Tableau Certified Architect Exam Guide

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Tableau Certified Architect Exam Guide

About the Tableau Certified Architect Exam and Program

The Tableau Certified Architect certification is tailored for professionals responsible for managing the Tableau Server infrastructure. This certification is ideal for individuals who are proficient in:

Designing and Deploying Tableau Server Infrastructure: Skilled in setting up and implementing Tableau Server in various environments.
Monitoring and Maintenance: Capable of efficiently monitoring and maintaining the Tableau platform to ensure optimal performance.
Handling Scalability: Experienced in scaling the Tableau platform according to organizational needs.
Migration to Tableau Cloud: Knowledgeable in transitioning to Tableau Cloud, ensuring seamless migration processes.
Complex Enterprise Deployments: Competent in managing intricate deployments of Tableau Server in large-scale, enterprise environments.

This credential is a testament to the holder’s comprehensive understanding and practical skills in managing Tableau products, including Tableau Cloud and Server. It is relevant for a wide range of professionals, including employees, partners, customers, and freelancers.

Key aspects of the certification process include:

No Prerequisites: The exam is open to all interested individuals without any prerequisite requirements.
Certification Title: Successful candidates are awarded the title of Tableau Certified Architect.
Validity: The certification remains valid for a period of two years following successful completion.

Audience Description: Tableau Certified Architect

Candidates for the Tableau Certified Architect exam are highly skilled professionals who engage closely with customers to design, implement, monitor, and maintain a scalable and effective Tableau platform. These candidates are distinguished by their ability to:

Collaborate on Platform Design and Deployment: Work alongside customers to construct and deploy Tableau platforms that align with best practices and deliver tangible business value.
Integrate and Customize Solutions: Skillfully integrate Tableau with other products and develop customized enterprise solutions.
Provide Strategic Guidance: Offer informed recommendations on scaling, security, governance, complex customizations, and automation for the Tableau platform.
Comprehensive Configuration and Maintenance: Effectively configure and maintain all aspects of Tableau Server services, extending to those used across all Tableau products.

In terms of experience and qualifications:

Practical Experience: The ideal Technical Architect candidate will have at least one year of hands-on experience with various Tableau products, including Cloud, Server, and Bridge.
Cloud Platform Deployment: They should have a proven track record of successfully deploying Tableau Server in at least one cloud platform environment.

This level of expertise signifies a deep understanding of the Tableau ecosystem and the ability to leverage its full potential in complex, large-scale environments.

Purpose of this Exam Guide

This exam guide is specifically crafted to assist you in gauging your readiness for the Tableau Certified Architect exam. It serves as an invaluable resource, offering detailed insights into who the exam is best suited for, the recommended training and documentation, as well as providing an exhaustive list of the exam’s objectives.

To enhance your probability of success in the exam, a balanced mix of practical, on-the-job experience, participation in relevant training courses, and dedicated self-study is strongly recommended. This comprehensive approach ensures a thorough understanding of the material and the development of the necessary skills to excel in the Tableau Certified Architect exam.

Exam Overview

Content Structure:

Knowledge-Based Section:
- Consists of 40-45 questions, including multiple-choice and multiple-select formats.
Performance-Based Section:
- Involves 6-8 practical, hands-on lab tasks.
Product Version: The exam focuses on Tableau version 2022.3.

Timing and Language:

Time Limit: 120 minutes in total, which includes 3 minutes for reviewing the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and 5 minutes for a tutorial.
Language: The exam is offered in English.

Scoring and Results:

Passing Score: A score of 750 is required to pass.
Results Notification: Results are sent via email within 48 hours of exam completion.

Administrative Details:

Prerequisites: None required.
Registration Fee: USD $250, plus any applicable local taxes.
Reschedule Fee: USD $25, plus any applicable local taxes.
Delivery Options: The exam can be taken either at a Pearson VUE testing center or through an online proctored environment.
Exam Check-in: Begins 30 minutes before the scheduled exam time.
Reference Material Policy: The use of hard-copy or online materials is not permitted during the exam.

