Enabling External Access to the Tableau Server Database

You can use Tableau Desktop to connect to and query the Tableau Server repository using two special, built-in users. The “tableau” user has access to several database views you can use as part of building your own analyses of Tableau Server activity. The “readonly” user has access to additional database tables that you can use to create views for even more in-depth analysis.

To access the Tableau Server repository, you need to use the tabadmin command line utility to enable external access to the database.

  1. Open a command prompt as an administrator and type: 
    cd "C:\Program Files\Tableau\Tableau Server\8.3\bin"
  1. Version 8.2.4 and earlier: Enter the following command to enable external access to the database for the tableau user:
    • tabadmin dbpass [password]For example, to enable access for the “tableau” user with a password of “p@ssword”:tabadmin dbpass p@ssword

    Version 8.2.5 and later:Enter the following command to enable external access to the database for the tableau user or the readonly user:

    • tabadmin dbpass --username [tableau| readonly[password]For example, to enable access for the “tableau” user with a password of “p@ssword”:tabadmin dbpass –username tableau p@sswordor to enable access for the “readonly” user with a password of “p@ssword”: 
      tabadmin dbpass --username readonly p@ssword

      Note: If no user is specified, dbpass enables access for the “tableau” user.

 

  1. Restart Tableau Server:tabadmin restart

After you’ve enabled external access to the database, Tableau allows any IP address access to the database as long as the correct password is provided. Follow the steps in Connecting to the TableauServer Database to connect.

Disable external access to the Tableau Server Database

If you want to disable access by “tableau” or “readonly” after enabling it, use the tabadmin dbpass again.

  • Run the command tabadmin dbpass --disable --username [user]then restart the server.For example:tabadmin dbpass --disable --username readonlytabadmin restart

Note: If no user is specified, the –disable option disables access for the “tableau” user.

 

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