Snowflake's architecture is divided into three layers: database storage, query processing, and cloud services. The metadata, which includes information about the structure of the data, the SQL operations performed, and the service-level policies, is stored in the cloud services layer. This layer acts as the brain of the Snowflake environment, managing metadata, query optimization, and transaction coordination.

Once a database has been created in a consumer account from a share, the shared objects become accessible to users in that account. The shared objects are not transferred or copied; they remain in the provider's account and are accessible to the consumer account

The TABLE_STORAGE_METRICS view can be used to determine if a table has frequent row updates or deletes. This view provides detailed metrics on the storage utilization of tables within Snowflake, including metrics that reflect the impact of DML operations such as updates and deletes on table storage. For example, metrics related to the number of active and deleted rows can help identify tables that experience high levels of row modifications, indicating frequent updates or deletions.
References:
* Snowflake Documentation: TABLE_STORAGE_METRICS View

Snowflake external tables are read-only, which means data manipulation language (DML) operations like INSERT, RENAME, or ALTER cannot be performed on them. However, external tables can be used for query and join operations3.

The function used to determine the kind of value stored in a VARIANT column in Snowflake is TYPEOF.
Understanding VARIANT Data Type:
VARIANT is a flexible data type in Snowflake that can store semi-structured data, such as JSON, Avro, and XML.
This data type can hold values of different types, including strings, numbers, objects, arrays, and more.
Using TYPEOF Function:
The TYPEOF function returns the data type of the value stored in a VARIANT column.
It helps in identifying the type of data, which is crucial for processing and transforming semi-structured data accurately.
Example Usage:
SELECT TYPEOF(variant_column)
FROM my_table;
This query retrieves the type of data stored invariant_columnfor each row inmy_table.
Possible return values include 'OBJECT', 'ARRAY', 'STRING', 'NUMBER', etc.
Benefits:
Simplifies data processing: Knowing the data type helps in applying appropriate transformations and validations.
Enhances query accuracy: Ensures that operations on VARIANT columns are performed correctly based on the data type.
Snowflake Documentation: TYPEOF
Snowflake Documentation: VARIANT Data Type