ARA-C01 Snowflake Architecture Practice Question
A Snowflake architect is configuring a secure data sharing setup between a provider account and a consumer account in a different region. The provider wants to share a database that contains sensitive financial data. The architect must ensure that the data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and that the consumer cannot download the shared data. Which Snowflake feature should the architect use to meet these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse Secure Data Sharing with database replication, which creates a copy of the data and does not prevent the consumer from downloading it.
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
✓
Secure Data Sharing
Secure Data Sharing is the correct feature because it enables sharing live, read-only data between Snowflake accounts without copying it. The data remains in the provider's account, encrypted at rest and in transit, and consumers cannot download the shared data. This ensures both security and compliance. Other options either involve data duplication or do not provide the same level of control over data access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Database Replication
Why it's wrong here
Database replication creates a physical copy of the database in the consumer's account or another region. While data is encrypted, the consumer would have a full copy that they could potentially download or manipulate. This does not prevent the consumer from exporting the data, and it also duplicates storage costs. It is not the optimal solution for secure sharing without data movement.
- ✗
Snowflake Data Marketplace
Why it's wrong here
Snowflake Data Marketplace is a platform for discovering and accessing third-party data, but it is not a mechanism for private, secure sharing between specific accounts. It is designed for public or commercial data exchange, and while it uses Secure Data Sharing, it may not provide the same control over encryption and download restrictions as a direct share. It is not suitable for sharing sensitive financial data privately.
- ✗
External Tables with a Secure View
Why it's wrong here
External tables allow querying data stored externally, but they do not provide the same level of security and governance as Secure Data Sharing. The data resides in external storage, and the consumer might have access to the underlying files depending on the storage integration. A secure view can restrict access, but it does not prevent data download if the consumer has direct access to the external storage. This approach is more complex and less secure.
- ✓
Secure Data Sharing
Why this is correct
Secure Data Sharing allows sharing live data between Snowflake accounts without copying or transferring the data. The data remains in the provider's account, encrypted at rest and in transit. Consumers access the data via a read-only database, and they cannot download or export the shared data, ensuring security. This meets the requirements for encryption and preventing data exfiltration.
About these practice questions
This ARA-C01 question is part of Courseiva's 209-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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
This ARA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Snowflake certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ARA-C01 exam.