Preparation20% of the exam
Client and server components of Tableau Server
Identify the clients that use Tableau Server (Desktop, browsers, Mobile, Prep) and the core server processes they reach through the Gateway: Application Server, VizQL Server, Backgrounder, Data Server, Data Engine, Cache Server, Repository and File Store, and how those processes cooperate.
1.2 Topology: 1.2.1 Identify client components; 1.2.2 Identify server components; 1.2.3 Describe how they work together.
~7 min read · 4 practice questions
What the exam expects
- Name the client components that connect to Tableau Server: Tableau Desktop, supported web browsers, Tableau Mobile and Tableau Prep.
- Name the core server components and the job each one does: Gateway, Application Server, VizQL Server, Backgrounder, Data Server, Data Engine, Cache Server, Repository and File Store.
- Trace a request from a client through the Gateway to the process that serves it.
- Separate where server metadata lives from where extract files live.
Key terms:
- Client: software outside the server that sends requests to it, such as a browser or Tableau Desktop.
- Gateway: the web server process that receives every client request.
- VizQL Server: the process that loads and renders views and runs their queries.
- Backgrounder: the process that runs server jobs such as extract refreshes and subscriptions.
- Repository: the PostgreSQL database that stores the server's own data.
- File Store: the process that controls the storage of extracts.
Key facts
Gateway
- Detail
- Apache web server (httpd.exe) handling requests from all clients
Gateway instances
- Detail
- One per machine; default ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (SSL)
Browser clients
- Detail
- Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Firefox ESR, Safari
Application Server
- Detail
- Web application, REST API calls, browsing and searching
VizQL Server
- Detail
- Loads and renders views; computes and executes queries
Backgrounder
- Detail
- Runs refreshes, subscriptions, flow runs, alerts; scheduled or Run Now
Data Server
- Detail
- Manages connections to Tableau Server data sources
Data Engine
- Detail
- Creates extracts and processes queries; installed automatically
Repository
- Detail
- PostgreSQL database of users, groups, permissions, content and extract metadata
File Store
- Detail
- Controls the storage of extracts
Data Services
- Detail
- Backgrounder, Data Server and Data Engine
Sources for this section (8)
- Gateway Processhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- All Technical Specificationswww.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Tableau Server Processeshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- VizQL Serverhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Backgrounder Processhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Repositoryhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- File Storehelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Server Administrator Overviewhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why should users on the internet reach Tableau Server through a reverse proxy or VPN rather than directly?
- Which web server software and executable implement the Gateway process?
- Which process handles REST API calls along with browsing and searching?
- Why does File Store matter in a highly available environment beyond holding extracts?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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