SQL Server to Snowflake
real-time replication
TwinCommit replicates Microsoft SQL Server to Snowflake in real time by reading the SQL Server transaction log and applying every committed change exactly once and in commit order. Use it to feed Snowflake with live SQL Server data for analytics, AI and reporting, with no triggers or capture tables on the source.
SQL Server
log reader
commit-ordered · exactly-once
Snowflake
native writer
How capture works on SQL Server
TwinCommit reads the active and backed-up transaction log directly, so you do not need SQL Server Agent CDC jobs or change tables.
Prerequisites
- ✓FULL recovery model
- ✓Primary key on each replicated table
- ✓VIEW SERVER STATE and db_owner on the source database
How apply works on Snowflake
Rows land through Snowpipe Streaming into a change table and are merged into the target on a short, configurable interval.
Requirements
- ✓Key-pair authentication for a service user
- ✓A warehouse for the MERGE step
- ✓OWNERSHIP or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE on the target schema
Setup
Set up SQL Server → Snowflake in four steps
- 1
Prepare SQL Server
Run twincommit check. It verifies full recovery model and the other prerequisites, and prints the exact fix for anything missing.
- 2
Point at Snowflake
Add a target block for Snowflake. TwinCommit can generate target DDL with twincommit ddl -apply.
- 3
Snapshot
twincommit snapshot copies each table under a brief share lock and records the exact log position.
- 4
Stream
twincommit run streams every committed change from that position, exactly once and in commit order.
source:
type: sqlserver
dsn: ${SOURCE_DSN}
target:
type: snowflake
account: myorg-myaccount
warehouse: REPLICATION_WH
database: RAW
private_key_file: /secrets/sf.p8
tables:
- source: SALES.ORDERS
- source: SALES.ORDER_LINES
exclude_columns: [INTERNAL_NOTES]SQL Server to Snowflake replication FAQ
How does TwinCommit replicate SQL Server to Snowflake?
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TwinCommit reads changes from the SQL Server transaction log, buffers them per transaction, and applies each committed transaction to Snowflake in commit order. Rows land through Snowpipe Streaming into a change table and are merged into the target on a short, configurable interval.
Does SQL Server to Snowflake replication need triggers or capture tables?
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No. TwinCommit reads the SQL Server log directly and creates no objects in the source database.
Is SQL Server to Snowflake replication exactly-once?
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Yes. TwinCommit commits its checkpoint in the same Snowflake transaction as the data, so a crash or restart never loses or duplicates a transaction.
What SQL Server versions are supported?
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SQL Server 2016–2025 · Azure SQL Managed Instance · Azure SQL Database (target).
Use cases for this route
Related replication routes
Stream SQL Server to Snowflake today.
Download the free Developer edition, or have one of our replication engineers walk you through a migration plan.