Pass the Tableau Tableau Desktop Certified Associate SCA-C01 Questions and answers with CertsForce

Tableau Server has specific hardware requirements for production environments to ensure stability and performance. The minimum recommended free disk space for a production installation is50 GB. This accounts for:

The installation itself (approximately 1–2 GB).

Space for log files, temporary files, and extracts managed by the File Store and Data Engine.

Room for backups and operational overhead.

The full minimum hardware recommendations for a single-node production deployment are:

8 CPU cores(2.0 GHz or faster).

32 GB RAM.

50 GB free disk space(on the system drive, typically C: on Windows).

Option A (32 GB): Incorrect. While 32 GB is the minimum RAM requirement, it’s insufficient for disk space in production.

Option B (50 GB): Correct. This matches Tableau’s official recommendation for production environments.

Option C (15 GB): Incorrect. 15 GB is the minimum for a non-production or trial installation, not production.

Option D (64 GB): Incorrect. While 64 GB exceeds the minimum, it’s not the specified requirement—50 GB is sufficient.

When a user reports slow performance for a newly-published workbook on Tableau Server, troubleshooting requires isolating the cause—e.g., data source issues, server load, workbook design, or caching. Thefirst questionshould establish a baseline to narrow the scope. Let’s analyze this step-by-step with depth:

Performance Context:

A workbook’s speed depends on:

Data Source: Query complexity, size, network latency (e.g., database vs. extract).

Workbook Design: Filters, calculations, dashboard complexity.

Server Resources: VizQL rendering, Backgrounder load, caching.

"Newly-published" implies it’s not yet optimized or cached on the server.

Option A (Does it run any faster in Tableau Desktop?): Correct.

Why First: Comparing Desktop vs. Server performance is the most foundational diagnostic step:

Desktop Baseline: If it’s slow in Desktop (local machine), the issue likely lies in the workbook (e.g., complex queries, large data) or data source (e.g., slow database)—not Server-specific.

Server Difference: If it’s fast in Desktop but slow on Server, the problem could be server-side (e.g., resource contention, network latency to the data source from Server).

Practical Next Steps:

Slow in Desktop: Optimize workbook (e.g., simplify calcs, use extracts).

Fast in Desktop: Check Server (e.g., caching, VizQL load).

Why Critical: Establishes whether the issue is inherent to the workbook/data or introduced by Server—guides all further investigation.

Option B (Does the workbook always run slowly or does performance vary?): Useful but secondary.

Why Not First: Variability (e.g., slow at peak times) points to server load, but without a Desktop baseline, you can’t rule out workbook design. It’s a follow-up question after A.

Detail: Variability might suggest caching or concurrent user impact, but it assumes Server-side causation prematurely.

Option C (How many times have you opened the workbook in Tableau Server?): Less relevant initially.

Why Not First: Frequency of access might affect caching (first load is slower, subsequent loads faster), but it’s too specific and doesn’t isolate Desktop vs. Server. It’s a niche follow-up.

Option D (Did you enable caching on the workbook?): Misleading and incorrect.

Why Not First: Caching is server-managed (e.g., VizQL cache settings via tsm data-access caching set), not a user-toggle per workbook. Users don’t "enable" it—admins do. Plus, it’s premature without a baseline.

Why This Matters: Starting with Desktop performance cuts through assumptions, pinpointing whether the root cause is client-side (workbook/data) or server-side—essential for efficient resolution in production.

Trusted Ticketsis an authentication method in Tableau Server for embedding views in external applications (e.g., portals) without requiring users to log in manually. Here’s how it works:

A trusted application (e.g., a web server) authenticates with Tableau Server using a trusted IP or username/password.

Tableau Server issues a temporary ticket (a unique string).

The ticket is embedded in a view URL (e.g., /trusted//views/...), granting access to the view for a short period (configurable, default 5 minutes).

Option A (Access embedded views without being prompted for credentials): Correct. Trusted tickets enable SSO-like behavior for embedded content, bypassing the login prompt if the ticket is valid. This is ideal for seamless integration into external systems.

Option B (Encrypt database connections): Incorrect. Encryption is handled by data source configurations (e.g., SSL), not trusted tickets, which focus on user authentication.

Option C (Save and edit workbooks): Incorrect. Trusted tickets grant view access, not edit permissions—those depend on the user’s site role and permissions.

