DEA-C02 Data Governance Practice Question
A data engineer needs to audit all tag assignments across the account to ensure that no sensitive columns are missing required tags. Which Snowflake view should the engineer query to retrieve a list of all tags applied to columns, including the tag name, value, and the object it is applied to?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse the TAGS view, which lists tag definitions, with TAG_REFERENCES, which lists where tags are applied.
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
✓
SNOWFLAKE.ACCOUNT_USAGE.TAG_REFERENCES
To audit tag assignments, the TAG_REFERENCES view is the correct choice. It provides a comprehensive list of all tag references, including the tag name, value, and the object (e.g., column) it is applied to. The TAGS view only provides tag metadata, while COLUMNS and POLICY_REFERENCES do not include tag assignments.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SNOWFLAKE.ACCOUNT_USAGE.TAGS
Why it's wrong here
The TAGS view in ACCOUNT_USAGE provides metadata about the tags themselves, such as tag name, allowed values, and owner, but it does not show where tags are applied. It does not contain the object references or tag values applied to columns. Therefore, it cannot be used to audit tag assignments.
- ✓
SNOWFLAKE.ACCOUNT_USAGE.TAG_REFERENCES
Why this is correct
TAG_REFERENCES is the account usage view that lists all tag references, including the tag name, tag value, and the object (such as a column) to which the tag is applied. It is the correct source for auditing tag assignments across the account.
- ✗
SNOWFLAKE.ACCOUNT_USAGE.POLICY_REFERENCES
Why it's wrong here
POLICY_REFERENCES shows references to policies such as masking and row access policies, but it does not cover tags. Tags and policies are separate governance objects. While there is some overlap in governance auditing, tag assignments are not recorded in POLICY_REFERENCES. Thus it is not suitable for this task.
- ✗
SNOWFLAKE.ACCOUNT_USAGE.COLUMNS
Why it's wrong here
The COLUMNS view provides metadata about columns, such as data type and comments, but it does not include tag assignments. Tags are not stored in this view, so it cannot be used to retrieve tag references. Auditing tag assignments requires a dedicated tag reference view.
About these practice questions
This DEA-C02 question is part of Courseiva's 229-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 DEA-C02 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 DEA-C02 exam.