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SYSADMIN

As explained in Snowflake Data Engineering

SYSADMIN is Snowflake's built-in administrative role for creating and managing many account objects and accessing data through granted roles.

SYSADMIN is Snowflake’s primary built-in role for creating objects such as databases, schemas, and virtual warehouses. It supports pipeline setup and can access data through granted roles. Custom roles are preferred in production, but SYSADMIN is practical before they exist. section 2.1 section 10.1.1

Use SYSADMIN with these operational boundaries:

  • Create pipeline infrastructure such as databases, schemas, and warehouses. section 2.1
  • Use custom roles when available; SYSADMIN commonly receives those roles to access data and assume role privileges. section 10.1.1
  • Avoid ACCOUNTADMIN for object creation and grants because it becomes the owner and complicates later administration. section 2.1 section 10.1.1

Create initial pipeline objects

Select SYSADMIN, then create the BAKERY_DB database, ORDERS schema, and XSMALL BAKERY_WH warehouse with executable SQL. section 2.1

use role SYSADMIN;
create database BAKERY_DB;
create schema ORDERS;
create warehouse BAKERY_WH with warehouse_size = 'XSMALL';

Run the baseline SYSADMIN setup commands for a database, schema, and virtual warehouse. section 2.1

How Snowflake Data Engineering covers it

How deep it goes
Defines SYSADMIN’s object-creation role and demonstrates commands, but defers custom-role design to later governance work.
Examples
Uses BAKERY_DB, ORDERS, BAKERY_WH, and a Marketplace database granted to SYSADMIN.
What it assumes
Assumes a Snowflake account and sufficient privileges, while introducing object setup before custom roles exist.
What you can do after
Operate/configure Snowflake pipeline foundations with SYSADMIN while avoiding ACCOUNTADMIN for object creation and grants.
How it connects
Relates SYSADMIN to custom roles, ACCOUNTADMIN, SECURITYADMIN, USERADMIN, databases, schemas, warehouses, and imported privileges.
Cover of Snowflake Data Engineering
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Snowflake Data Engineering. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.