Scenario: You want to rollback changes due to a problematic query (e.g., accidental data modification or corruption). Snowflake provides two powerful tools:
✅B. CLONE ... BEFORE (STATEMENT => 'query_id')
This usesTime Travel + Zero-Copy Cloning.
You canclone a table as it existed before a specific query.
It creates a full copy of the table's state at that momentwithout duplicating storage.
Example:
CREATE TABLE prd_table_bkp CLONE prd_table
BEFORE (STATEMENT => '01a2b3c4-0000-0000-0000-123456789abc');
✅D. ALTER TABLE ... SWAP WITH ...
Once you've cloned the backup, you canswap itwith the live table.
This is afast, atomic operation— ideal for rollback.
Example:
ALTER TABLE prd_table SWAP WITH prd_table_bkp;
❌Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
A. SELECT SYSTEM$CANCEL_QUERY(...)
C. CREATE TABLE ... AS SELECT * FROM RESULT_SCAN(...)
Reconstructsresults, not the original table.
Only captures output rows, not full table state.
Not ideal for rollback.
E. Contact Snowflake Support to retrieve Fail-safe data
Fail-safe is for disaster recovery only, and only accessible by Snowflake support.
It’snotintended for routine rollback or recovery and has a 7-day fixed retention (non-configurable).
????SnowPro Administrator References:
Zero-Copy Cloning with Time Travel
ALTER TABLE SWAP
System Functions – SYSTEM$CANCEL_QUERY
Fail-safe Overview
