Automating TSM, backups, upgrades and client deployment
Script Tableau Server changes with TSM and the REST API, schedule backup and cleanup jobs safely with cron or Task Scheduler, automate restore runbooks and multi-node upgrades, deploy Tableau Desktop and Prep Builder silently, and enable and query the Metadata API.
3.5 Automate server maintenance functions: 3.5.1 Manage and change Tableau Server resources programmatically, including Tableau Services Manager (TSM), REST APIs, and tabcmd; 3.5.2 Recommend a script deployment method, including Windows Scheduler and cron; 3.5.3 Recommend automated deployment methods for Tableau Server, Tableau Desktop, and Tableau Prep; 3.5.4 Design an automated complex disaster recovery process; 3.5.5 Plan and implement multi-node server upgrades; 3.5.6 Automate maintenance tasks, such as cleanup and backup; 3.5.7 Configure and use the Metadata API.
~6 min read · 20 practice questions
What the exam expects
- Change Tableau Server programmatically with TSM, the REST API and tabcmd, choosing the right interface for server-level versus content-level changes.
- Recommend how scripts run unattended with Windows Task Scheduler or cron, including credentials and the node they run on.
- Automate backup and cleanup, and design a disaster recovery restore that also rebuilds what backups leave out.
- Plan a multi-node in-place upgrade that keeps downtime short and recovers from a failed script.
- Automate Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep Builder deployment, and enable and query the Metadata API.
Key terms: TSM (Tableau Services Manager, the CLI and web UI for server configuration, topology and maintenance); Administration Controller (TSM controller service, usually on the initial node); .tsbak (the repository and File Store backup file); settings export (tsm settings export JSON of configuration and topology); Metadata API (GraphQL API for lineage and schema metadata).
Key facts
- Detail
- TSM-authorized group, local, on the controller node
- Detail
tsmadminby default
- Detail
text/xml
- Detail
- Temp and logs older than 1 day; no crash dumps
cleanup -a- Detail
-l -t -r -q -ic
- Detail
- Same identity store type; same or newer version
- Detail
- Machine account needs write access
- Detail
- Rerun; resumes where it failed
- Detail
- 1209600 seconds (14 days)
- Detail
- Disabled until
metadata-services enable
- Detail
- Warning with partial results
Sources for this section (9)
- tsm referencehelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- TSM overview Linuxhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- REST fundamentalshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- tsm maintenancehelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Backup and restorehelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Run upgrade scripthelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Command line propertieshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Metadata API starthelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Metadata API errorshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- When Tableau Server is stopped, which cleanup work cannot happen?
- Why should the exported settings JSON be encrypted and stored securely?
- Why open a new command prompt before running upgrade-tsm manually?
- Where do you explore the Metadata API schema in a browser?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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