Tableau Desktop allows users to connect directly to data sources to create visualizations. Tableau Server acts as a middle layer, querying data sources on behalf of client web applications and browsers. It caches frequently accessed data to improve performance. Users can publish Tableau workbooks and data sources to Tableau Server from Tableau Desktop. This allows visualization of live, up-to-date data through a web browser without needing direct access to the underlying sources.

1. Tableau Desktop and Server
Architecture
All rights reserved. © 2008 Tableau Software Inc.

2. How Does Tableau Work?
Add Sales Add Market Add Time
1 Row 4 Rows 96 Rows
Data
Sources

3. How Does Tableau Work?
Click
4,248 Rows
Data
Sources

4. Tableau Server
Web Browser
•Interactive Data
•Zero footprint Tableau Server Sources
•Web 2.0
Web Applications
•Portals
•Dynamic
•Embeddable
Tableau
Professional
•Author
•Publish
•Retrieve

5. Tableau Server – Standard Data flow
Tableau Professional Tableau Repository
Repository stores
Tableau Server
Metadata Data
Sources
Publishes/downloads
workbook and data
sources Tableau Server
queries data source(s)
1st Data set(s) returned
Web user initiates request to Tableau Server
Tableau Server
Tableau visualization is
presented with fresh data
Interactors can filter, sort, refresh, export, etc.
Queries are either resolved in the Tableau Server
cache or are re-sent to the data source.

6. Extract Storage
Tableau Server
Web Browser Tableau Server
interacts with
Data Sources
server content Active Cache
Web
Web Web
Web
VizQLApp
Server App
App App
HTTP(S) Server
Security
User Mgmt (AD)
Web
Web
Web
App Search
App
App
Web Applications Repository
publishes to and opens
from the server
connects directly
to data sources
Tableau Professional

7. Tableau Server – Extract Data flow
Tableau Repository Tableau Extract
Tableau Professional Storage Database
Repository stores
Tableau Server
Metadata
Publishes/downloads
workbook with Tableau
Data Extract file
Data
Sources
Web user initiates request
Tableau
Tableau visualization is
Server Optional: Tableau
presented with fresh data Data Extracts can
Web be refreshed on a
application schedule.
“Interactors” can filter, sort, refresh, export, etc.
Queries are either resolved in the Tableau Server
cache or are re-sent to the data source.