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Which layers make up the Snowflake architecture?

  1. Security, Compute, Memory

  2. Compute, Storage, Cloud Services

  3. Query Optimization, Transaction Management, Metadata Management

  4. Only Compute and Storage

The correct answer is: Compute, Storage, Cloud Services

The Snowflake architecture is specifically designed to separate compute and storage functionalities, which allows for enhanced performance and flexibility. This architecture is made up of three distinct layers: 1. **Compute**: This layer is responsible for executing the queries. Snowflake allows multiple virtual warehouses to operate concurrently, enabling users to scale their compute resources up or down based on demand without interfering with one another. 2. **Storage**: In this layer, all structured and semi-structured data is stored. It is highly scalable and can manage large amounts of data efficiently. Snowflake's architecture allows for automatic scaling and data optimization, ensuring that storage costs are kept manageable while maintaining quick access to data. 3. **Cloud Services**: This layer handles the management of the overall services and features of Snowflake, such as authentication, security, and infrastructure management. It integrates with the cloud provider to ensure seamless operations and user experience. Recognizing the correct answer as encompassing these three layers highlights the unique design of Snowflake, which emphasizes the separation of resources for optimal performance and efficiency in data processing and management.