Data classification and tagging in Snowflake - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Data classification and tagging

Start: Data arrives

↓

Identify data type

↓

Assign classification label

↓

Apply tags/metadata

↓

Store data with tags

↓

Use tags for access control, search, and governance

↓

End

Data is first identified by type, then labeled with classification and tagged with metadata before storage, enabling governance and access control.

Execution Sample

Snowflake

CREATE TAG IF NOT EXISTS classification;

CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE customer_data (
  id INT,
  name STRING,
  email STRING
);

ALTER TABLE customer_data SET TAG classification = 'confidential';

Creates a table and applies a classification tag to it.

Process Table

Step	Action	Object	Tag/Classification Applied	Result
1	Create table	customer_data	None	Table created with columns id, name, email
2	Apply tag	customer_data	classification = 'confidential'	Tag applied successfully
3	Query tags	customer_data	classification	Returns 'confidential'
4	Use tag for access control	customer_data	classification = 'confidential'	Access restricted to authorized users
5	Exit	N/A	N/A	Process complete

💡 All steps completed; data classified and tagged for governance

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	Final
customer_data table	Not created	Created with columns	Tagged as confidential	Tag confirmed	Ready for controlled access

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why do we apply tags after creating the table and not before?

Tags are metadata applied to existing objects; as shown in execution_table step 2, the table must exist before tags can be assigned.

How does tagging affect data access?

As in step 4, tags like 'confidential' can be used to enforce access control policies, restricting who can see the data.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what tag is applied to the customer_data table at step 2?

A classification = 'public'

B classification = 'internal'

C classification = 'confidential'

D classification = 'restricted'

💡 Hint

Check the 'Tag/Classification Applied' column at step 2 in the execution_table.

At which step is the table confirmed to have the classification tag?

A Step 3

B Step 2

C Step 1

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look for the step where tags are queried and confirmed in the execution_table.

If the tag 'classification = confidential' was not applied, what would change in the execution table?

A Step 2 would show 'Tag applied successfully'

B Step 4 would not restrict access based on classification

C Step 3 would return 'confidential'

D Step 1 would fail to create the table

💡 Hint

Consider how tags affect access control as shown in step 4.

Concept Snapshot

Data classification and tagging in Snowflake:
- Create data objects (tables, views)
- Apply tags as metadata (e.g., classification='confidential')
- Use tags for governance and access control
- Tags help organize and protect data
- Tags are applied after object creation

Full Transcript

Data classification and tagging is a process where data objects like tables are first created, then labeled with classification tags such as 'confidential'. These tags are metadata that help manage data access and governance. In Snowflake, you create a table, then apply tags using ALTER TABLE commands. Tags can be queried to confirm their presence and used to enforce access controls. This process ensures data is properly organized and protected according to its sensitivity.