Server Flashcards
Server
Best practice to edit individual users permissions in Tableau projects?
It is a best practice to use groups and manage users through groups. Setting permissions at the group level in Server projects will make the process much more streamlined in the long run.
Server
Permisions for default state across Tableau Server in the absense of allowing permissions?
The default state is to deny permissions.
Server
All Tableau Server ships with default project.
Cannot delete this project and the default group is all users, many clients go in and delete this all users group because when you create a new project it will pick up the default settings for the default project.
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Projects
Projects are the largest group of organization of content on the Tableau Server.
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Workbooks
Workbooks are what is created for you and can contain multiple dashboards or worksheets.
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Views
Reports, dashboards and vizualizations that you can interact with and save in specific way.
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What does multithreading mean to Tableau?
Multithreading means each process (VIZQL, Data Server, Webapp, Extract host on Server) can handle multiple simultaneous requests from the same end user. (Side note: Each VizQL process is no longer limited to 2gb of RAM but is still limited to [or can share] a single core.)Multithreading does not equal faster.Instead each request from an end user is processed on a single core for end user resource request consolidation and caching.
Server
Difference between threading and a process?
The essential difference between a thread and a process is the amount of work that each does. Threads are used for small tasks (ex: When you use MS Word, you have a background thread that allows you to print and another thread that accepts user input) and processes are used for heavyweight tasks like actually starting the program.
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Can I run tableau server in virtual environment (on a VM)?
Absolutely. Virtual environments are fully supported.
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Can I configure server to use IIS or my instance of Apache as the web server?
No need to. Tableau server includes a web server (along with many other components) in the single installation file. For your info, we use Apache, but there is nothing to configure or change.
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Do I need to maintain the Apache web server or the Postgres database?
No. Tableau takes care of all maintenance and upgrades for its individual components in the Tableau server maintenance releases you download from our website.
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Can I install it on Linux?
The general answer is no, Tableau must be installed on a Windows Operating System. However, some customers use programs on their Linux system to create virtual Windows environments.
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What OS do you recommend?
Windows Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2003 sp1 or higher, and Windows 7. Tableau Server no longer supports Windows XP, Vista, or older windows operating systems.
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What kind of encryption do you use for password storage (also what kind of data encryption is used when passed over the wire to the client)?
Please see our knowledge base article on Server Encryption Technologies for details. Tableau stores passwords using AES 256-bit encryption, and uses RSA 512-bit encryption for other server processes.
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What kind of auditing can I do on my server users and reports?
There are about six pre-made audit dashboards found in the Maintenance page on server. These answer most questions you have around View Performance, User Activity, Usage, Storage, etc.If the pre-made maintenance dashboards do not contain what you are looking for, you can connect Tableau Desktop to the Postgres database that stores all server activity. Please see the Admin Guide for more details on Custom Audit Views.
Server
Is it possible to have weekly scheduled e-mails where I send out a .png, .pdf, or .csv of the Tableau visual?
Yes, you can use Tabcmd and a third-party tool such as febootimail to schedule when these e-mails get sent out, and what views are sent. Please see our knowledge base article: Using the Tableau Server Command Line Utility. Tableau does not charge extra for this feature.
Server
Is there any internet access requirements for the server product?
Internet access for the server product is not required. It is primarily used for Activation of the software and Online Maps. We can provide specific URLs to these web services for adjustments to your firewall. Or, should you choose not to open your firewall, Activation can be done offline and offline maps provide the first 6 levels of zoom. You may also leverage an internal WMS (Web Mapping Service) such as ESRI ArcServer.
Server
How do I determine the number of VizQL, Application, Data Server, and Background processes?
Tableau Server publishes workbook views for access via a browser. Requests that come in from the client browser first hit the Apache web server and are routed to the first available Application server process (wgserver.exe) which handles browsing and permissions for the Tableau Server web interface. Once a view is opened a request is sent to the VizQL process (vizqlserver.exe) from which queries are sent directly to the data source. If your data source is Tableau Data Server, then a request will be sent to the Tableau Data Server process.We generally recommend using Tableau’s default of 2 VizQL, 2 Application, and 2 Data Server processes for any sized deployment. If you find that your performance lags, you may increase the number of VizQL, Application, or Data Server processes up to the maximum limit of 8.
Server
Is it possible to specify a size when publishing a dashboard to fit within our confines on sharepoint, ipad, etc.?
a. Yes, upon publishing your dashboard, simply select to size it using the bottom left hand of your dashboard screen, and selecting to Edit Size -> At Least. At Least allows for the dashboard to expand and fit larger screens, but maintain its your desired layout on smaller screens.
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Do virtualization snapshots and NT backups work with Tableau Server?
a. When considering disaster recovery options, it is import to understand precisely how virtualization snapshots and file-level backups interact with Tableau data.During the installation of Tableau Server, the licensing service writes license information to the Trusted Storage area of the hard disk. This information will not be captured by file-level backups or virtual machine snapshots and therefore should the virtual machine snapshot or file-level backup ever be used to restore Tableau Server, the corresponding Trusted Storage information will not be re-written to the disk. This means that restoring Tableau Server from a backup “in place” or on the same machine on which it was originally installed, will work fine. Restoring an image of Tableau Server to a new location or different machine, you need to transfer the license to that new machine. b. It is highly recommended that regular Tableau Backups be taken in order to ensure that your environment has recoverability in the event that you are required to bring up Tableau on a new server or restore your existing environment
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Do I need additional drivers for my data source installed on Tableau Server?
a. Yes, the drivers page on the Tableau Software home page contains links and information for obtaining the proper driver for your data source connection.
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Can I switch from using Local Authentication to Active Directory?
The most important thing to be aware of while installing Tableau Server is that once you choose your authentication method (‘Use Active Directory’ or ‘Use Local Authentication’), you cannot change it without re-installing Tableau Server.Once set, the only way to alter the authentication method is by following the steps outlined in our knowledge base article “Modifying Tableau Server Authentication Method”:
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How might I upgrade or duplicate a Tableau Server environment?
There is a knowledge base article available for reference during the upgrade
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How many test environments can I have?
The End User License Agreement for Tableau Server allows for one production environment and up to two, non-production environments. 1) For instance, if a client purchases an 8 core server, they can have up to two additional non-production core environments. The same goes for named user licenses.2) Tableau does not charge for these non-production test environments, unlike many of our competitors. E.g., Qlikview charges an additional 50% of the server cost for each test environment.