Exam Registration, Scheduling, and System Preparation

Getting Started:
- Access your Tableau Certification Account (create one if you haven’t).
- Select “Schedule My Exam”.
- Opt for “Schedule or Manage my exam with Pearson”.
On the Pearson Dashboard:
- Choose the desired exam.
- Follow the steps to schedule your exam.

System Preparation:

Pre-Exam Check: Ensure your computer, network, and environment are exam-ready.
System Test: Conduct a system test under the same conditions as your exam (time of day, internet usage, etc.).
Technical Requirements: Review them for detailed guidelines. Using larger monitors is advised for better visibility, especially for hands-on lab sections.

Check-in Process:

Identification: Present a valid, government-issued ID. It must be original (not a photocopy), match the name on your exam registration, and include a recent photo.
ID Requirements: Note that not complying with ID requirements will lead to exam session termination.

Exam Structure

Timeliness:

Efficiency and Effectiveness: The exam is timed to assess candidates’ ability to complete tasks effectively and swiftly, reflecting the professional standards expected in the workplace.

Exam Sections:

First Section: Knowledge-Based
- Contains approximately 25 questions of various types, excluding practical tasks.
Second Section: Hands-On Lab
- Comprises 6-8 practical tasks requiring the use of Tableau.
- Time Management: It’s recommended to allocate 30-45 minutes for this section.
Third Section: Knowledge-Based
- Similar to the first section, with around 25 questions but no hands-on tasks.
- Note: Candidates cannot return to a previous section once they’ve moved on.

Access to Materials and Applications:

Restrictions: No access to the internet or external applications during the exam.
Resource Availability:
- First and Third Sections: Administered without access to the Tableau Platform.
- Second Section (Hands-On Lab): Requires using the Tableau Platform. Access to the .pdf version of Tableau Help is provided.

Commenting on Exam Items:

Feedback Opportunity: Candidates can leave comments on exam items.
Response Policy: Direct responses to comments are not provided. However, the Certification Team reviews all feedback, considering it alongside item performance statistics for future exam updates.

Results and Scoring

Results:

Notification: You’ll receive an email within 48 hours post-exam when your score report is ready.
Accessing Score Report:
1. Log into your certification account.
2. Click on “Schedule My Exam/Schedule or Manage my exam with Pearson”, then select “GO TO PEARSON”.
3. In your Pearson VUE account, choose “my Exam History” or “View Exam Results” to download the score report.

Scaled Scoring:

Concept: Scaled scoring converts raw scores to a consistent scale across different exam versions, akin to converting pounds to kilograms.
Range: Tableau exam scores range from 100 to 1000, indicating overall performance and pass/fail status.
Purpose: This method equates scores across various exam forms with slightly different difficulty levels.

Score Reports for Failed Attempts:

Content: Provides a performance breakdown by exam section.
Use: Offers general feedback on strengths and weaknesses. It’s advised to use this feedback cautiously and combine it with other remediation methods before retaking the exam.

Scoring Insight:

Method: Your final score is based on the number of correct answers and completed tasks.
No Partial Credit: Unanswered questions or incomplete tasks earn no credit. For multi-part questions, all parts must be correct for credit.
Lab Tasks: There may be several correct ways to complete a task; you’re graded on meeting all the requirements in your final response.

Unscored Content:

Purpose: Some items on the exam are unscored and used to gather data for future exams.
Impact: These items are indistinguishable during the exam and do not affect your score.

Recommended Training and References

To enhance your preparedness for the Tableau Certified Data Analyst exam, we advocate a blended approach that includes:

Hands-On Experience: Engage in practical, real-world use of Tableau tools. This experience is invaluable for understanding the nuances of the software and its application in various scenarios.
Self-Study: Dedicate time to studying the topics outlined in the Exam Outline section of this guide. Self-study allows you to deepen your understanding at your own pace and focus on areas where you need more practice.