Option D (Embed database credentials): Incorrect. Trusted tickets authenticate users to Tableau Server, not databases—database credentials are managed separately in the data source.

Why This Matters: Trusted tickets simplify embedding Tableau content securely in custom applications, enhancing user experience.

Data-driven alerts in Tableau Server allow users to receive notifications when data in a view meets certain conditions (e.g., a sales metric exceeds a threshold). By default, this feature is disabled for a site unless explicitly enabled by an administrator.

Option C (Change the data-driven alerts setting on the new site's Settings page): This is the correct answer. In the Tableau Server web interface, a site administrator can navigate to the site’s Settings > General page and enable the option "Let users create data-driven alerts." This must be done manually because the default setting for a new site is disabled. Once enabled, users with appropriate permissions (e.g., Viewer, Explorer, or Creator roles) can create alerts on views they have access to.

Option A (Enable data-driven alerts on the TSM Configuration page): This is incorrect because the TSM Configuration page (accessed via the TSM web UI or CLI) manages server-wide settings like ports, authentication, and processes, not site-specific features like data-driven alerts.

Option B (Run the tsm configuration set -k dataAlerts.checkIntervalInMinutes -v 60 command): This is incorrect. The dataAlerts.checkIntervalInMinutes key controls how frequently Tableau Server checks alert conditions (default is 60 minutes), but it does not enable the feature itself. The feature must first be turned on at the site level.

Option D (No action is necessary): This is incorrect because the default setting for data-driven alerts is off for new sites, requiring explicit action to enable it.

In Tableau Server, schedules manage tasks like extract refreshes and subscriptions. Each task within a schedule has a priority value (ranging from 1 to 100, where 1 is the highest priority and 100 is the lowest). Tasks with higher priority (lower numbers) are executed before tasks with lower priority (higher numbers) when queued by the Backgrounder process. If the Backgrounder is overloaded or delayed, lower-priority tasks may not complete on time, leading to inconsistent refreshes.

In this scenario:

The 7:00 AM Extract Refresh task is critical for the CEO’s workbook, but the data is only refreshed 70% of the time by 9:00 AM.

The server has a single node, meaning a single Backgrounder process handles all tasks. With five schedules (some overlapping in the early morning), contention or delays could prevent the 7:00 AM task from completing reliably before 9:00 AM.

Option C (Set the priority of this task to 1): Correct. Setting the task priority to 1 ensures it has the highest priority among all queued tasks. This increases the likelihood that the Backgrounder executes it promptly at 7:00 AM, completing the refresh before the CEO accesses the workbook at 9:00 AM. You can adjust task priority in the Tableau Server web interface under Schedules > Tasks > Edit Priority.

Option A (Set the default priority of this schedule to 50): Incorrect. The default priority for schedules is already 50, and this option refers to the schedule’s default, not the specific task. It wouldn’t address the contention issue.

Option B (Set the priority for all other tasks to 50): Incorrect. This keeps all tasks at the default priority (50), leaving the 7:00 AM task without a relative advantage. It doesn’t prioritize the CEO’s task.

Option D (Set the priority of this task to 100): Incorrect. Priority 100 is the lowest, which would deprioritize the task, making the refresh even less reliable.

To force Tableau Server to require the setup of a new administrator account (e.g., resetting the server to an initial setup state), the tsm reset command is the appropriate tool. This command resets Tableau Server’s administrative configuration, including the TSM administrator account, while preserving content like workbooks and data sources.

Option B (Run the tsm reset command): Correct. Running tsm reset clears the current TSM administrator credentials and configuration settings. The next time you access TSM (e.g., via the web interface or CLI), it prompts you to set up a new administrator account, mimicking the initial setup process. Command: tsm reset --username --password .

Option A (Edit tabsvc.yml): Incorrect. The tabsvc.yml file contains service configuration data, but manually editing it is not supported or recommended for resetting the administrator account. It could also corrupt the installation.

Option C (Run the tsm register command): Incorrect. The tsm register command is used to register Tableau Server with a new product key or identity store, not to reset the administrator account.

Option D (Reinstall Tableau Server): Incorrect. Reinstallation wipes the entire server, including content, and is overkill for this task. The tsm reset command achieves the goal without data loss.

Backing up Tableau Server ensures recovery from failures or migrations. A full backup includes multiple data types—let’s dissect this comprehensively:

Backup Components:

Repository Data: PostgreSQL database with metadata (users, permissions, workbooks). Backed up via tsm maintenance backup -f .tsbak.

Configuration Data: Server settings (e.g., ports, authentication) also in the .tsbak file.

Server Secrets: Encryption keys, internal tokens, Repository passwords—critical for restoring functionality.

Extracts: .hyper files in File Store (optional, separate backup).

Option A (Server secrets and Repository passwords): Correct.

Details: Includes encryption keys (for extracts), internal tokens (process communication), and Repository credentials. Backed up separately or stored securely (e.g., tsm security export-keys).

Why Critical: Without these, restored data may be inaccessible or services may fail.

Option C (Configuration data): Correct.

Details: Ports, authentication settings, process topology—part of the .tsbak file.

Why Critical: Restores server behavior and connectivity post-recovery.

Option D (Repository data): Correct.

Details: Core metadata database—also in .tsbak.

Why Critical: Without it, all content and user data is lost.

Option B (Topology data): Incorrect.

Details: Topology (process distribution) is part of configuration data in the .tsbak, not a separate entity. It’s not distinctly backed up as “topology data.”

Why This Matters: A complete backup (secrets, config, repository) ensures full restoration—missing any piece risks an unusable server.

Data-driven alerts notify users when data meets conditions (e.g., sales > $10K). Let’s examine when Tableau checks these:

Alert Mechanics:

Enabled per site (Settings > General > Data-Driven Alerts).

Backgrounder evaluates conditions against extract data.

Check Intervals: Configurable via tsm configuration set -k dataAlerts.checkIntervalInMinutes (default: 60 minutes).

Refresh Trigger: Also checks post-extract refresh for immediate updates.

Option A (Every 60 minutes): Correct.

Details: Default interval—Backgrounder polls every hour to evaluate alert conditions.

Config: Adjustable (e.g., -v 30 for 30 minutes).

Option D (Whenever extracts in the related workbook are refreshed): Correct.

Details: An extract refresh updates the data, triggering an immediate alert check to catch changes promptly.

Why: Ensures timely notifications without waiting for the next poll.

Option B (Every 10 minutes): Incorrect.

Why: Not the default—possible via config, but not standard.

Option C (Whenever a new extract is published): Incorrect.

Why: Publishing creates the extract; alerts trigger on refreshes or polling, not initial publication.

Why This Matters: Timing affects alert responsiveness—balancing frequency and server load is key.

Tableau Server’s user-based licensing model assigns licenses to individual users (Creator, Explorer, Viewer) rather than machines or cores. Key features include:

Subscription license: Licenses are typically subscription-based, renewed annually or monthly, aligning with Tableau’s pricing model.

Distinct user roles: It supports three roles (Creator, Explorer, Viewer), each with specific capabilities, enabling granular access control.

Option A (A subscription license): Correct. User-based licenses are subscription-based by default.

Option B (Enables distinct user roles): Correct. The model defines Creator, Explorer, and Viewer roles.

Option C (Restricts the number of machine cores): Incorrect. This applies to core-based licensing, not user-based.

Option D (A perpetual license): Incorrect. Perpetual licenses were phased out; user-based licenses are subscription-based as of recent models.

Deleting a user in Tableau Server involves handling their owned content (workbooks, data sources)—let’s analyze the process:

Deletion Rules:

Ownership Check: Tableau prevents deletion if the user owns content to avoid orphaning it.

Action: Instead of deleting, the user’s site role is set toUnlicensed, retaining their account and content ownership.

Resolution: An admin must reassign ownership (e.g., viaUsers > Actions > Change Owner) before deletion.

Option D (User switched to Unlicensed and NOT deleted): Correct.

Details: Attempting deletion (e.g.,Users > Select User > Actions > Delete) triggers a check. If content exists, the user becomes Unlicensed—still in the system but unable to log in.

Why: Protects data integrity—content remains accessible for reassignment.

Option A (Deleted, content to server admin): Incorrect.

Why: No automatic reassignment to the server admin—manual action is required first.

Option B (Deleted, content to project leader): Incorrect.

Why: Project leaders don’t automatically inherit content—no such mechanism exists.

Option C (User and content deleted): Incorrect.

Why: Tableau avoids deleting content with the user—too destructive without explicit intent.

Why This Matters: This safeguard prevents accidental data loss, ensuring admins manage ownership transitions deliberately.