Snowflake SOL-C01 Exam - Topic 2 Question 4 Discussion

Actual exam question for Snowflake's SOL-C01 exam

Question #: 4
Topic #: 2

[All SOL-C01 Questions]

What is a benefit of using an external stage to load data into Snowflake?

AExternal stages reduce data storage costs because data is stored outside Snowflake.

BExternal stages provide automatic data purging after successful loads.

CExternal stages are more secure than internal stages for sensitive data.

DExternal stages reduce the number of objects in a database.

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: A

External stages point to files in external cloud storage (S3, Azure Blob, GCS). Because the data is not stored inside Snowflake, the user avoids Snowflake storage charges, which can significantly reduce cost for large staging datasets.

External stages do not automatically delete files, are not inherently more secure than internal stages, and still count as database objects even though they reference external storage.

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by Glennis at Dec 20, 2025, 07:33 AM

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Alita

3 days ago

B) sounds good, but is it really automatic?

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Arlette

8 days ago

D) is definitely a plus, fewer objects means easier management.

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Dannie

13 days ago

Surprised to see A) is a benefit, didn't know that!

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Graham

18 days ago

I disagree, I think internal stages are just as secure.

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Kathryn

23 days ago

A) is true, external stages can save on storage costs!

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Craig

28 days ago

I feel like there was a point about automatic data purging with external stages, but I can't remember if that's actually a benefit or not.

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Nickolas

2 months ago

I practiced a similar question where external stages were mentioned, and I think they do help reduce the number of objects in a database.

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Carri

2 months ago

Option B is a joke. Automatic data purging? That's not a real benefit.

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Alise

2 months ago

D is just silly. External stages don't reduce the number of database objects.

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Buddy

2 months ago

C is also a good option. External stages can provide better security for sensitive data.

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Altha

2 months ago

I agree, option A is the best answer. Storing data externally is more cost-effective.

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Ernie

3 months ago

Option A is correct. External stages reduce data storage costs by storing data outside of Snowflake.

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Jeanice

3 months ago

I'm a bit confused on this one. I know external stages are used for loading data, but I'm not sure about the specific benefits compared to internal stages. I'll have to review my notes before deciding.

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Johna

3 months ago

I'm leaning towards option C - that external stages are more secure than internal stages for sensitive data. That makes sense to me, since the data is stored outside of Snowflake's environment.

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Lorriane

3 months ago

Okay, I'm pretty sure the right answer is that external stages provide automatic data purging after successful loads. That seems like a really useful feature for managing data efficiently.

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Dean

3 months ago

Hmm, I'm not totally sure about this one. I know external stages are used for loading data, but I'm not confident about the specific benefits. I'll have to think this through carefully.

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Elouise

3 months ago

I think the key benefit here is that external stages reduce data storage costs, since the data is stored outside of Snowflake. That's my best guess for this one.

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