# Server processes, default counts and high availability

*Tableau Server Administrator Study Guide · Preparation · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator/preparation/server-processes-default-counts-and-high-availability*

What each Tableau Services Manager and Tableau Server process does, how many instances the installer configures, which processes run as several instances or install automatically, and how repository failover, Gateways and a load balancer fit into distributed and highly available clusters.

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

**Official exam objective:**

> 1.7 Server Processes: 1.7.1 Describe each Tableau Services Manager and Tableau Server process; 1.7.2 Understand: 1.7.2.1 Default process count at installation, 1.7.2.2 Multiple-instance processes, 1.7.2.3 Process-to-process workflows, 1.7.2.4 Processes in distributed and high-availability environments, 1.7.2.5 Purpose of a load balancer.

## What the exam expects

- Describe what each Tableau Services Manager (TSM) process and each Tableau Server process does, and which status each normally shows.
- Calculate the default process counts the installer sets from the number of physical cores.
- Identify which processes can run as several instances, which run once per node, and which install automatically with others.
- Trace process-to-process workflows such as view rendering, extract queries and TSM configuration changes.
- Explain how repository failover, Gateways and a load balancer behave in distributed and highly available (HA) clusters.

Key terms:
- **TSM process:** a management process that keeps running after TSM is initialized, even when Tableau Server is stopped.
- **Topology:** which processes, and how many instances, run on each node, set with `tsm topology set-process`.
- **Initial node:** the first computer Tableau is installed on, which hosts processes no other node runs.
- **Repository failover:** an active/passive pair of PostgreSQL repositories where the passive one takes over.
- **Load balancer:** an external device that spreads client requests across Gateways on several nodes.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Administration Controller | TSM request handler and HTTPS REST endpoint; initial node only | [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm) |
| Maintenance processes | Database Maintenance and Backup/Restore show stopped unless running a job | [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm) |
| VizQL default | Physical cores divided by four, maximum four | [Installation Defaults](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/single_server_install_defaults.htm) |
| Backgrounder, Cache Server, Data Server default | Two unless fewer than eight cores | [Installation Defaults](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/single_server_install_defaults.htm) |
| Repository instances | Maximum two; second needs at least three nodes | [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm) |
| Data Engine | One automatic instance per applicable node | [Tableau Server Data Engine](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/data_engine2_intro.htm) |
| Cache Server ceiling | No more than six instances, two per node | [Cache Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_process_cache-server.htm) |
| Cache Server failure | Slower actions, no availability impact | [Cache Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_process_cache-server.htm) |
| Gateways behind a load balancer | All active; unavailable Gateway gets no requests | [Add a Load Balancer](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_lb.htm) |
| HA minimum | Three nodes | [Distributed and HA Installations](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_ha.htm) |
| Elastic Server | Replaced by Index and Search Server from 2022.1 | [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm) |

## Check yourself

- Why won't you find Client File Service when you check process health on the Status page?
- When the initial node fails, how long can Tableau Server keep running before the missing licensing service affects other processes?
- Which TSM process stores the external SSL certificate and key files?
- Which Data Engine instance creates and refreshes extracts?

## Sources

- [Tableau Server Processes](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/processes.htm)
- [Initial Node Installation Defaults](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/single_server_install_defaults.htm)
- [Distributed and High Availability Tableau Server Installations](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_ha.htm)
- [Add a Load Balancer](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/distrib_lb.htm)
- [Tableau Server Administration Agent](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_process_admin-agent.htm)
- [Tableau Server Client File Service](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_process_cfs.htm)
- [Tableau Server Cache Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_process_cache-server.htm)
- [Tableau Server Repository](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server_process_repository.htm)
- [Tableau Server Data Engine](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/data_engine2_intro.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 12 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Server Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams