Components of Tableau Server
The work of Tableau Server is directed with the following four server processes:
Application Server
It processes (wgserver.exe) hold browsing and permissions for the Tableau Server web and mobile interfaces. When a user opens a view in a client device, that user begins a session on Tableau Server. Then the Application Server thread begins and verifies the permissions for that user and that view.
VizQL Server
If a view is released, the client sends a request to the VizQL process (vizqlserver.exe). The VizQL process then sends queries directly to the data source, returning a result set that is rendered as images and presented to the user. Each VizQL Server has its own cache that can be shared across multiple users.
Data Server
Tableau Data Server allows you centrally control and store Tableau data sources. It also manages metadata from Tableau Desktop, like calculations, definitions, and groups. The published data source can be founded on:
- A Tableau Data Engine extract
- A live connection to a relational database (cubes are not supported)
Backgrounder
The backgrounder refreshes scheduled extracts and manages other background tasks.
Gateway/ Load Balancer
It is the primary Tableau Server that trails requests to other components. Requests which come in from the client firstly strike the gateway server and are then routed to the appropriate procedures. If multiple procedures are configured for any component, the Gateway will work as a load balancer and share the requests with the procedures. In a single-server configuration, every procedure sits on the Gateway, or primary server. When running in a distributed atmosphere, one physical machine is designated as the primary server and the others are designated as worker servers which can run any number of other procedures. Tableau Server always uses only one machine as the primary server.
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Clients (Web Browsers and Mobile Apps)
It offers interactive dashboards toward clients using zero-footprint HTML and JavaScript (AJAX) in a web browser, or natively through a mobile app. No plug-ins or helper applications are necessary. Tableau Server supports:
- Web browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.
- Mobile Safari: Touch-optimized views are automatically served on mobile Safari.
- iPad app: Native iPad application that provides touch-optimized views and content browsing.
- Android app: Native Android application that provides touch-optimized views and content browsing.
- Android browser: Touch-optimized views are automatically offered in the Android browser.
Clients (Tableau Desktop): Tableau Desktop is the rapid-fire authoring environment used to generate and publish sights, reports, and dashboards to Tableau Server. Using this, a report author can tie with multiple data sources, explore relationships, create dashboards, modify metadata, and finally issue a completed workbook or data source to Tableau Server. It also opens any workbooks issued on Tableau Server or connects to any published data sources, whether issued as an extract or a live connection.
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