Service specification reference¶

containers.name and containers.image fields¶

For each container, only name and image are required fields.

• name is the image name. This name can be used to identify a specific container for the purposes of observability (for example, logs, metrics).

• image is the name of the image you uploaded to a Snowflake image repository in your Snowflake account.

For example:

spec:
  containers:
    - name: echo
      image: /tutorial_db/data_schema/tutorial_repository/echo_service:dev

containers.command and containers.args fields¶

Use these optional fields to control what executable is started in your container and the arguments that are passed to that executable. You can configure defaults for these at the time of creating the image, typically in a Dockerfile. Using these service specification fields let you to change these defaults (and thus change the container behavior) without having to rebuild your container image:

• containers.command overrides the Dockerfile ENTRYPOINT. This allows you to run a different executable in the container.

• containers.args overrides the Dockerfile CMD. This allows you to provide different arguments to the command (the executable).

Example

Your Dockerfile includes the following code:

ENTRYPOINT ["python3", "main.py"]
CMD ["Bob"]

These Dockerfile entries execute the python3 command and pass two arguments: main.py and Bob. You can override these values in the specification file as follows:

• To override the ENTRYPOINT, add the containers.command field in the specification file:

  spec:
    containers:
    - name: echo
      image: <image_name>
      command:
      - python3.9
      - main.py
  

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• To override the argument “Bob”, add the containers.args field in the specification file:

  spec:
    containers:
    - name: echo
      image: <image_name>
      args:
        - Alice
  

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containers.env field¶

Use the containers.env field to define container environment variables. All processes in the container have access to these environment variables:

spec:
  containers:
  - name: <name>
    image: <image_name>
    env:
      ENV_VARIABLE_1: <value1>
      ENV_VARIABLE_2: <value2>
      …
      …

Example

In Tutorial 1, the application code (echo_service.py) reads the environment variables as shown:

CHARACTER_NAME = os.getenv('CHARACTER_NAME', 'I')
SERVER_PORT = os.getenv('SERVER_PORT', 8080)

Note that the example passes default values for the variables to the getenv function. If the environment variables are not defined, these defaults are used.

• CHARACTER_NAME: When the Echo service receives an HTTP POST request with a string (for example, “Hello”), the service returns “I said Hello”. You can overwrite this default value in the specification file. For example, set the value to “Bob”; the Echo service returns a “Bob said Hello” response.

• SERVER_PORT: In this default configuration, the Echo service listens on port 8080. You can override the default value and specify another port.

The following service specification overrides both of these environment variable values:

spec:
  containers:
  - name: echo
    image: <image_name>
    env:
      CHARACTER_NAME: Bob
      SERVER_PORT: 8085
  endpoints:
  - name: echo-endpoint
    port: 8085

Note that, because you changed the port number your service listens on, the specification must also update the endpoint (endpoints.port field value) as shown.

containers.readinessProbe field¶

Use the containers.readinessProbe field to identify a readiness probe in your application. Snowflake calls this probe to determine when your application is ready to serve requests.

Snowflake makes an HTTP GET request to the specified readiness probe, at the specified port and path, and looks for your service to return an HTTP 200 OK status to ensure that only healthy containers serve traffic.

Use the following fields to provide the required information:

• port: The network port on which the service is listening for the readiness probe requests. You need not declare this port as an endpoint.

• path: Snowflake makes HTTP GET requests to the service with this path.

Example

In Tutorial 1, the application code (echo_python.py) implements the following readiness probe:

@app.get("/healthcheck")
def readiness_probe():

Accordingly, the specification file includes the containers.readinessProbe field:

spec:
  containers:
  - name: echo
    image: <image_name>
    env:
      SERVER_PORT: 8088
      CHARACTER_NAME: Bob
    readinessProbe:
      port: 8088
      path: /healthcheck
  endpoints:
  - name: echo-endpoint
    port: 8088

The port specified by the readiness probe does not have to be a configured endpoint. Your service could listen on a different port solely for the purpose of the readiness probe.

containers.volumeMounts field¶

Because the spec.volumes and spec.containers.volumeMounts fields work together, they are explained together in one section. For more information, see spec.volumes field (optional).

containers.resources field¶

A compute pool defines a set of available resources (CPU, memory, and storage) and Snowflake determines where in the compute pool to run your services.

It is recommended that you explicitly indicate resource requirements for the specific container and set appropriate limits in the specification. Note that the resources you specify are constrained by the instance family of the nodes in your compute pool. For more information, see CREATE COMPUTE POOL.

