ARA-C01 Performance Optimization Practice Question
A data architect is designing a performance monitoring strategy for a Snowflake account. They need to identify queries that are consuming the most resources over time to prioritize optimization efforts. Which Snowflake feature should they use to analyze historical query performance and resource consumption?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse real-time diagnostic tools like Query Profile with historical monitoring views, when long-term analysis requires a persistent, account-wide data source like ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY view
To analyze historical query performance and resource consumption across the account, the architect should use the ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY view. It retains up to 365 days of data and includes metrics like execution time, bytes scanned, and credits used, enabling identification of high-resource queries. Other options either have limited retention, scope, or granularity, making them less suitable for long-term performance monitoring.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY view
Why this is correct
The ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY view provides detailed historical data on all queries executed in the account, including execution time, bytes scanned, credits used, and other resource metrics. It retains data for up to 365 days, making it ideal for analyzing long-term trends and identifying high-resource-consuming queries. This view is the primary tool for performance monitoring and optimization prioritization in Snowflake.
- ✗
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.QUERY_HISTORY function
Why it's wrong here
The INFORMATION_SCHEMA.QUERY_HISTORY function provides query history but only for the last 7 days and is limited to the current user's queries unless privileges allow otherwise. It is useful for real-time troubleshooting but not for long-term historical analysis or account-wide resource consumption. The ACCOUNT_USAGE schema is better suited for comprehensive, long-term monitoring because it retains data longer and covers all queries in the account.
- ✗
WAREHOUSE_LOAD_HISTORY view
Why it's wrong here
The WAREHOUSE_LOAD_HISTORY view provides information about warehouse load, such as queued and running queries over time, but it does not include detailed query-level resource consumption like bytes scanned or credits used per query. It is useful for capacity planning and understanding warehouse utilization but not for identifying individual high-resource queries. For query-level analysis, ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY is the appropriate choice.
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Query Profile in the Snowflake web interface
Why it's wrong here
The Query Profile provides detailed execution statistics for a single query, such as operator-level timings and data volumes. It is excellent for deep-diving into a specific query's performance but does not provide aggregate historical data across many queries. To identify trends and top consumers, you need a view like ACCOUNT_USAGE.QUERY_HISTORY that aggregates data over time. Query Profile is a diagnostic tool, not a monitoring tool.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Snowflake exam blueprint
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