# Network latency, static IPs and name resolution

*Tableau Server Administrator Study Guide · Preparation · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator/preparation/network-latency-static-ips-and-name-resolution*

The network conditions Tableau Server needs: where latency comes from and how placement reduces it, why nodes should not span data centers, why every Server computer needs a static IP address, and how DNS or a hosts file must resolve every node.

- Certification: Salesforce Tableau Server Administrator
- Exam section: Preparation
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> 1.9 Infrastructure Network: 1.9.1 Understand network latency implications; 1.9.2 Explain the risks of Dynamic-IP addressing.

## What the exam expects

- Recognize network latency as a Tableau Server performance factor and choose placements that reduce it.
- Explain the risks of spreading Tableau Server nodes across data centers.
- Explain why every computer running Tableau Server needs a static IP address and what happens when an address changes.
- Identify the name-resolution requirements for a single server and for cluster nodes.

Key terms:
- **Network latency:** delay in traffic between computers, such as between Server nodes or between Server and a data source.
- **Static IP address:** an IPv4 or IPv6 address that does not change, unlike one leased dynamically.
- **Discoverable node:** a cluster node whose name the other nodes can resolve through DNS or a local hosts file.
- **Hosts file:** a local file that maps host names to IP addresses without asking DNS.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Latency remedy | Locate gateways and data sources in proximity to Tableau Server | [Distributed Requirements](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_requ.htm) |
| Multiple data centers | Not recommended for Server nodes | [Distributed Requirements](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_requ.htm) |
| Static IP scope | Every computer running Server, single or clustered | [Distributed Requirements](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_requ.htm) |
| Address type | Static IPv4 or IPv6 | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |
| Node discovery | DNS or a local hosts file | [Distributed Requirements](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_requ.htm) |
| Host name rules | No change after TSM starts; no underscores | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |
| DNS lookups | Fast A and AAAA answers, including NXDOMAIN | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |
| Cluster time | Same time zone, synchronized clocks | [Distributed Requirements](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_requ.htm) |
| License check | Licensed processes contact License Manager on the initial node | [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm) |
| Changed IPs | Rebuild `pg_hba.conf`: stop, apply pending changes, start | [IPs Changed, TSM Services Not Starting](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001474911&type=1) |

## Check yourself

- Why can a Windows Server 2019 node end up using a different address family than expected?
- When a load balancer fronts the cluster, which name do users enter as the Tableau Server URL?
- Why can the initial node of a highly available cluster have fewer cores than the other nodes?
- Where is the hosts file stored by default on a Windows Tableau Server computer?

## Sources

- [Distributed Requirements](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_requ.htm)
- [Before you install...](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm)
- [Tableau Server IPs Changed and not all TSM Services are Coming Up Correctly](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001474911&type=1)
- [Troubleshoot Inconsistent Process Status](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/trouble_inconsistent_process_status.htm)
- [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm)
- [Distributed and High Availability Tableau Server Installations](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_ha.htm)
- [Test Your Data and Use Extracts](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/perf_extracts.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 4 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Server Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams