As the amount of big data generated every year grows exponentially, successful enterprises have ditched on-premise solutions for the cloud. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of big data analytics, where virtual environments offer more scope and scalability than in-house architecture. 

Data-driven companies crave cloud databases because of the copious amount of data they collect, process, share and analyze every single day. Data warehouses, in particular, store vast datasets in one location, serving as the central data store for companies that rely on analytics to support day-to-day operations.

But which data warehouse should you choose?

Snowflake, launched in 2012, is one of the most popular warehouses out there. Built on top of Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services infrastructure, it collects, queries, stores, and shares data from various locations ranging from relational databases to customer relationship management (CRM) systems. You can then run all this data through business intelligence (BI) tools and generate powerful analytics that improves workflows.

Below, learn more about Snowflake software and how you can connect data to the platform with an ETL tool like Integrate.io.

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Integrate.io is the ETL solution that moves data to Snowflake for analytics. You can do this without any code or programming skills, making data warehousing easier than ever. Start your seven-day trial with Integrate.io now. 

Read more: Snowflake SecurETL to Your Data Warehouse

What Is Snowflake Software?

Snowflake is a cloud data warehouse that stores datasets from disparate sources. It scales storage and computing resources independently and comes with various security features that improve compliance with data governance frameworks. These features include authentication methods such as single sign-on and two-factor authentication in addition to the ability to whitelist IP addresses.

Snowflake supports both structured and semistructured data (unlike some other warehouses) and you can even combine the two for more accurate data insights when using BI tools. You don't need to transform this data into a fixed relational schema as Snowflake does all the conversion for you. 

Because Snowflake utilizes the cloud, it allows for faster data transfers. So you can run lots of queries without worrying about downtime or paying for extra resources. 

Snowflake software currently has an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 on the review website G2.com, making it one of the most popular data warehouses. Here's what some users say about the platform:  

  • "Lots of functions, flexible SQL, easy to use interface and I like the new visualization tools. I don't talk to customer service, but teams seem to think they're very responsive. Snowflake is becoming the default database in the company."
  • "We are using Snowflake for pushing data metrics and storing them in collaboration with AWS infra DB. The table organization and querying on database tables are smooth. It also captures the history of all your queries and also provides an SQL auto-completion feature."
  • "Data pulling and querying are very good and it also can be connected to different other tools like Tableau and Python for the visualization and the analysis of the data. A very user-friendly interface that does not take long to get used to. I like that it's very fast and efficient."

What Can You Use Snowflake For?

The amount of data generated around the world is staggering. Humans produce around 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day and that number is growing. Many enterprises need cloud solutions because they can't store all their data in-house on physical infrastructure. So many of these companies invest in cloud data warehouses such as Snowflake to keep that data in a central location, which provides a single source of truth. 

The second reason enterprises benefit from a warehouse such as Snowflake is analytics. With so much data at their fingertips, business analysts need a way to interpret and draw conclusions from that data, making a cloud warehouse a worthwhile investment. Something like Snowflake stores data in one place so analysts can run it through BI tools and identify patterns and trends in datasets. 

How Is Snowflake Software Different From Other Warehouses?

The biggest difference between Snowflake software and many other warehouses is that it comes as a Data Warehouse as a service (DWaas). That means it's a service and licensed on a subscription basis. Your organization doesn't 'own' Snowflake. You essentially rent it from Snowflake Inc., the service provider. 

This method provides you with multiple benefits over a traditional warehouse. Because you lease Snowflake on a pay-as-you-go model, you're not responsible for maintaining the platform or fixing any issues with it. Snowflake Inc. takes care of installation, updates, downtime, general maintenance, and everything else. You don't need to download software to your computer. You don't have to expand your IT team to manage the warehouse. You don't have to purchase any additional hardware. 

As a service, Snowflake, of course, exists in the cloud. So there's no physical infrastructure to look after or server storage to increase. You can scale the platform however you like without worrying about server limitations or cluster management because everything lives in a virtual environment. Another bonus when using Snowflake is that you don't have to use one particular cloud service. The warehouse is 'cloud-agnostic,' which means it's available on AWS and Azure. You can add it to your tech stack without changing your existing architecture. 

As mentioned earlier, Snowflake separates storage and computing resources, which means users don't have to pay for storage space and CPU. Businesses choose the features they require, which makes the platform different from many other warehouses. 

Finally, Snowflake improves concurrency with a novel approach to multicluster environments. Analysts can query datasets without waiting for other tasks to finish. 

Read more: Allowing Integrate.io Access To My Snowflake account

How Integrate.io Can Help

Now you know the benefits of Snowflake software, you need a way to move data to the platform.

Integrate.io can help.

This ETL tool extracts data from various sources via native connectors, meaning you don't need code or programming skills for Snowflake data transfers. Integrate.io transforms data into the correct format for analytics and loads it to Snowflake in the background. 

There are over 100 out-of-the-box Integrate.io connectors for CRMs, relational databases, transactional databases, and more. You don't have to create manual data pipelines, freeing up resources for your IT team. 

Other benefits include email and telephone support for all users, a drag-and-drop interface, and a simple pricing model where you pay for the number of connectors you use. 

Integrate.io is the no-code ETL solution for moving data to Snowflake software. Use this tool to centralize structured and semistructured data and run it through BI tools. Try a seven-day trial with Integrate.io today.