5 Replies Latest reply on Sep 6, 2017 2:32 PM by Matt Coles

    Unable to connect to Tableau Server via VizAlertsConfig

    evan.pickett
    evan.pickett Sep 6, 2017 10:55 AM

      Hi, I'm trying to install VizAlerts. We have Tableau Server 10.3 running on a single Win7 machine. I run Win10 locally, Tableau Desktop 10.3. I would like to use VizAlerts to send emails to (several dozen) users who do not have Tableau Desktop or Tableau Server accounts. I had previously done this with Outlook auto-forwards, but they stopped working. Months of work on _that_ hasn't established RC and so I am pursuing a workaround. Enter VizAlerts.

       

      I downloaded the .zip of VizAlerts 2.1.0. I've never used it before. I started running the config. The documentation states that PostgresQL is required. I don't know what PostgresQL is. The Drivers page (Driver Download | Tableau Software ) is a circular reference for Tableau Desktop 10.3; it just refers itself back to itself as opposed to offering a download. PostgresQL _should be_ installed by default with Tableau Server. Is there a way to check this? Do I need to install something else?

       

      I went through the config. When I got to "Open the VizAlertsConfig Workbook," I ran into program. On step 7, this error appears:

       

      • could not connect to server: Connection timed out (0x0000274C/10060) Is the server running on host "hostname" (host_ip) and accepting TCP/IP connections on port 8060?
      • Unable to connect to the server "hostname". Check that the server is running and that you have access privileges to the requested database.

       

      (The hostname and IP correctly point to our in-house Win7 Tableau Server computer.)

       

      I am able to publish to this computer, connect to it via remote desktop, run tabadmin, etc. I am our company's IT and DB depts; there are no other employees I can refer to for help.

       

      Any help on this would be appreciated, as fixing the emails is a months-old action item from my boss that Microsoft has been unable to address.

       

      Thanks,

      Evan

        • 1. Re: Unable to connect to Tableau Server via VizAlertsConfig
          Matt Coles
          Matt Coles Employee Sep 6, 2017 11:03 AM (in response to evan.pickett)

          Hey Evan. When the VizAlerts install guide talks about PostgreSQL, it is referring to the Tableau Server repository database, in which is kept metadata about what exists on your Tableau Server instance. VizAlerts needs the information from it to know who has set up what VizAlerts on what schedules, so that it can run them at the appointed times. You are correct that Tableau Desktop should include drivers to connect to PostgreSQL already. It's likely that you just need to follow this step in the install guide. It tells Tableau Server to allow other machines in your network to connect to that database and read information from it, using the "readonly" username and the password you set when you run "tabadmin dbpass". Note that you'll need to restart Tableau Server for this change to take effect.

          • 2. Re: Unable to connect to Tableau Server via VizAlertsConfig
            evan.pickett
            evan.pickett Sep 6, 2017 12:34 PM (in response to Matt Coles)

            Hi Matt,

             

            Thanks for the quick answer. I ran that step originally, as part of the installation process. I tried it again now (stop server, add readonly user, restart server), but it did not appear to have any effect. I get the same error message as I did previously.

             

            Looking at Windows Firewall on the Tableau Server machine, I see that all inbound PostgreSQL connections are blocked. Should one or all of these be enabled? They all cover Public domains, or at least that's how I'm interpreting it.

             

            Thanks,

            Evan

             

            • 3. Re: Unable to connect to Tableau Server via VizAlertsConfig
              Matt Coles
              Matt Coles Employee Sep 6, 2017 12:54 PM (in response to evan.pickett)

              I'm loathe to tell other people how to mess with their own firewalls as a general rule. I'm not sure how those were set up. But yes, if those rules are set up to deny inbound requests to PostgreSQL, you'll want them enabled, if even just temporarily, so you can talk to PostgreSQL and publish your workbook. An alternative approach would be to install Tableau Desktop on your Server machine, and just publish it up from there. That could work as well.

              • 4. Re: Unable to connect to Tableau Server via VizAlertsConfig
                evan.pickett
                evan.pickett Sep 6, 2017 2:22 PM (in response to Matt Coles)

                Hi Matt,

                 

                Wisely spoken. Turns out, the different varieties of PosgreSQL firewall settings were for each previous version of Tableau Server. I enabled access for the current version of Tableau Server (10.3). The number of firewall settings seemed to multiply; I now have 4 settings (two private, allowed with a green check mark, and two public, one grey check and one grey circle), none of which I intentionally created. That said, I was able to connect from my laptop to the remote server in Tableau Desktop, using the VizAlertsConfig workbook. I'll mark your response as correct.

                 

                Thanks for your help,

                Evan

                • 5. Re: Unable to connect to Tableau Server via VizAlertsConfig
                  Matt Coles
                  Matt Coles Employee Sep 6, 2017 2:32 PM (in response to evan.pickett)

                  Glad to hear it! Good luck with the rest of the install.