Snowflake SnowPro Certification Practice Test

What file compression methods cannot be automatically detected by Snowflake?

1. GZIP and BZIP2

2. Brotli and Zstandard

3. RAW and DEFLATE

4. XZ and LZMA

The correct answer is: Brotli and Zstandard

Brotli and Zstandard are modern compression algorithms that Snowflake does not automatically detect. These methods are relatively new compared to more traditional formats like GZIP, BZIP2, or DEFLATE, which are more commonly used and recognized by Snowflake's file processing capabilities. Snowflake is designed to efficiently handle several compression formats, particularly those that have been widely adopted in various data processing and storage contexts. In the case of Brotli and Zstandard, which may offer better compression ratios or faster decompression times, their newer status means they haven't yet reached the level of automatic detection and handling integrated within Snowflake’s architecture. Understanding the limitations of automatic detection is crucial, especially when working with diverse data pipelines or when importing data into Snowflake. Knowing that specific formats like Brotli and Zstandard may require manual specification or additional handling can help maintain the integrity and performance of data operations within the platform.