Introduction

In the era of big data and cloud computing, traditional data warehouses struggle with scalability, performance, and complexity, making Modern Data Warehousing with Snowflake a transformative skill for building a resilient, cost-effective, and highly performant data foundation that is essential for all data-driven organizations. Snowflake’s unique, multi-cluster shared data architecture decouples storage from compute, offering unprecedented elasticity, near-infinite scalability, and concurrent access without resource contention, fundamentally simplifying data management and administration. This comprehensive training course is meticulously designed to equip data engineers, data architects, BI developers, and data analysts with cutting-edge knowledge and practical skills in understanding the core Snowflake architecture, mastering data loading and transformation, writing efficient SQL, implementing robust security and governance, and exploring advanced features that enable secure data sharing and processing of semi-structured data, all of which are crucial for unlocking the full potential of a modern data warehouse. Participants will gain a deep understanding of how to design, build, and optimize a powerful data platform that serves as the single source of truth for their organization.

Duration

10 days

Target Audience

• Data Engineers
• Data Architects
• Business Intelligence (BI) Developers
• Data Analysts
• Database Administrators (DBAs)
• Solution Architects
• ETL/ELT Developers
• IT Managers overseeing data infrastructure
• Professionals transitioning to cloud data platforms
• Anyone responsible for designing and managing a data warehouse

Objectives

• Understand the core concepts and unique architecture of Snowflake.
• Master the process of loading and transforming data using Snowflake.
• Learn to write advanced and optimized SQL for query performance.
• Develop proficiency in managing data warehouses, virtual warehouses, and roles.
• Understand data sharing, security, and governance within the Snowflake ecosystem.
• Explore features for handling semi-structured data (JSON, Avro, XML).
• Develop skills in monitoring usage and managing costs effectively.
• Learn to integrate Snowflake with other data tools and pipelines.
• Understand advanced features like Time Travel and Zero-Copy Cloning.
• Formulate a strategic approach to building a modern data platform.

Course Content

Module 1. Introduction to Modern Data Warehousing & Snowflake

• The evolution of data warehousing: from on-premise to the cloud
• The challenges of traditional data warehouses (concurrency, scaling)
• What is Snowflake?: Its core value proposition and key advantages
• Snowflake's position in the modern data stack
• Getting started: The Snowflake Web Interface (Snowsight)

Module 2. Snowflake Architecture

• The multi-cluster, shared data architecture: Storage, Compute, Cloud Services
• Understanding Virtual Warehouses (compute layer) and their role
• Databases, Schemas, and Tables: The logical structure
• The benefits of separation of storage and compute
• Micro-partitions and clustering: The foundation of Snowflake's performance

Module 3. Getting Started with Snowflake

• Signing up for a Snowflake Account: Account types and trial
• The Snowflake Web UI (Snowsight): Navigating the interface
• Creating and managing databases and schemas
• Managing virtual warehouses and warehouse sizes
• Overview of Snowflake's roles and access control

Module 4. Loading Data into Snowflake

• The COPY INTO Command: The primary way to load data
• Loading structured data from local files and object storage (S3, Azure Blob)
• Staging data: Internal vs. External Stages
• Continuous data loading with Snowpipe
• Best practices for efficient and scalable data loading

Module 5. Snowflake SQL Fundamentals

• Review of Standard SQL: SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, etc.
• Snowflake-specific SQL extensions and functions
• Using the QUALIFY clause for filtering window function results
• Advanced analytical functions in Snowflake (e.g., aggregate, window)
• Writing and executing your first queries in Snowsight

Module 6. Data Transformation and ELT

• The ELT (Extract, Load, Transform) approach in Snowflake
• Using CTEs and Views for complex data transformations
• The CREATE TABLE AS SELECT (CTAS) pattern for transformations
• Using Snowflake Tasks for scheduling and automation
• Introduction to third-party transformation tools (e.g., dbt) with Snowflake

Module 7. Performance and Query Optimization

• Understanding the Query Profile: Analyzing execution plans
• Clustering Keys: Improving query performance for large tables
• Materialized Views: Pre-computing query results
• Query history and monitoring query performance
• Best practices for writing optimized SQL in Snowflake

Module 8. Data Sharing and Collaboration

• Secure Data Sharing: The foundation of Snowflake collaboration
• Creating a Share and sharing data with other accounts
• The Data Exchange and Snowflake Marketplace
• The benefits of a "zero-copy" data sharing model
• Collaboration within an organization using different roles

Module 9. Data Governance and Security

• Roles-Based Access Control (RBAC): Principles and implementation
• Securing data with user roles, grants, and permissions
• Network security: IP whitelisting, PrivateLink
• Data encryption in Snowflake (at rest and in transit)
• Auditing and logging: Tracking user activity and data access

Module 10. Time Travel and Fail-Safe

• Snowflake Time Travel: Querying data from a point in the past
• Restoring dropped tables and schemas with UNDROP
• Fail-safe for disaster recovery
• Use cases for Time Travel and Zero-Copy Cloning
• The impact on storage costs

Module 11. Semi-Structured Data in Snowflake

• Handling JSON, Avro, and XML data
• The VARIANT data type and its storage efficiency
• Using SQL to query semi-structured data directly
• Flattening nested data structures
• Practical examples with real-world data

Module 12. Data Pipelines and Ecosystem Integration

• Snowflake and ETL/ELT Tools: Fivetran, Stitch, Matillion
• Snowflake and Data Orchestration: Apache Airflow, dbt
• Snowflake and BI Tools: Power BI, Tableau, Looker
• Connecting Snowflake to other data services
• Building a modern data stack around Snowflake

Module 13. Cost Management and Resource Monitoring

• Understanding Snowflake's Consumption-Based Pricing: Storage and Compute
• Monitoring virtual warehouse usage and costs
• Using Resource Monitors to control costs
• Cost optimization strategies
• The benefits of elastic compute for cost efficiency

Module 14. Advanced Snowflake Features

• Snowflake Stream: Tracking changes for CDC (Change Data Capture)
• Snowflake Tasks: Automated scheduling of SQL statements
• External Functions: Calling external services from Snowflake
• Snowflake Connectors (e.g., Kafka, Spark)
• Introduction to the Snowpark API (conceptual)

Module 15. Case Studies and Best Practices

• End-to-End Case Study: Building a data warehouse from scratch
• Best practices for schema design and data modeling
• Performance tuning best practices
• Security and governance best practices
• The future of Snowflake and modern data warehousing.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training.