Use containers.resources field to specify explicit resource requirements for the specific application container:

• containers.resources.requests: The requests you specify should be the average resource usage you anticipate by your service. Snowflake uses this information to determine placement of the service instance in the compute pool. Snowflake ensures that the sum of the resource requests placed on a given node fits within the available resources on the node.

• containers.resources.limits: The limits you specify direct Snowflake to not allocate resources more than the specified limits. Thus, you can prevent cost overruns.

You can specify requests and limits for the following resources:

• memory: This is the memory required for your application container. You can use either decimal or binary units to express the values. For example, 2G represents a request for 2,000,000,000 bytes and 2Gi represents a requests for 2 x 1024 x 1024 x 1024 bytes.

  When specifying memory, a unit is required. For example, 100M or 5Gi. The supported units are: M, Mi, G, Gi.

• cpu: This refers to virtual core (vCPU) units. For example, 1 CPU unit is equivalent to 1 vCPU. Fractional requests are allowed, such as 0.5, which can also be expressed as 500m.

• nvidia.com/gpu: If GPUs are required, they must be requested, and there must also be a limit specified for the same quantity. If your container does not specify requests and limits for GPU capacity, it cannot access any GPUs. The number of GPUs you can request is limited by the maximum GPUs supported by the INSTANCE_TYPE you choose when creating a compute pool.

Note that if it’s theoretically impossible for Snowflake to schedule the service on the given compute pool, CREATE SERVICE will fail. Theoretically impossible assumes the compute pool has the maximum number of allowed nodes and there are no other services running on the compute pool. That is, there is no way Snowflake could allocate the requested resources within the compute pool limits. If it’s theoretically possible, but required resources are in use, then CREATE SERVICE will succeed. Some service instances will report status indicating that the service cannot be scheduled due to insufficient resources until resources become available.

Example 1

In the following specification, the containers.resources field describes the resource requirements for the container:

spec:
  containers:
  - name: resource-test-gpu
    image: ...
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: 2G
        cpu: 0.5
        nvidia.com/gpu: 1
      limits:
        memory: 4G
        nvidia.com/gpu: 1

In this example, Snowflake is asked to allocate at least 2 GB of memory, one GPU, and a half CPU core for the container. At the same time, the container is not allowed to use more than 4 GB of memory and one GPU.

Example 2

Suppose:

• You create a compute pool of two nodes; each node has 27 GB of memory and one GPU:

  CREATE COMPUTE POOL tutorial_compute_pool
    MIN_NODES = 2
    MAX_NODES = 2
    INSTANCE_FAMILY = gpu_nv_s
  

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• You create a service that asks Snowflake to run two instances of the service:

  CREATE SERVICE echo_service
    MIN_INSTANCES=2
    MAX_INSTANCES=2
    IN COMPUTE POOL tutorial_compute_pool
    FROM @<stage_path>
    SPEC=<spec-file-stage-path>;
  

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  Both MIN_INSTANCES and MAX_INSTANCES are set to 2. Therefore, Snowflake will run two instances of the service.

Now, consider these scenarios:

• If your service does not explicitly include resource requirements in your application specification, Snowflake decides whether to run these instances on the same node or different nodes in the compute pool.

• You do include resource requirements in the service specification and request 10 GB of memory for the container:

  - name: resource-test
    image: ...
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: 15G
  

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  Your compute pool node has 27 GB of memory, and Snowflake cannot run two containers on the same node. Snowflake will run the two service instances on separate nodes in the compute pool.

• You include resource requirements in the service specification and request 1 GB of memory and one GPU for the container:

  spec:
    containers:
    - name: resource-test-gpu
      image: ...
      resources:
        requests:
          memory: 2G
          nvidia.com/gpu: 1
        limits:
          nvidia.com/gpu: 1
  

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  You are requesting one GPU per container, and each node has only one GPU. In this case, although memory is not an issue, Snowflake cannot schedule both service instances on one node. This requirement forces Snowflake to run the two service instances on two separate compute pool nodes.

containers.secrets field¶

secrets:                            # optional list
  - snowflakeSecret:
    secretKeyRef:
    envVarName:                      # specify this or directoryPath
    directoryPath:                   # specify this or envVarName

Use containers.secrets to configure secret objects that Snowflake can then make them available to your application container. The containers can then use these secrets, for example, to authenticate with external services (outside Snowflake). For more information, see Using Snowflake secrets to pass credentials to a container.

