What is the main purpose of Databricks SQL endpoints/warehouses?

The main purpose of Databricks SQL endpoints, also known as SQL warehouses, is to provide compute resources specifically designed for executing SQL queries and visualizations efficiently. These endpoints enable users to run SQL workloads, analyze large amounts of data, and create visual representations of the results without managing the underlying infrastructure directly.

By offering dedicated compute resources, Databricks SQL endpoints help users perform complex queries and analytics with improved performance and scalability. This facilitates a seamless user experience, allowing data analysts to focus on data interpretation and insights instead of worrying about resource allocation or performance tuning.

Storing data for long-term retention, generating data backups, and managing user permissions relate to different functionalities and aspects of data management and governance, rather than the core purpose of SQL endpoints. These features are crucial in their own contexts but do not directly align with the primary function of providing computational power for executing SQL queries and creating visualizations.