User, Named, Table Stage in Snowflake: use case

​User stage

• When to use: User stages are best suited for storing data that is only needed by a single user or for loading data into a single table. Good for small data volumes, testing, and isolated workloads

• Why to choose: User stages are convenient and easy to use, and they do not require any additional setup or configuration.

• Security: User stages are not as secure as table stages or named stages, as they can be accessed by any user with the necessary permissions. Users control permissions and can access data easily.

• Cost: User stages are free to use. No additional storage cost beyond virtual warehouse usage

​Table stage

• When to use: Table stages are best suited for storing data that is needed by multiple users or for loading data into multiple tables.

• Why to choose: Table stages are more secure than user stages, and they allow you to control who has access to the data. Table stages also offer better performance for loading data into multiple tables. Provide good performance for direct loads and unloads.

• Security: Table stages are more secure than user stages, as they can only be accessed by users with the appropriate permissions. Scope permissions to the table automatically.

• Cost: Table stages are free to use.

​Named stage

• When to use: Named stages are best suited for storing data that needs to be shared across multiple users or applications, or for storing data that needs to be accessed frequently.

• Why to choose: Named stages offer the best performance for loading data into multiple tables, and they can be accessed from multiple Snowflake accounts. Named stages also offer additional security features, such as encryption and access control lists. Allow decoupled storage from compute. Better performance, control, and security for larger workloads.

• Security: Named stages offer the best security features, such as encryption and access control lists.

• Cost: Named stages incur a storage charge, but the cost is typically very low.

​Things to consider when choosing a stage:

• Security: Consider how sensitive the data is and who needs access to it. If the data is sensitive, you should choose a more secure stage, such as a table stage or a named stage.

• Performance: Consider how often the data will be accessed and how quickly it needs to be loaded into tables. If the data needs to be accessed frequently or loaded into tables quickly, you should choose a stage with better performance, such as a table stage or a named stage.

• Cost: Consider how much data you need to store and how often you need to access it. Named stages incur a storage charge, but the cost is typically very low.

Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between user stages, table stages, and named stages:

Which stage to choose:

In general, you should choose a named stage if you need to store data that needs to be shared across multiple users or applications, or for storing data that needs to be accessed frequently. If you do not need these features, you can choose a user stage or a table stage, depending on your security and performance requirements.

Here are some specific examples of when to choose each type of stage:

• User stage: You are loading data into a single table and you only need to access the data from your own Snowflake user account.

• Table stage: You are loading data into multiple tables and you need to share the data with other Snowflake users.

• Named stage: You are storing data that needs to be shared across multiple Snowflake accounts, or you are storing data that needs to be accessed frequently.

Sash Barige

Sep/4/2023

The source for the information in my previous response is the Snowflake documentation:

• CREATE STAGE: https://docs.snowflake.com/en/sql-reference/sql/create-stage

• STAGING DATA: https://docs.snowflake.com/en/user-guide/data-load-considerations-stage

• BEST PRACTICES FOR LOADING DATA: https://docs.snowflake.com/en/user-guide/data-load-considerations