---
name: watsonxdata-snowflake_conn
title: Snowflake
description: Snowflake is a cloud-hosted relational database for building data warehouse.
last-updated: 2026-03-03
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watsonxdata?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

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# Snowflake
{: #snowflake_database}

Snowflake is a cloud-hosted relational database for building data warehouse.
{: shortdesc}

You can configure Snowflake using one of the following methods:
- `Create new connection` – If you select the `Create new connection` tab, refer to the [Create new connection - configuration details](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watsonxdata?topic=watsonxdata-snowflake_database&format=markdown#snowflake_database1) table to provide configuration details.

- `Import from catalog` – You can import connection details from an existing catalog in the data platform. If you select the `Import from catalog` tab, refer to the [Import from catalog - configuration details](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watsonxdata?topic=watsonxdata-snowflake_database&format=markdown#snowflake_database2) table to provide configuration details.

- `Import from project` – You can import connection details from an existing project in the data platform. If you select `Import from project`, refer to the [Import from project - configuration details](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watsonxdata?topic=watsonxdata-snowflake_database&format=markdown#snowflake_database3) table to provide configuration details.

## Create new connection - configuration details
{: #snowflake_database1}

 | Field           | Description        |
 |------------------|--------------------|
 | Target persistence | Select the target persistence: \n * watsonx.data instance - The instance console database stores the connection details exclusively. \n * Platform asset catalog - The default catalog in the data platform stores your connection details. If you select `Platform asset catalog` as the target persistence, you must specify a warehouse name.\n You can enable the Platform asset catalog option only if data platform services are active, a **Platform asset catalog** exists in the data platform, and you have access to it. |
 | Display name    | Enter the data source name to be displayed on the screen. |
 | Database name     | Enter the name of your database.|
 | Account name            | Enter your Snowflake Account name. This may include region information (For example, account_name.region_id). If you do not have region information, use the account name that is provided by your Snowflake administrator.  |
 | Authentication type | Select the authentication method: \n * Default - Use username and password authentication. \n * Private key - Use private key-based authentication. |
 | Warehouse name (optional)         | Enter the Warehouse name. \n **Note:** You must provide a warehouse name when using **Private key** authentication type. |
 | Username           | Enter the username.  |
 | Password           | Enter the password. This field is displayed when **Default** authentication type is selected.  |
 | Passphrase | This field is displayed when **Private key** authentication type is selected. Enter the passphrase for the private key if it is encrypted. \n **Note**: Passphrase is optional for unencrypted private keys.|
 | Private key | Upload the private key file (.pem format). This field is displayed and required when **Private key** authentication type is selected. |
 | Connection status   | Click the Test connection link to test the database connection. If the database connection is successful, a success message appears. |
 | Associate catalog  | Select the checkbox to associate a catalog to the data source. This catalog is automatically associated with your data source and serves as your query interface with the data stored within. |
 | Catalog name | Enter the name of the catalog. |
 | Create | Click Create to create the data source. |
 {: caption="Crete new connection - configuration details" caption-side="bottom"}

## Import from catalog - configuration details
{: #snowflake_database2}

 | Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Select catalog | Use the dropdown to select a catalog. |
| Select data source | Use the dropdown to select a data source from the selected catalog. |
| Target persistence | Select the target persistence: \n * watsonx.data instance - The instance console database stores the connection details exclusively. \n * Platform asset catalog - The default catalog in the data platform stores your connection details. \n You can select the `Platform asset catalog` option only if data platform services are active, a **Platform asset catalog** exists in the data platform, and you have access to it. |
| Connection status | Click the Test connection link to test the database connection. If the database connection is successful, a success message appears. |
| Display name | Enter the database name to be displayed on the screen. |
| Associate catalog | Select the checkbox to associate a catalog to the data source. This catalog is automatically associated with your data source and serves as your query interface with the data stored within. |
| Catalog name | Enter the name of the catalog. |
| Create | Click Create to create the database. |
{: caption="Import from catalog - configuration details" caption-side="bottom"}


## Import from project - configuration details
{: #snowflake_database3}

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Select project | Use the dropdown to select a project. |
| Select data source | Use the dropdown to select a data source from the selected project. |
| Target persistence | Select the target persistence: \n * watsonx.data instance - The instance console database stores the connection details exclusively. \n * Platform asset catalog - The default catalog in the data platform stores your connection details. \n You can select the `Platform asset catalog` option only if data platform services are active, a **Platform asset catalog** exists in the data platform, and you have access to it. |
| Connection status | Click the Test connection link to test the database connection. If the database connection is successful, a success message appears. |
| Display name | Enter the database name to be displayed on the screen. |
| Associate catalog | Select the checkbox to associate a catalog to the data source. This catalog is automatically associated with your data source and serves as your query interface with the data stored within. |
| Catalog name | Enter the name of the catalog. |
| Create | Click Create to create the database. |
{: caption="Import from project - configuration details" caption-side="bottom"}

## Limitations for SQL statements
{: #connector_limitations}

* `CREATE TABLE AS` is also supported for `CREATE TABLE` statement.
* `DROP TABLE` statement only when enabled in the catalog.
* For data source-based catalogs the `CREATE SCHEMA`, `CREATE TABLE`, `DROP SCHEMA`, `DROP TABLE`, `DELETE`, `DROP VIEW`, `ALTER TABLE`, and `ALTER SCHEMA` statements are not available in the **Data Manager** UI.

## Limitations for data types
{: #connector_limitations2}

* `BLOB` and `CLOB` data types support `SELECT` statement but do not support operations such as `equal`, `like`, and `in`.
* The data that is shown from the UI for `BLOB` data type is in Base64 format, while the result from presto-cli is in hexadecimal format.
* `BINARY` data type supports only `SELECT` statement.
* When the fields of data type `REAL` have 6 digits or more in the decimal part with the digits being predominately zero, the values when queried are rounded off. It is observed that the rounding off occurs differently based on the precision of the values. For example, a decimal number 1.654 when rounded to 3-digits after the decimal point are the same. Another example is 10.890009 and 10.89000. It is noticed that 10.89000 is rounded to 10.89, whereas 10.89009 is not rounded off. This is an inherent issue because of the representational limitations of binary floating point formats. This might have a significant impact when querying involves sorting.