In addition to the above, familiarity with the following Tableau training materials and resources is highly recommended:

ForceDigest: Tableau Certified Architect Practice Exam – Tableau Certified Architect Exam Guide

Instructor-Led Courses: Tableau Server Architecture – Site Admin Learning Path

Exam Outline

Domain 1: Design a Tableau Infrastructure	33%
Domain 2: Deploy Tableau Server	39%
Domain 3: Monitor and Maintain a Tableau Deployment	28%
TOTAL	100%

Domain 1: Design a Tableau Infracture

1.1 Gather requirements for implementing a complex Tableau deployment

1.1.1 Evaluate requirements for users and their role distributions
1.1.2 Identify relevant constraints and requirements, including future growth
1.1.3 Identify requirements for and recommend a strategy for licensing, including ATR (Authorization-to-Run)
1.1.4 Assess the need for high availability and disaster recovery
1.1.5 Map the features and capabilities of the Tableau Server Add-Ons to requirements

1.2 Plan and implement Tableau Cloud

1.2.1 Plan and implement Tableau Bridge
1.2.2 Plan and implement authentication
1.2.3 Plan and implement automated user provisioning, including System for Cross-Domain Identity Management (SCIM)
1.2.4 Troubleshoot advanced configuration issues

1.3 Plan a migration

1.3.1 Plan a migration of Tableau Cloud to Tableau Server
1.3.2 Plan a migration of Tableau Server to Tableau Cloud
1.3.3 Plan a migration from Windows to Linux
1.3.4 Plan a migration from one identity store to another
1.3.5 Plan a consolidation of multiple Tableau servers or sites into one
1.3.6 Plan a migration from one Tableau Server environment to another
1.3.7 Create scripts for migration
1.3.8 Use the Tableau Content Migration Tool

1.4 Design an appropriate process topology

1.4.1 Specify process counts (sizing)
1.4.2 Specify node count
1.4.3 Specify service-to-node relationships, including service isolation and service collocation
1.4.4 Specify when to use external services

1.5 Recommend a Tableau Server configuration

1.5.1 Recommend an appropriate identity store and authentication configuration
1.5.2 Recommend specific configuration keys and values to suit a given use case
1.5.3 Recommend a configuration to address security requirements such as encryption at rest and encryption over the wire
1.5.4 Recommend hardware and network specifications
1.5.5 Create a disaster recovery strategy

Domain 2: Deploy Tableau Server

2.1 Implement production-ready Tableau Server deployments

2.1.1 Deploy, configure and troubleshoot Tableau Server processes
- 2.1.1.1 Configure an external file store
- 2.1.1.2 Configure an external repository
- 2.1.1.3 Configure an external gateway
- 2.1.1.4 Configure an unlicensed node
- 2.1.1.5 Configure a coordination ensemble
- 2.1.1.6 Configure a backgrounder process with a specific node role
- 2.1.1.7 Configure Tableau for a load balancer
- 2.1.1.8 Configure the Metadata API
2.1.2 Install in an air-gapped environment
2.1.3 Validate a disaster recovery/high availability test strategy
2.1.4 Perform a blue-green deployment
2.1.5 Locate and interpret Tableau Server installation logs
2.1.6 Install and configure Resource Monitoring Tool server and agents

2.2 Configure and troubleshoot supported authentication methods

2.2.1 Configure and troubleshoot SAML
2.2.2 Configure and troubleshoot Kerberos
2.2.3 Configure and troubleshoot OpenID Connect
2.2.4 Configure and troubleshoot Mutual SSL
2.2.5 Configure and troubleshoot trusted authentication
2.2.6 Configure and troubleshoot Connected App authentication
2.2.7 Configure and troubleshoot LDAP
2.2.8 Configure and troubleshoot Azure Active Directory
2.2.9 Identify dependencies between authentication methods and Tableau environments, including Tableau Cloud

2.3 Implement encryption

2.3.1 Implement SSL encryption
2.3.2 Implement database encryption
2.3.3 Implement extract encryption
2.3.4 Set up service principal names (SPNs) for Kerberos

