I would very much like to know what particular issues you are having as well? I work at Tableau and I would like to make sure that issues people are seeing are on our radar, if they aren't already.
- Tableau Server runs only on Windows, so why can't it use a TLS certificate and key from the CryptoAPI certificate store, rather than requiring these to be converted to PEM format (with Unix line endings!) and saved in the file system?
In an enterprise with an internal CA using Active Directory Certificate Services, these extra steps have to be done not only at installation but also every time the certificate expires. Compare the experience with Microsoft IIS: the server automatically requests a renewal from AD CS, retrieves the new certificate, and begins using it.
- Tableau Server should be able to run as a Group Managed Service Account, so we can give it access to remote data sources without having to assign (and regularly change) yet another service account password.
- It would be helpful to have an scriptable installation process; as far as I can tell, there's no way to install Tableau Server without clicking through wizards.
Any specific difficulties you faced with this..?
1. No ability to use a 3rd party auth provider AFAIK, which means either keeping tableau passwords in a database or having users remember two different passwords
2. Embedded views use synchronous requests, which can easily hang the browser. Synchronous XMLHttpRequest has been deprecated for a while. I think I even saw a version of dojo from 2005 being loaded.
3. Reports are either static size or dynamic size, and unless you're using the (clunky but well documented) JS SDK, there's no way to tell.
4. Viewing reports in the browser is sloooooow. Browser console output is filled with warnings.
5. In order to put together sheets from multiple workbooks into a browser-based view, you need to either a) load the jssdk for each of the workbooks and query for sheets, which is extraordinarily slow, or b) do it with the REST api, authentication with which is asinine in nature (see #1).
The answer is SAML/ADFS. You should look to enable this integration. If you are not using AD/LDAP, that's a whole different story. But SAML/ADFS is pretty much the standard way since Tableau is a Windows service, it is very natural to just use AD/LDAP/SAML.
[2] It's been a few months, but I remember getting the license activated offline was a weird process. Something like, point tabadmin toward a license file, which generates a number or json or some other file, which you then paste into or point the UI toward, which gives you another file to use in tabadmin... and at the end tabadmin gave me error. Now when I go to "Manage Product Keys" it acts as though it is unregistered, but the server still starts without error (it did not before the failed activation ritual).
I do have a ticket in with support for [1]. Given how much of a bitch it was to activate (or half-activate) I'm reluctant to investigate [2] further.
Also, I'd like to see a linux server. Tableau is our only Windows server, which weighed heavily against the product when we were considering alternatives.
When they give you a license file, it's cryptographically signed with their GPG key, and the public key resides on the appliance for verification. All you have to do is get that license into the system, either by USB key, typing it in yourself in Vim, or simply uploading the license file in the webUI if you have access to it.
All of these issues mentioned here will be sent to the server product owners and managers. :)
I am, however, on the maps team. I am curious about [1] above. I'll see what I can find internally on this. I am rather curious since this isn't something I have seen.
- I have to explicitly add each server IP address. I have no way to trust an entire subnet or range of addresses. This is a huge problem in an auto-scaling app server environment where I don't know the IP addresses my app servers will have. It is a major annoyance to developers whose DHCP-assigned, dynamic IP addresses keep changing.
- There is no API for adding trusted IP addresses. It is a manual process.
- The Tableau server must be stopped and restarted to add new trusted IPs.
There is so much low hanging fruit, I feel like anything related to actually running and maintaining tableau is ignored and I don't seem to be the only one judging from comments here.
I would add that I'm disappointed the only way these issues get attention are articles and threads like this.
Also, lack of Sharepoint integration / ability to handle federated login services with OData connectors.
Minor issues though, I'm a huge Tableau fan.