Salesforce Certified Tableau Server Administrator Analytics-Admn-201 Exam Practice Test

Answer : B

When an extract refresh fails on Tableau Server, troubleshooting requires identifying the root cause---e.g., connectivity issues, resource constraints, or configuration errors. The Backgrounder process handles extract refreshes, so it's a key focus, but the best diagnostic tool depends on granularity and context. Let's explore this thoroughly:

Extract Refresh Process:

An extract refresh pulls data from a source (e.g., database, file) into a .hyper file stored on Tableau Server.

The Backgrounder executes these tasks based on schedules or manual triggers.

Errors could stem from: database connectivity, credentials, file access, resource overload, or task misconfiguration.

Option B (Background Tasks for Extracts administrative view): Correct. This is the most direct and detailed method:

Location: In the Tableau Server web UI, go to Server > Status > Background Tasks for Extracts (or site-specific under Site > Status).

Details Provided:

Task name, schedule, and workbook/data source.

Start/end times and status (e.g., Failed, Success).

Error messages (e.g., 'Cannot connect to database,' 'Permission denied').

Why It's Best: It pinpoints the exact failure (e.g., 'timeout,' 'invalid credentials') for the specific refresh, offering actionable insights without needing to dig through logs manually. Server or site administrators can access this view to diagnose issues quickly.

Example: If the error is 'Database login failed,' you'd check credentials in the data source settings next.

Option A (Status of the Backgrounder process via tsm status -v): Partially useful but insufficient:

What It Shows: Running/stopped status of all processes (e.g., 'Backgrounder: RUNNING').

Limitation: It confirms if Backgrounder is operational but doesn't reveal why a specific task failed---no error details or task-level granularity.

Use Case: If Backgrounder is stopped or crashed, this might indicate a broader issue, but the question implies a single refresh error, not a server-wide failure.

Option C (The UNC path to the extract's data source): Relevant but secondary:

Context: If the data source is a file (e.g., CSV on a network share), the UNC path (e.g., \\server\share\file.csv) must be accessible.

Why Not First: The error could be unrelated (e.g., database issue, not file-based). The admin view (B) would reveal if it's a path issue first, guiding you to check the UNC path only if indicated (e.g., 'File not found').

Practical Note: Backgrounder needs share permissions and the Run As account must access it---checking this without context wastes time.

Option D (Whether project permissions are set to Locked): Unlikely cause:

Permissions Impact: Locked permissions restrict who can edit/view content, not whether an extract refresh runs---that's tied to the data source's connection settings and Backgrounder execution.

Exception: If the refresh user lacks 'Connect' permission to the data source, it might fail, but this is rare (owner/schedule typically has access). The admin view would flag this.

Why This Matters: The Background Tasks view is Tableau's purpose-built tool for extract diagnostics, saving time and reducing guesswork in production environments.

Answer : A

Table recommendations in Tableau Server suggest popular tables and data sources to users when they create new content in the web authoring environment. This feature is enabled by default but can be disabled at the site level.

Option A (Disable the option using the site Settings page): Correct. A site administrator can disable table recommendations by navigating to the site's Settings > General page in the Tableau Server web interface and unchecking the option 'Enable table recommendations.' This prevents users on that site from seeing these suggestions, offering a straightforward UI-based solution.

Option B (Use the command: tsm configuration set -k recommendations.enabled -v false): Incorrect. There is no recommendations.enabled key in the TSM configuration settings. This feature is managed per site, not server-wide via TSM.

Option C (Publish data sources only to projects with permissions locked): Incorrect. Locking permissions restricts access but doesn't disable the recommendation feature itself. Users with access would still see recommendations.

Option D (Disable the option using the server Settings page): Incorrect. Table recommendations are a site-specific setting, not a server-wide setting. The server Settings page (via TSM) controls global configurations, not this feature.

Answer : A, C, D

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 <filename>.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.

Answer : C

In an HA Tableau Server cluster, the Coordination Service (ZooKeeper ensemble) maintains cluster state---let's find the best way to check it:

Coordination Service:

Runs on multiple nodes (3 or 5 in HA) to ensure quorum and failover.

Status indicates if it's running and synced---critical for cluster health.

Option C (Run tsm status -v): Correct.

Details: tsm status --verbose lists all processes across nodes, including Coordination Service (e.g., 'Coordination Service: RUNNING').

Why Best: Provides detailed, node-specific status in the CLI---e.g., 'Node 1: RUNNING, Node 2: RUNNING.'

