Snowflake and Salesforce, the world’s leading SQL data warehouse and leading CRM, is one of the most popular integration combinations. There are a multitude of SaaS middleware options that can move data between the platforms via API. Some platforms are event based like Zapier and Workato, others use replication like Fivetran or Hightouch, and others can do a bit of both like Mulesoft and Informatica. At their core, when working with SaaS endpoints, these tools pick up data from one cloud, transit it through its own cloud, then land it in the target cloud. In 2024, this simply doesn't need happen anymore…

The end of the middleware era as native options emerge

In this post we’ll compare two new Snowflake and Salesforce native options that will emerge over 2024:

• Snowflake Native Apps - Omnata Sync

• Snowflake & Salesforce Data Cloud native integration
  
  

Snowflake Native Apps change the game

Omnata pioneered ‘no-middleware’ integration between Salesforce and cloud data warehouses with Omnata Connect. 

Now, Snowflake enter the realm of native apps and massively increase the value that the data-warehouse can deliver to customers, even bringing into question the whole model of SaaS data tools. 

Omnata Sync

Omnata Sync, which recently launched on the Snowflake Marketplace, is a first of its kind integration native app with no SaaS infrastructure. It enables bi-directional data sync between Snowflake and Salesforce, plus other SaaS endpoints.

Omnata Sync simplifies the SaaS architecture built around Snowflake; often referred to as the ‘modern data stack’ set of tools. ETL/ELT is ingesting data into Snowflake from Salesforce, and Reverse-ETL is outputting data from Snowflake to Salesforce.

Use cases

Two-way integration capabilities give you a powerful solution that requires no external services. The use cases fall into three buckets:

• Inbound into Snowflake - pull data from SaaS sources for BI and analytics. Understand how sales are progressing or support cases are being handled.

• Outbound from Snowflake - activate modelled data to SaaS apps where they are consumed by users and processes. Output lead scores, metrics and related enterprise data for CRM users.

• Loops - pull data from an app, model and enrich the data, then push it back to the same app. Enrich your Lead, Contact and Account data using enterprise data or marketplace datasets.

Native apps are faster to deploy and reduce SaaS integration costs

Omnata’s novel native integration architecture has two major categories of benefit for enterprises.

1. Faster and easier cyber-security approval. Omnata Sync has no data-handling infrastructure, everything resides inside your Snowflake account.

2. Reduced costs. Customers can reduce the number of integration tools and Omnata does not charge for data volume or compute due to its native app architecture.
   
   

How does Omnata Sync compare to Salesforce Data Cloud (CDP) ?

The best way to think about Salesforce Data Cloud is by its original name, a CDP (Customer Data Platform) that lives within the Salesforce ecosystem. However, it’s important to understand that Data Cloud is a separately sold product, and underlying infrastructure, from the Salesforce CRM and Marketing Clouds.

Salesforce Data Cloud is native, but an extra hop

Salesforce Data Cloud is native to the Salesforce ecosystem and provides a near ‘real-time’ integration with Snowflake.

However, this is only for the first ‘hop’, between Snowflake and Salesforce Data Cloud. To move data from Snowflake to Salesforce CRM Objects via CDP, an internal data sync is required. This sync is subject to the same performance as the regular APIs; 10-15 minute sync latency. In addition, the Salesforce admin must configure data models in CDP which can duplicate work typically done in Snowflake.

So overall, the integration architecture via Salesforce Data Cloud is actually: Snowflake → Salesforce Data Cloud → Salesforce CRM Objects, and vice versa. In addition, platform and usage-based costs make this a heavy-weight option for bi-directional data syncs.

Omnata Sync connects directly to the Salesforce CRM APIs

Built upon Snowflake’s new Native App framework and utilising new platform features like External Access, Omnata Sync pulls and pushes data directly between Snowflake and the Salesforce APIs.

The result is a single hop integration with benefits like:

• Lower sync latency; as low as 1min.

• Advanced API features; like merge and convert records.

• Simpler configuration; via a no-code native app UI.

• Reduced licensing costs; no platform add-ons required.

Try Omnata Sync for Snowflake and Salesforce integration for free

You can be up and running in minutes from the Snowflake Marketplace deploying bi-directional Snowflake and Salesforce integration for far less than SaaS middleware with unlimited data volume and sync frequency.

Start a 30-day free trial today, or get in touch with us.