similarity between two sets relies on a different probabilistic algorithm.

The MINHASH function is Snowflake's implementation for estimating the Jaccard similarity coefficient between two or more sets. Jaccard similarity is defined as the size of the intersection divided by the size of the union of the sample sets. Calculating an exact Jaccard similarity on billions of rows would be computationally expensive. MINHASH solves this by creating a "signature"—a small, fixed-size binary representation of the data. By comparing these signatures rather than the raw data, Snowflake can efficiently estimate how similar the original datasets are.

Evaluating the Options:

Option B (APPROX_PERCENTILE) is used to estimate the value at a specific percentile (e.g., the 95th percentile of latency).

Option C (HyperLogLog) is used for estimating cardinality (the number of unique elements), not the similarity between sets.

Option D (APPROX_TOP_K) identifies the most frequent elements in a dataset.

Option A is the 100% correct answer. It is the specific function built into Snowflake for similarity estimation using the MinHash scheme.