Use: Run on the initial node; -v ensures full output.

Option A (TSM web client Status page): Incorrect.

Why: The TSM UI (Server > Status) shows process counts (e.g., 'Coordination Service: 3 instances'), but not detailed per-node status---less granular than CLI.

Option B (tsm maintenance ziplogs): Incorrect.

Why: Generates log archives for troubleshooting, not a real-time status check.

Option D (Tableau Server Status page): Incorrect.

Why: The Server Status page (Server > Status in the web UI) monitors application processes (e.g., VizQL), not TSM's Coordination Service.

Why This Matters: Coordination Service health ensures HA stability---tsm status -v is the admin's go-to for precision.

Answer : C, D

TSM commands manage Tableau Server maintenance---let's validate their syntax:

Command Requirements:

Some need arguments (e.g., file paths); others are standalone.

Valid and Complete: Must work as-is without errors.

Option C (tsm maintenance cleanup): Correct.

Details: Removes temporary files and old logs---no arguments required (optional flags like -l exist).

Use: tsm maintenance cleanup---runs fully.

Option D (tsm maintenance ziplogs): Correct.

Details: Creates a zip of logs (e.g., tsm-logs.zip)---no arguments needed (optional -d for date range).

Use: tsm maintenance ziplogs---complete and valid.

Option A (tsm maintenance backup): Incorrect.

Why: Requires -f <filename>.tsbak (e.g., tsm maintenance backup -f backup.tsbak)---incomplete without it.

Option B (tsm maintenance restore): Incorrect.

Why: Needs -f <filename>.tsbak (e.g., tsm maintenance restore -f backup.tsbak)---not standalone.

Why This Matters: Correct syntax ensures maintenance tasks execute without errors---critical for server health.

Answer : B, D

Tableau Server consists of multiple processes managed by TSM. When you stop Tableau Server (e.g., via tsm stop), most application processes halt, but some TSM-specific processes remain active to manage the server's infrastructure. Let's examine each:

TSM Processes: These include the Administration Controller, Administration Agent, and License Manager, which handle configuration, monitoring, and licensing.

Application Processes: These include VizQL Server, Backgrounder, Data Server, etc., which deliver Tableau's core functionality and stop when the server is stopped.

When tsm stop is executed:

The Administration Controller (port 8850) continues running to manage TSM operations (e.g., restarts, status checks).

The License Manager remains active to validate licenses and ensure compliance, even when the server is offline.

Application processes like VizQL Server and Backgrounder shut down, as they're tied to user-facing services.

Option B (License Manager): Correct. It persists to handle licensing tasks, ensuring the server can restart without license issues.

Option D (Administration Controller): Correct. It's the core TSM process, always running to accept commands and manage the server state.

Option A (VizQL Server): Incorrect. VizQL stops, as it renders visualizations for users---an application process tied to active server operation.

Option C (Backgrounder): Incorrect. Backgrounder stops, as it processes background tasks (e.g., extract refreshes), which halt when the server is down.

Why This Matters: Understanding which processes persist helps administrators troubleshoot and manage server lifecycle events effectively.

Answer : C

Tableau Services Manager (TSM) is the administrative tool for managing Tableau Server's configuration, processes, and topology. To log in to TSM (via the web UI at https://<server>:8850 or CLI), you need:

TSM administrator credentials: These are distinct from site roles and are set during installation or reset via tsm reset.

Local administrative rights: On Windows, the account used to access TSM must be in the local Administrators group on the initial node, as TSM interacts with system-level services.

In a test cluster, the engineer's inability to log in suggests they lack either the correct TSM credentials or sufficient OS-level permissions. Since the question focuses on a Windows environment and ''initial node,'' the most immediate requirement is local administrative rights to run TSM commands or access the UI.

Option C (An account with administrative rights to the computer): Correct. The engineer must use an account in the local Administrators group on the initial node to authenticate to TSM. After that, they'll need the TSM admin username/password set during installation.

Option A (An account with a Creator site role): Incorrect. Site roles (e.g., Creator) apply to content access within Tableau Server, not TSM administration.

Option B (An account with a Site Administrator role): Incorrect. Site Administrators manage site content, not server-level TSM functions.

Option D (An account for the Tableau Server administrator): Partially correct but incomplete. This likely refers to the TSM admin account, but without local admin rights on the machine, login will fail. Option C is more precise.