Synchronize outbound metadata to Snowflake

Synchronizing outbound metadata to Snowflake is the process of pushing enriched metadata from Collibra Platform to Snowflake. Once you have set up a mapping, outbound synchronization runs automatically every 5 minutes if there are outbound events to process.

Outbound synchronization sends attribute changes for Schema, Table, Database View, Semantic View, and Column assets.

Tag and property mappings work independently and can be configured together. If you map the Description attribute in Collibra to both a Snowflake tag and COMMENT for the same asset type, the integration applies the value to both.

The Snowflake outbound integration uses the Snowflake SQL API to apply tag values to existing Snowflake tags. It does not create tags in Snowflake. If a mapped tag does not exist, the synchronization returns an error that identifies the missing tag.

This is separate from the Snowflake JDBC connection used to ingest Snowflake metadata. Outbound synchronization uses that ingested metadata only to match Collibra assets to their Snowflake counterparts, not to apply tag values.

Note Description mapping is currently not supported for columns of database views and semantic views.

Prerequisites

In your Collibra environment:

Steps

Manually synchronize Snowflake outbound:

  1. On the main toolbar, click Products icon → Catalog.
    The Catalog homepage opens.
  2. Click Integrations.
    The Integrations page opens.
  3. Click the Integration configuration tab.
  4. In the Integration column, click the link for your Snowflake outbound integration.
    The integration settings page opens.
  5. On the General settings tab, select the System asset that contains the Snowflake assets ingested into Collibra using the Snowflake JDBC connector, and then click Save.
    Important The System asset that you select in this step must be the same System asset that the Snowflake JDBC connector used to ingest Snowflake assets. Outbound synchronization uses this System asset to identify which assets to sync. If the System assets don't match, outbound synchronization does not pick up any changes.
  6. Select the Metadata outbound tab and then click Add configuration.
  7. Complete the fields as needed.
    8. Field Action
    Collibra attribute to Snowflake tag mappings

    Configure a tag mapping to send a Collibra attribute value to a Snowflake tag.

    To add an outbound tag mapping:

    1. In the Collibra attribute to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add Tag mapping to add a new mapping.
    2.  In the Asset field, select the supported asset type to which you want to apply the tag mapping. If you do not specify an asset type, the tag mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3.  In the Attribute field, select the attribute whose value you want to send to Snowflake.
    4. In the Tag key field, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the following format database.schema.tag, so that Collibra can apply the tag across databases. The tag can reside in a different database from the asset you are tagging.

    For example, you map a Security Classification attribute to a security_classification tag in Snowflake. If you change the value from Sensitive to Confidential in Collibra, the next outbound synchronization updates the value of the tag in Snowflake.

    Note Attributes with a maximum cardinality greater than 1 are not supported for outbound tag mapping. Each value is stored as a separate attribute instance and propagated as a separate update, so only the most recently changed value is sent.
    Collibra property to Snowflake property mappings

    Configure a property mapping to send a Collibra property value to a native Snowflake object property. Only Description mapping to the Snowflake COMMENT property is currently supported.

    To add an outbound property mapping:

    1. In the Collibra property to Snowflake property mappings section, click Add Collibra property to Snowflake property mapping to add a new property mapping.
    2. In the Asset field, select the supported asset type to which you want to apply the mapping. If you do not specify an asset type, the mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3. In the Collibra property field, select the attribute whose value you want to send to Snowflake. Currently, only Description is available.
    4. In the Snowflake property field, select the native Snowflake object property to receive the value. Currently, only comment is available.

    For example, your team maintains certified descriptions for finance tables in Collibra. You map the Description attribute on Snowflake Table assets to the corresponding Snowflake COMMENT property. When you update a Snowflake table's description in Collibra, the next outbound synchronization updates the COMMENT value on the table in Snowflake.
    Collibra asset status to Snowflake tag mappings (In preview)

    Configure a status mapping to send an asset's current status name to a Snowflake tag. On each status change, the new status name is written. When you remove the status, the integration removes the tag.

    1. In the Collibra asset status to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add status mapping.
    2. In Asset, select the asset type the mapping applies to. If you do not specify an asset type, the mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3. In Tag key, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the format database.schema.tag.
    Collibra asset articulation score to Snowflake tag mappings (In preview)

    Configure an articulation score mapping to send an asset's articulation score, a decimal from 0.0 to 100.0 (for example, 87.5), to a Snowflake tag. The integration removes the tag when the score is removed.

    1. In the Collibra asset articulation score to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add articulation score mapping.
    2. In Asset, select the asset type the mapping applies to. If you do not specify an asset type, the mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3. In Tag key, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the format database.schema.tag.
    Collibra asset average rating to Snowflake tag mappings (In preview)

    Configure an average rating mapping to send an asset's average rating to a Snowflake tag. The average rating can be one of the following values: 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, or 1. If you remove the average rating in Collibra, the integration writes 0 to the tag. It does not remove the tag because 0 is a valid average rating.

    1. In the Collibra asset average rating to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add average rating mapping.
    2. In Asset, select the asset type the mapping applies to. If you do not specify an asset type, the mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3. In Tag key, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the format database.schema.tag.
    Collibra tag to Snowflake tag mappings (In preview)

    Configure a tag mapping to send all Collibra tags on an asset to a Snowflake tag as a single value, joined with semicolons (for example, PII;Sensitive). The value is replaced on each update. The integration removes the Snowflake tag when the asset does not have any Collibra tags left.

    1. In the Collibra tag to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add tag mapping.
    2. In Asset, select the asset type the mapping applies to. If you do not specify an asset type, the mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3. In Tag key, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the format database.schema.tag.
    Collibra responsibility to Snowflake tag mappings (In preview)

    Configure a responsibility mapping to send the owner of a responsibility to a Snowflake tag as owner name:role name (for example, Jane Doe:Data Steward). The integration removes the tag when the responsibility is removed. If more than one owner holds the same role on the same asset, the tag shows the owner synced most recently.

    1. In the Collibra responsibility to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add responsibility mapping.
    2. In Asset, select the asset type the mapping applies to. If you do not specify an asset type, the mapping applies to all applicable asset types by default.
    3. In Role, select the resource role.
    4. In Tag key, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the format database.schema.tag.
    Collibra data classification to Snowflake tag mappings (In preview)

    Configure a data classification mapping to send the label of an accepted data classification match (for example, Confidential) to a Snowflake tag. The integration removes the tag when the classification is removed.

    1. In the Collibra data classification to Snowflake tag mappings section, click Add data classification mapping.
    2. In Asset, Column is selected by default. Data classification mapping applies to Column assets only.
    3. In Data classification, select the data classification.
    4. In Tag key, enter the fully qualified name of the Snowflake tag, in the format database.schema.tag.
  8. Click Save.
    Outbound synchronization runs automatically every 5 minutes if there are outbound events to process.

What's next

The synchronization job synchronizes the Snowflake data.
After the synchronization: