# Operating systems, email, ports and hosting choices

*Tableau Server Administrator Study Guide · Preparation · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator/preparation/operating-systems-email-ports-and-hosting-choices*

Prepare the software side of a Tableau Server 2022.3 host: supported Windows Server versions, browser clients, SMTP and event notifications, antivirus, port conflicts and firewall ports, and why the server belongs on a dedicated machine or cloud VM that still follows Tableau Server's own requirements.

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

**Official exam objective:**

> 1.5 Software Requirements: 1.5.1 List the supporting Operating Systems; 1.5.2 Understand: 1.5.2.1 Browser requirements, 1.5.2.2 Options for email alerts, 1.5.2.3 Anti-virus concerns; 1.5.3 Identify the SMTP Server; 1.5.4 Be familiar with potential port issues; 1.5.5 Explain the purpose and benefits of a dedicated server; 1.5.6 Identify the considerations for running in the cloud.

## What the exam expects

- List the Windows Server versions that support Tableau Server 2022.3, and keep server host and client platforms apart.
- Name the browser clients Tableau Server supports.
- Configure the SMTP server, then choose among the email notification options and their defaults.
- Recognize antivirus interference with installation and operation.
- Prevent and diagnose port conflicts: TSM 8850, gateway 80, IIS, firewall ports and the repository port.
- Explain why Tableau Server needs a dedicated machine, and what changes, or does not, on a cloud VM.

Key terms:
- **SMTP server:** the organization's mail server that Tableau Server connects to in order to send email.
- **Server event notification:** TSM-configured email for extract failures, process health, license reporting and drive space.
- **Dynamic port mapping:** TSM's default assignment of process ports from a range.
- **Dedicated server:** a machine or VM that runs Tableau Server without other resource-intensive applications.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2022 | Supported only from Tableau Server 2023.3.1 | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |
| Cluster operating systems | Same type and major version on every node; no Linux and Windows mix | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |
| SMTP before email | SMTP must be configured before subscriptions or notifications | [Server Event Notification](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/email.htm) |
| SMTP default port | 25 | [Configure SMTP Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/config_smtp.htm) |
| SMTP encryption | STARTTLS only, configured with the TSM CLI | [Configure SMTP Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/config_smtp.htm) |
| Single-server health alerts | Sent only while Server is up; no down alerts | [Server Event Notification](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/email.htm) |
| Default ports | TSM 8850, Gateway 80; 443 cannot be changed | [TSM Ports](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/ports.htm) |
| Repository port | pgsql.port, default 8060; not in tsm topology list-ports | [TSM Ports](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/ports.htm) |
| VM cloning | Deactivate licenses first, activate on the clone | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |
| Cloud vCPUs | AWS and GCP vCPU is a hyper-thread; double the core count | [Before you install](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm) |

## Check yourself

- When does Tableau Server send the email that confirms SMTP and notifications are working?
- Why do AWS and Google Cloud instances need twice as many vCPUs as the Tableau core requirement?
- Which SMTP port does Tableau Server use if you do not set one?
- What does the canonical_url SMTP setting supply?

## Sources

- [Before you install...](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/requ.htm)
- [All Technical Specifications](https://www.tableau.com/products/techspecs)
- [Configure SMTP Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/config_smtp.htm)
- [Configure Server Event Notification](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/email.htm)
- [Tableau Services Manager Ports](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/ports.htm)
- [Minimum Hardware Requirements and Recommendations for Tableau Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_hardware_min.htm)
- [Install Tableau Server on the Google Cloud Platform](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/ts_gcp_welcome.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 14 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Server Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams