Preparation20% of the exam
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.
1.9 Infrastructure Network: 1.9.1 Understand network latency implications; 1.9.2 Explain the risks of Dynamic-IP addressing.
~7 min read · 4 practice questions
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
Latency remedy
- Detail
- Locate gateways and data sources in proximity to Tableau Server
Multiple data centers
- Detail
- Not recommended for Server nodes
Static IP scope
- Detail
- Every computer running Server, single or clustered
Address type
- Detail
- Static IPv4 or IPv6
Node discovery
- Detail
- DNS or a local hosts file
Host name rules
- Detail
- No change after TSM starts; no underscores
DNS lookups
- Detail
- Fast A and AAAA answers, including NXDOMAIN
Cluster time
- Detail
- Same time zone, synchronized clocks
License check
- Detail
- Licensed processes contact License Manager on the initial node
Changed IPs
- Detail
- Rebuild
pg_hba.conf: stop, apply pending changes, start
- 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?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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