It’s no secret that Snowflake revolutionizes how organizations manage data by consolidating various services, from warehousing to data lakes, into a unified environment offering out-of-the-box features like scalable computing, secure data sharing, and third-party integration support. 

Discover even more about Snowflake’s capabilities and how to pair DataGalaxy’s powerful processing and visualization tools with Snowflake’s game-changing platform in the blog post below.

What is Snowflake?

Originally developed in 2012, Snowflake is a software-as-a-service platform that provides a single source for data warehousing, data lakes, data engineering, data science, data application development, and secure sharing and consumption of shared data. 

Snowflake features out-of-the-box features like on-the-fly scalable computing, data sharing, data cloning, and third-party tools support to handle the needs of various sizes of enterprises.

Three main capabilities make up the foundation of Snowflake’s cloud data platform:

  • Cloud services: Snowflake uses ANSI SQL for cloud services empowering users to optimize their data and manage their infrastructure. To accompany these storage capabilities, Snowflake also handles the security and encryption of stored data and maintains robust data warehousing certifications such as PCI DSS and HIPAA. 
  • Query processing: The computing layer of Snowflake is made up of virtual cloud data warehouses that let users analyze data through requests. 
  • Database storage: Snowflake’s databases hold organizations’ uploaded data sets for processing and analysis. Snowflake automatically manages all parts of the data storage process, including organization, structure, metadata, file size, compression, and statistics.

What are the benefits of using Snowflake?

There are multiple benefits of choosing to use Snowflake’s platform, including:

  • Scalability: Snowflake uses a single-performance engine that delivers high speed and scalability thanks to its multi-cluster resource isolation. Snowflake’s single engine powers everything from complex data pipelines, analytics, and feature engineering, to interactive applications across essential data workloads. Additionally, with SQL query support and the Snowpark developer framework for Java and Scala access, Snowflake makes it easy for users with all skill set levels to leverage data.
  • Automation: Snowflake enables enterprises to automate data management, security, governance, availability, and data resiliency. This drives scalability, optimizes costs, reduces downtime, and helps improve operational efficiency. 
  • Third-party data integrations: Snowflake offers third-party data to extend workflows with data services and third-party applications. For example, integrating DataGalaxy and Snowflake can provide both DataGalaxy and Snowflake users with enhanced data governance, security, and management. Users can also gain a comprehensive view of their data ecosystems for better decision-making and compliance with unified product excellence.

Using a data catalog with Snowflake

Data catalogs, data management tools that create a searchable, informative inventory of an organization’s data assets, provide many benefits for organizations using Snowflake. In addition to organizing and storing data, data catalogs empower data professionals to access the data they need independently while mitigating concerns related to compliance, governance, AI, and more.

Data catalogs are also beneficial tools when using cloud data warehouse solutions like Snowflake, as they provide a single source of truth for the Snowflake data warehouse and its associated data assets. 

Data catalogs can also be used to maximize cost savings, promote more transparent and well-defined governance and collaboration protocols, and provide insights into the structure and usage of data within the warehouse. Additionally, the aggregation of metadata from multiple data sources into a single point of reference helps reduce errors, improve analytics, and make data more accessible. 

DataGalaxy & Snowflake for data-driven success

There are many benefits of using DataGalaxy with Snowflake for enhanced data governance, security, and management, including:

  • Increased trust in your full data ecosystem: Ensure high data quality and trust with DataGalaxy – Maintain accurate data lineage and enhance discoverability by curating and governing your entire data estate
  • Accelerated asset investment: Empower business users to easily access and derive insights from data, driving more informed decision-making and innovation
  • Securing access & permissions: Protect sensitive information with robust security, permission controls, and advanced tagging and classification to ensure compliance
  • Ensuring a collaborative environment: Foster teamwork by allowing cross-functional teams to collaborate effectively on shared data insights and projects

Additionally, DataGalaxy offers unique leading-class capabilities that perfectly integrate with Snowflake’s various features, including:

  • World-class data lineage tracking capabilities: When connecting Snowflake to DataGalaxy, each object receives a Uniform Resource Name (URN), a unique identifier similar to a URL. This standardized URN allows for easy verification and information addition. Supported by a new API, URNs improve connectivity and information sharing across different connectors, breaking down information silos and enhancing data governance.
  • Bidirectional Snowflake tags synchronization: DataGalaxy’s bidirectional Snowflake tags feature seamlessly integrates tags from your Snowflake data source and ensures bidirectional updates. You can also link objects with the same tags, promoting uniform data governance, enhancing data discoverability, and maintaining consistency across your data assets.
  • Visual representation of your Snowflake assets: Gain a clear understanding of your Snowflake environment with detailed visual representations. DataGalaxy’s Data Knowledge Studio provides comprehensive diagrams, including architectural layouts, process flows, and entity-relationship diagrams (ERDs). These visuals simplify complex data structures and enhance data governance, making it easier to manage and optimize your data assets.
  • Identify impact analysis & root causes: Our dynamic path tracker provides continuous visual coherence, enhancing user experience by allowing for efficient management and tracking of data paths. This capability ensures users can seamlessly monitor and analyze the impact of data changes across the system.

How do I integrate data from Snowflake into DataGalaxy?

Connecting Snowflake and DataGalaxy is easy: Simply plug in and relax: DataGalaxy will plot your entire data landscape, saving you time and accelerating data knowledge sharing across all teams.

DataGalaxy also handles orphan objects, offering increased control and optimized automation of user data: Simply identify any DataGalaxy objects that are no longer in your source system and apply the appropriate treatment.

 

DataGalaxy is shipped with a Snowflake online connector, and we’ll guide you to setting up or connecting a Snowflake account as soon as you sign up. Users can also schedule import processes to automatically stay up-to-date with changes made in Snowflake by anyone on the team.

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Are you interested in learning more about using your data as an asset to achieve higher levels of data governance and quality? Book a demo today to get started on your organization’s journey to complete data lifecycle management with DataGalaxy!