This article covers the steps for a feature in Beta. Read here to learn more about our release types.
The Snowflake Connection in BlueConic is used to enrich BlueConic profiles with data from Snowflake and vice versa. With this beta release, a new data access method leverages Snowflake's Secure Data Sharing capabilities, providing a secure and efficient alternative to traditional import methods that relied on intermediary storage (e.g., S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage) or complex credential management.
This feature currently works with profile imports and exports. Timeline data import and export will follow with our upcoming release.
Before you begin
Enable Change Tracking:
For Tables:
Run the following command to enable change tracking on a table:
ALTER TABLE <table> SET CHANGE_TRACKING = true
For Views:
Although Snowflake provides a command to enable change tracking on a view, remember that views are built upon one or more underlying tables. Therefore, ensure that both the view and its underlying tables have change tracking enabled.
Run the command below to enable change tracking on a view:
ALTER VIEW <view> SET CHANGE_TRACKING=true
Note: Enabling change tracking on the underlying tables is critical because it ensures that all changes captured by the view are fully tracked.
Note: If you don't see the tables listed in the Import goal, double-check if Change tracking is enabled on each table and view.
Configure Secure Data Sharing
Preparing your Connection:
To use Secure Data Sharing in the Snowflake Connection:
Create a new Snowflake connection to test Secure Data Sharing.
Open the Set up and run page of your Snowflake Connection.
Under Data access method, choose the “Secure Data Sharing” option.
If you switch to this option in an existing Snowflake Connection, a pop-up will appear confirming that you wish to make this change.
A Secure Data Sharing configuration will appear. Select a Cloud Platform from the dropdown. This should be where your Snowflake instance is hosted: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Select the geographic region of your Snowflake instance.
Set up import using Secure Data Sharing:
Once the cloud platform and region are defined, if you would like to import data from your Snowflake account, do the following steps:
Use the Secure Share Identifier and BlueConic Account, which will populate and look something like:
Copy the Secure Share Identifier and set up a share with this exact name in your Snowflake environment.
Copy the BlueConic Account and use it as the unique identifier of the BlueConic Snowflake account to set up the share.
Create the private share. In your Snowflake account, go to Data Products > Private sharing
Click Share on the top right, and click on Create a Direct Share.
Select a database and the tables and views you want to share with BlueConic. Click Done.
Enter the Secure Share Identifier of the BlueConic snowflake account, as shown in the BlueConic UI in step 1. Then click Create Share.
Note: Ensure you have a Snowflake Enterprise Edition or higher for creating shares.
In BlueConic, click the Validate configuration button to test that everything works correctly.
When validated, the button will show a checkmark.
Note: If you make any changes to the configuration, the button will reactivate.
Set up export using Secure Data Sharing:
Once the cloud platform and region are defined, if you would like to export data from BlueConic to your Snowflake account, do the following steps:
Enter your Snowflake Account locator in the “Your Snowflake Account” textbox; the BlueConic share identifier is automatically populated.
To find your Snowflake Account Locator, open your Snowflake Account:
Go to the account Selector
Select View account details
Copy the Data sharing Account Identifier and paste it in the “Your Snowflake Account” field in the Set up and run page in BlueConic UI.
Click the “Validate configuration” button in the BlueConic UI
Running the connection
Set up the rest of your Snowflake Connection or click Run now.
The run log and email notifications are now available to track the connection status. This table shows all past and scheduled runs for the connection. In the details column, it also lists the last five created or updated profiles, along with links to the profile identifiers, so you can see exactly how and whether profiles were created or updated correctly.
Note:
Data processors are not supported in import.
Timeline events are not yet supported in import and export using Secure Data Sharing.
Options other than Profile Property and BlueConic Profile Identifier are not yet supported for the mappings in export.
Multiple mappings to the same Snowflake field are not supported in export.