2.4 Install and verify Tableau Server on Linux

2.4.1 Install Tableau Server on Linux by using CLI or the Installation Wizard
2.4.2 Identify and resolve issues with installation on Linux
2.4.3 Identify and resolve issues with operating system and networking configurations
2.4.4 Identify and resolve issues with interfaces and interactions with external systems
2.4.5 Identify and resolve issues with proxy issues
2.4.6 Identify appropriate operating system logs and Tableau logs for troubleshooting
2.4.7 Verify system groups and file system permissions

2.5 Install and verify Tableau Server on Windows

2.5.1 Install Tableau Server on Windows by using CLI or the Installation Wizard
2.5.2 Identify and resolve issues with installation on Windows
2.5.3 Identify and resolve issues with operating system and networking configurations
2.5.4 Identify and resolve issues with interfaces and interactions with external systems
2.5.5 Troubleshoot proxy issues
2.5.6 Identify appropriate operating system logs and Tableau logs for troubleshooting
2.5.7 Verify system groups and file system permissions
2.5.8 Use the Run As service account

Domain 3: Monitor and Maintain a Tableau Deployment

3.1 Create custom administrative views

3.1.1 Interpret the repository schema and the event types
3.1.2 Build admin dashboards for common scenarios

3.2 Perform load testing

3.2.1 Recommend a load testing strategy
3.2.2 Configure and use a load testing tool such as TabJolt
3.2.3 Configure a test environment
3.2.4 Create appropriate test plans
3.2.5 Interpret load test results and determine the appropriate action

3.3 Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks

3.3.1 Troubleshoot complex performance issues related to workbooks, data sources, and other types of content
3.3.2 Perform resource analysis, latency analysis, and workload analysis to determine root cause of performance issues
3.3.3 Create an action to resolve issues identified in performance recordings
3.3.4 Optimize caching for Tableau Server

3.4 Maintain and tune a Tableau Server environment by using observability data

3.4.1 Map the features and capabilities of the Tableau Server Resource Monitoring Tool to observability requirements
3.4.2 Recommend a strategy for collecting and analyzing Tableau Server logs
3.4.3 Recommend a strategy for collecting and analyzing Tableau Server process metrics
3.4.4 Recommend a strategy for collecting and analyzing operating system and hardware-related metrics
3.4.5 Interpret observability data
3.4.6 Revise architecture based on observability data
3.4.7 Troubleshoot connectivity in multi-node environments, especially database connectivity

3.5 Automate server maintenance functions

3.5.1 Manage and change Tableau Server resources programmatically, including Tableau Services Manager (TSM), REST APIs, and tabcmd
3.5.2 Recommend a script deployment method, including Windows Scheduler and cron
3.5.3 Recommend automated deployment methods for Tableau Server, Tableau Desktop, and Tableau Prep
3.5.4 Design an automated complex disaster recovery process
3.5.5 Plan and implement multi-node server upgrades
3.5.6 Automate maintenance tasks, such as cleanup and backup

3.6 Manage server extensions

3.6.1 Schedule content automation tasks by using webhooks, tabcmd, REST, or Hyper APIs
3.6.2 Implement and configure dashboard extensions and web data connectors
3.6.3 Configure trusted tickets and connected apps for a custom embedded solution

Maintaining Your Certification

To maintain an active status for your Tableau Certified Architect certification, it’s important to periodically retake and pass the corresponding exam. Here are the key considerations for keeping your certification up-to-date:

Re-examination Requirement: Retaking and passing the relevant exam is necessary to keep your certification from expiring and to maintain its active status.
Implications of Expired Certification:
- Loss of Benefits: An expired certification may render you ineligible for certain benefits associated with active certification holders.
- No Discounts on Exams: You won’t qualify for any discounts on future exam registrations typically available to those with active certifications.
- Status of Digital Badges: Although your digital badges will still be accessible in your profile, they will be marked as expired, reflecting the current status of your certification.

Regularly renewing your certification ensures that your skills and knowledge remain current with the latest advancements in Tableau Server management, demonstrating your ongoing commitment and expertise in the field.