Go Serverless with Snowflake

Traditional computing is typically server-based or cloud-based architecture needing developers to manage the infrastructure in the backend. The serverless architecture breaks these barriers and frees developers of the need to purchase, provision, and manage backend servers. Serverless architecture is more scalable and flexible and further shortens release times while lowering costs. In serverless computing, vendors manage the servers and the containerized apps automatically launch when needed.

Since businesses have to pay based on use, it lowers the overall cost of development as well. The charges may be in 100-millisecond increments because of its dynamic, real-time, and precise provisioning. Scaling is automated, and based on demand and growth in user base. Servers start up and end as needed. Serverless infrastructure does not need code to be uploaded to servers or any backend to be configured for releasing a working version of the application. As a result, developers can release new products quickly by uploading bits of code, the complete code, or one function at a time. Developers can also push updates, and make patches, fixes, and new feature additions quickly.

The code can run from anywhere and on any server close to the end user since it does not have to be hosted on an origin server. This approach reduces latency.

To learn more about our services and solutions, please click here and our expert team will contact you.

Snowflake Goes Serverless

Snowflake’s Data Cloud provides Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based data storage, processing, and analytic solutions. It is built on a new, natively designed SQL query engine with innovative architecture that provides novel features and unique capabilities over and above the traditional functionality of an enterprise analytics database.

Getting Started with Snowflake Serverless Architecture

All you need to do is sign up for a Snowflake account. Upload data and run queries without planning for capacity, provisioning the servers, or assessing the number of Snowflake instances you will need. Just one is enough. Snowflake manages all the needs automatically, without manual intervention. With increasing usage, Snowflake storage also auto-scales based on the need. This ensures that you have enough disk space. Server maintenance is also taken care of by Snowflake, which prevents and manages disk and server failures.

Serverless Task

One of these features is Serverless Tasks, where Snowflake provides a fully-managed serverless compute model for tasks, freeing developers of the responsibility of managing virtual warehouses. Based on the workload needs, the compute resources resize and scale up or down automatically. The ideal size of the compute resources for a workload is calculated based on past runs of the same task using a dynamic statistical analysis, with a provision equivalent to an XXLARGE warehouse, if required. Common compute resources are shared by multiple workloads in the customer account. The only requirement is for the user to specify the option for enabling the serverless compute model when creating a task. The syntax for creating a task, CREATE TASK, is similar to that in virtual warehouses managed by the user.

Read this amazing blog on: Chatbots play an integral role in e-commerce, allowing businesses to…

Serverless Credit Usage

Serverless credit usage emanates from features depending on the compute resources provided by Snowflake and is not a user-managed virtual warehouse. These compute resources are automatically resized and scaled up or down, as required, by Snowflake.

This is an efficient model as users pay based on the duration for which the resources are used for these features to run. In user-managed virtual warehouses, users pay for running them even when idle and sometimes end up over-utilizing resources. This can prove to be costly.

Snowflake offers transparent billing for serverless compute resources as the cost of each line item is given and the charges are calculated based on total resource usage, measured based on compute-hours credit usage. The rate of credits consumed per compute hour depends on the serverless feature.

Snowflake’s Serverless Features

Snowflake offers the following managed compute resources:

Automatic Clustering

Each clustered table background maintenance is automated, including clustering initially and reclustering as required.

External Tables

The external table metadata is automatically refreshed with the latest set of associated files in the external stage and path.

Materialized Views

Background synchronization for each materialized view is automated and changes made to the base table for viewing.

Query Acceleration Service

Portions of eligible queries are executed using Snowflake-managed compute resources.

Replication

Data copying between accounts, including the initial replication and maintenance as required, is automated.

Search Optimization Service

Background maintenance of the search optimization service’s search access paths is automated.

Snowpipe

File loading requests processing for each pipe object is automated.

Tasks

SQL code execution is given access to Snowflake-managed compute resources.

For businesses seeking to reduce release time cycles, to improve efficiency and productivity, to cut down on development costs, and to gain competitive advantage, Snowflake Serverless Architecture is an ideal solution.

Indium Software, a rapidly growing technology services company, helps businesses and developers take advantage of Snowflake’s serverless solution to optimize resource utilization while minimizing costs. Our team of solution providers combine cross-domain expertise with technical skills and experience across Cloud Engineering, DevOps, Application Engineering, Data and Analytics, and Digital Assurance. We provide bespoke solutions to help businesses latest technologies and improve delivery cycles.

If you’d like to speed up time to market by leveraging Snowflake serverless architecture, contact Indium now for designing and implementing the solution, contact us by click this link:

FAQs