This approach is the least complex because it uses Snowflake’s built-in replication feature to copy the

data and database objects from the Production account to the QA account. Replication is a fast and

efficient way to synchronize data across accounts, regions, and cloud platforms. It also preserves the

privileges and metadata of the replicated objects. By creating clones of the replica databases, the QA

account can run tests on the cloned data without affecting the original data. Clones are also zero-

copy, meaning they do not consume any additional storage space unless the data is modified. This

approach does not require any external stages, tasks, Snowpipe, or external functions, which can add

complexity and overhead to the data transfer process.

Reference:

Introduction to Replication and Failover

Replicating Databases Across Multiple Accounts

Cloning Considerations