How to find and export your Databricks data.
Databricks has no single page showing total data size. Run DESCRIBE DETAIL on each Delta table and read sizeInBytes, the size of the latest snapshot. Sum it across the tables you plan to license and report GB.
Where Databricks shows how much you have.
- In a SQL warehouse or notebook, list the tables in each schema: SHOW TABLES IN my_catalog.my_schema;
- For each table, run DESCRIBE DETAIL my_catalog.my_schema.orders; and note sizeInBytes, numFiles, createdAt and location.
- Add up sizeInBytes and divide by 1073741824 for GB. The number covers the latest snapshot only, so the table's folder in cloud storage can be larger.
Plan and role. Works in any workspace with Delta tables. You need Unity Catalog access to the tables you are measuring; reading actual cloud storage usage requires access to the cloud account behind the workspace.
What to report on the Polyshares intake.
Report Databricks in GB. The intake also asks how many years the company has used it and how many seats it has.
On the Polyshares intake, report the summed sizeInBytes in GB. It is the size of each table's latest snapshot in its data files, which are compressed, so a CSV export would be larger. Do not report the total size of the storage path, which also holds older file versions kept for time travel. For years in use, use the earliest event date in the data or the table's createdAt; for seats, count the users or accounts the tables describe.
Export the full history.
- Ask a workspace admin for a Unity Catalog external location that points at a bucket or container you control, with privileges to create tables there.
- Copy each table's current data and metadata to that location with a deep clone: CREATE TABLE my_catalog.export.orders DEEP CLONE my_catalog.my_schema.orders LOCATION 's3://my-export-bucket/orders';
- Move the files out of that path with your cloud provider's tools, such as aws s3 sync for Amazon S3.
Path-based access to Unity Catalog managed tables is not supported, except in Compatibility Mode, because it bypasses access controls, so copy managed tables out by cloning rather than reading their files. A clone does not include Delta table history or Unity Catalog tags. Dropped managed tables are deleted from storage after a recovery period, 7 days by default, and can be brought back with UNDROP TABLE until then.
The intake only needs the size, so you do not have to run an export to fill it in. You also do not need to clean or scrub an export. Polyshares handles anonymization before anything moves.
Why Databricks data has value for AI training.
Databricks lakehouses often hold the largest and rawest data a company keeps: event streams, machine and sensor logs and pipeline outputs, next to the curated tables built from them. Raw and modeled versions with timestamps give a detailed history of real operations for training models.
What stays private.
Unity Catalog permissions decide what can be cloned to the export location, so sensitive catalogs and schemas never have to leave the workspace.
We anonymize identifying details before anything moves. Polyshares does that work, so your team does not have to scrub records first.
Your company keeps ownership of its data. The license is bounded to defined material and a defined use.
Polyshares is the buyer and pays your company directly. There is no fee or commission, and Polyshares reviews the record before it makes any offer.
Common questions about Databricks data.
Does sizeInBytes include time travel versions?
No. It is the size of the latest snapshot of the table. Older data files kept for time travel stay in cloud storage until they are removed.
Can I copy a managed table's files straight from the bucket?
Databricks does not support path-based access to Unity Catalog managed tables, except in Compatibility Mode, because it bypasses access controls. Clone the table to an external location first.
Does a deep clone keep the table's history?
No. A deep clone copies the current data and metadata, but Delta table history is not cloned.
Source: Databricks: Review Delta Lake table details with DESCRIBE DETAIL, Databricks: Unity Catalog managed tables, Databricks: Clone a table. Checked September 2026.
Related
- PostgreSQLDatabase and table sizes from SQL, full export with pg_dump and pg_dumpall
- MySQLSum data_length plus index_length from information_schema, export with mysqldump
- BigQueryTABLE_STORAGE logical bytes for size, EXPORT DATA or bq extract to Cloud Storage
- SnowflakeCost management and TABLE_STORAGE_METRICS for size, COPY INTO a stage to export
- Amazon S3Storage Lens and BucketSizeBytes for size, aws s3 sync or Batch Operations to export
- Amazon RedshiftSVV_TABLE_INFO size in 1 MB blocks, UNLOAD to Amazon S3 as Parquet
- MongoDBdb.stats() dataSize versus storageSize, full export with mongodump
- Amazon DynamoDBItem count and table size per table, export to Amazon S3 with PITR turned on
- All data source guidesEvery system on the Polyshares intake, grouped by category.
Put your numbers on the intake.
List your systems, their sizes and your headcount in one intake. Polyshares reviews the record and prices it. There is no fee or commission to your company.
Check your data