COF-C03 Practice Question: Snowflake AI Data Cloud Features and Architecture
A Snowflake administrator needs to ensure that a virtual warehouse automatically suspends after a period of inactivity to save costs. Which parameter should they configure?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is mixing up AUTO_SUSPEND and AUTO_RESUME, assuming that AUTO_RESUME handles suspension when it actually handles resumption.
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
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AUTO_SUSPEND
AUTO_SUSPEND is the parameter that defines the idle time before a virtual warehouse is automatically suspended. Configuring it appropriately ensures that warehouses do not run unnecessarily, reducing credit usage. AUTO_RESUME is complementary but does not suspend the warehouse. The other parameters affect query timeout or warehouse size, not automatic suspension.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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WAREHOUSE_SIZE
Why it's wrong here
WAREHOUSE_SIZE determines the number of compute resources (servers) in a virtual warehouse, affecting performance and credit consumption rate. It does not control automatic suspension. Changing the size might affect cost, but it does not automatically suspend the warehouse when idle.
- ✓
AUTO_SUSPEND
Why this is correct
AUTO_SUSPEND specifies the number of seconds of inactivity after which a virtual warehouse is automatically suspended. Setting this parameter allows the warehouse to shut down when not in use, preventing unnecessary credit consumption. It is a standard cost-saving configuration in Snowflake and directly addresses the requirement.
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STATEMENT_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS
Why it's wrong here
STATEMENT_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS sets the maximum time a statement can run before it is canceled. It does not suspend the warehouse; it only aborts long-running queries. This parameter is unrelated to automatic warehouse suspension and would not achieve the desired cost-saving behavior.
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AUTO_RESUME
Why it's wrong here
AUTO_RESUME controls whether a virtual warehouse automatically resumes when a new query is submitted. While it is often used alongside AUTO_SUSPEND, it does not control the suspension behavior. The question asks for automatic suspension after inactivity, so AUTO_RESUME is not the correct parameter.
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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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