The TABLE_STORAGE_METRICS metadata table stores the storage utilization information, including for tables that have been dropped but are still incurring storage costs2.

https://docs.snowflake.com/en/sql-reference/sql/copy-into-table.html
VALIDATION_MODE = RETURN_n_ROWS | RETURN_ERRORS | RETURN_ALL_ERRORS
String (constant) that instructs the COPY command to validate the data files instead of loading them into the specified table; i.e. the COPY command tests the files for errors but does not load them. The command validates the data to be loaded and returns results based on the validation option specified:

In Snowflake, the system-defined, read-only view that displays information on column lineage, which specifies how data flows from source to target in a SQL write operation, is ACCESS_HISTORY. This view is instrumental in auditing and analyzing data access patterns, as it provides detailed insights into how and from where the data is being accessed and manipulated within Snowflake.
Reference to Snowflake documentation on ACCESS_HISTORY:
* Using Access History to Audit Data Access

The layer of Snowflake's architecture associated with virtual warehouses is the Query Processing layer. Virtual warehouses in Snowflake are dedicated compute clusters that execute SQL queries against the stored data.
This layer is responsible for the entire query execution process, including parsing, optimization, and the actual computation. It operates independently of the storage layer, enabling Snowflake to scale compute and storage resources separately for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
References:
* Snowflake Documentation: Snowflake Architecture