Snowflake Certification Practice Test

What describes Snowflake's Standard Scaling Policy?

1. Prevents queuing by conserving credits

2. Favors starting additional clusters over conserving credits

3. Only used for large queries

4. Permanently fixes the number of clusters

The correct answer is: Favors starting additional clusters over conserving credits

The Standard Scaling Policy in Snowflake is designed to optimize performance specifically by minimizing query queuing during peak load conditions. This policy favors starting additional compute clusters to handle workloads rather than conserving credits. When demand for resources spikes, the policy ensures that sufficient resources are available by automatically adding additional clusters. This is particularly important for workloads that may experience unpredictable spikes in query demand. As a result, the scaling mechanism prioritizes performance and responsiveness, enabling the system to allocate more resources quickly to maintain service levels. The other options do not accurately represent the essence of the Standard Scaling Policy. For instance, while preventing queuing may seem beneficial, the priority is more on ensuring performance through additional clusters than on conserving credits. The policy is not exclusively applicable to large queries, as it can apply to any workload requiring immediate resource availability. Lastly, the Standard Scaling Policy is flexible and does not involve permanently fixing the number of clusters; instead, it dynamically manages the number of running clusters based on workload requirements.