• snowflakeSecret (required): A Snowflake secret object name.

• secretKeyRef: The name of the key in the secret. When this field is provided, Snowflake passes the value associated with this key ref to the container. Required for basic auth secrets mounted as environment variables. You specify this field only when passing secrets to environment variables in containers.

• envVarName: The name of the environment variable that holds the secret. Either this or the directoryPath field is required.

• directoryPath: The directory path in the container where you want to copy the secrets. Snowflake populates one file for each secret key in this specified directory. When you specify directoryPath, do not specify secretKeyRef. Either this or the envVarName field is required.

Note that, the role that is creating the service (owner role) will need the READ privilege on the secrets referenced.

About the supported volume types¶

Snowflake supports these volume types for application containers to use: local, memory, block, and Snowflake stage.

• Local volume: Containers in a service instance can use a local disk to share files. For example, if your application has two containers—an application container and a log analyzer— the application can write logs to the local volume, and the log analyzer can read the logs.

  Note that, if you are running multiple instances of a service, only containers belonging to a service instance can share volumes. Containers that belong to different service instances do not share volumes.

• Memory: You can use a RAM-backed file system for container use.

• Block: Containers can also use block storage volumes. The size value can range from 1Gi to 16384Gi. For more information, see Using block storage volumes with services.

• Snowflake stage: You can also give containers convenient access to files on a Snowflake stage in your account. For more information, see Using Snowflake stage volumes with services.

Example

Your machine learning application includes the following two containers:

• An app container for the main application

• A logger-agent container that collects logs and uploads them to Amazon S3

These containers use the following two volumes:

• local volume: This application writes logs that the log agent reads.

• Snowflake stage, @model_stage: The main application reads files from this stage.

In the following example specification, the app container mounts both the logs and models volumes, and the logging-agent container mounts only the logs volume:

spec:
  containers:
  - name: app
    image: <image1-name>
    volumeMounts:
    - name: logs
      mountPath: /opt/app/logs
    - name: models
      mountPath: /opt/models
  - name: logging-agent
    image: <image2-name>
    volumeMounts:
    - name: logs
      mountPath: /opt/logs
  volumes:
  - name: logs
    source: local
  - name: models
    source: "@model_stage"

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If multiple instances of the service are running, the logging-agent and the app containers within a service instance share the logs volume. The logs volume is not shared across service instances.

If, in addition to these volumes, your app container also uses a 2-GB memory volume, revise the specification to include the volume in the volumes list and also add another volume mount in the app containers volumeMounts list:

spec:
  containers:
  - name: app
    image: <image1-name>
    volumeMounts:
    - name: logs
      mountPath: /opt/app/logs
    - name: models
      mountPath: /opt/models
    - name: my-mem-volume
      mountPath: /dev/shm
  - name: logging-agent
    image: <image2-name>
    volumeMounts:
    - name: logs
      mountPath: /opt/logs
  volumes:
  - name: logs
    source: local
  - name: models
    source: "@model_stage"
  - name: "my-mem-volume"
    source: memory
    size: 2G

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Note that when you specify memory as the volume source, you must also specify the volumes.size field to indicate the memory size. For information about the memory size units you can specify, see About units.

About file permissions on mounted volumes¶

A container that mounts a Snowflake stage or a block storage volume typically runs as a root user. However, sometimes your container might run as a non-root user. For example:

• If your application uses a third-party library, the library uses a non-root user to run application code inside the container.

• For other reasons, such as security, you might run your application as a non-root user inside the container.

To avoid potential errors related to file user permissions, it’s important to set the UID (User ID) and GID (Group ID) of the container as part of the specification. This is particularly relevant for containers that use a specific user and group for launching or running the application within the container. By setting the appropriate UID and GID, you can use a container running as a non-root user. For example:

spec:
  ...

  volumes:
  - name: stagemount
    source: "@test"
    uid: <UID-value>
    gid: <GID-value>

Snowflake uses this information to mount the stage with appropriate permissions.

To obtain the UID and GID of the container, do the following:

1. Run the container locally using docker run.

2. Look up the container ID using the docker container list command. Partial sample output:

   CONTAINER ID   IMAGE                       COMMAND
   —----------------------------------------------------------
   a6a1f1fe204d  tutorial-image         "/usr/local/bin/entr…"
   

3. Run the docker id command inside the container to get the UID and GID:

   docker exec -it <container-id> id
   

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   Sample output:

   uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)