DEA-C02 Storage and Data Protection Practice Question
A data engineer has a permanent table named ORDERS with DATA_RETENTION_TIME_IN_DAYS set to 5. The table is dropped accidentally. The engineer executes UNDROP TABLE ORDERS 2 days later, successfully restoring the table. What is the DATA_RETENTION_TIME_IN_DAYS setting for the restored table?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that the retention period is reset or altered during the drop and undrop process, when in fact it is preserved.
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
✓
The retention period remains 5 days, as it was before the drop.
When a dropped table is restored using UNDROP, it retains its original DATA_RETENTION_TIME_IN_DAYS setting. The drop and undrop operations do not modify the retention period. Therefore, the table will continue to have a 5-day Time Travel retention, allowing historical data to be accessed within that period.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The retention period is set to 0 days because the table was dropped and restored.
Why it's wrong here
UNDROP does not reset the retention period to 0. The table retains its original retention setting. Setting it to 0 would disable Time Travel, which is not the case here. This option incorrectly assumes that dropping and undropping disables Time Travel.
- ✓
The retention period remains 5 days, as it was before the drop.
Why this is correct
UNDROP TABLE restores the table with its original properties, including the DATA_RETENTION_TIME_IN_DAYS setting. The retention period is not changed by the drop or undrop operation. The restored table will continue to have a 5-day Time Travel retention, allowing further recovery if needed. This is the correct behavior.
- ✗
The retention period is extended to 7 days to account for the time the table was dropped.
Why it's wrong here
The retention period is not extended based on the duration the table was dropped. It remains the same as before the drop. The time the table was in the dropped state does not affect the retention period. This option incorrectly suggests an automatic extension, which is not part of Snowflake's behavior.
- ✗
The retention period is reset to the default for the account, which is 1 day.
Why it's wrong here
When a table is undropped, its retention period is not reset to the account default. The table retains its original DATA_RETENTION_TIME_IN_DAYS setting from before the drop. The account default applies only when a table is created without specifying a retention period. This option incorrectly assumes a reset to default.
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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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