Introducing Full Query Passthrough For Faster Query Federation

Starburst has introduced full query passthrough via polymorphic table functions, enhancing its query engine's capabilities by allowing queries to utilize the syntax and performance characteristics of underlying systems without migration. This advancement, available from SEP 393, significantly boosts query performance by enabling users to execute queries directly within the source systems, as demonstrated with Teradata where passthrough is twice as fast as the traditional connector pushdown approach. To operationalize this feature with access controls, users need to configure Ranger or SEP Built-In-Access Controls, granting execute privileges or enabling user impersonation. Full query passthrough is particularly advantageous in scenarios requiring specific data source functions or complex data processing, though it is not recommended for all use cases, such as low latency workloads or when write operations are involved. The functionality is supported by multiple connectors, including Teradata JDBC, Snowflake, and Oracle, among others, offering users the opportunity to enhance data performance and flexibility across diverse data environments.