Snowflake SnowPro Certification Practice Test

How is compute billing in Snowflake calculated?

1. By the number of queries executed

2. By the number of rows processed

3. By a base 1 minute of startup and then each second following that

4. By the size of the data stored

The correct answer is: By a base 1 minute of startup and then each second following that

Compute billing in Snowflake is structured primarily around the time that virtual warehouses are running. More specifically, billing starts with a base charge for the first minute of usage, followed by charges accrued per second thereafter. This model allows users to only pay for the compute resources they actively utilize, which is a flexible and cost-effective approach for managing cloud compute resources. This model emphasizes the importance of time management in the usage of virtual warehouses. It does not charge based on the number of queries executed, the amount of data processed per query, or the size of the data stored. Instead, the cost is tied directly to the duration for which the compute resources are active, allowing organizations to optimize their costs based on their specific workload requirements. Understanding this billing structure is crucial for users to effectively budget and manage their Snowflake resources, ensuring that they can allocate compute time based on need while minimizing unnecessary costs.