Connectivity with Bridge

When data sources or virtual connections connect to private network data that Tableau Cloud can't reach directly, Tableau Bridge is used to facilitate connectivity.

Connection types

Tableau Bridge supports on-premise data or data in a virtual cloud that is behind the firewall. The data can range from CSV files on your private network or data stored in a data warehouse.

For cloud data that Tableau Cloud can reach directly, setting up refresh schedules directly with Tableau Cloud is almost always a better choice. For example, you might be able to connect to a MySQL database hosted on a cloud platform. In a scenario like this, you can set up a refresh schedule for extracts that connect to this type of data directly with Tableau Cloud.

Extract refreshes

When data sources or virtual connections use extracts to connect to private network data, Bridge can be used to perform scheduled refreshes of those extracts. Refreshes can be scheduled, in most cases, by the content owner as part of the publishing process. For extract refresh requirements, see Additional requirements for extract connections.

Live connections

Bridge supports data sources or virtual connections with live connections to private network data using a feature called live queries. If the content owner publishes a data source or virtual connection that uses a live connection to data that Tableau Cloud detects that it can't reach directly, live queries are automatically used. For live query requirements, see Additional requirements for live connections.

  • Bridge doesn't support live connections for some cloud data sources. These include Google Cloud SQL, OData, and Progress OpenEdge. Use extract connections to keep data fresh.
  • Bridge doesn't support live connections for some private cloud-based data sources. These include Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. Use extract connections to keep data fresh.
  • Live connections to file-based data such as CSV, text, Excel, statistical (.sas7bdat) isn’t supported.

Virtual connections

Bridge supports virtual connections, which provide a sharable central access point to data.

File data

Bridge supports file data including CSV, Excel, text, and statistical (.sas7bdat) files.

  • Extract refreshes for files are supported, except for connections to embedded data sources.
  • Live connections to file-based data aren’t supported.

Connections to cube-based data

Cube-based data is not supported.

Embedded data sources

Tableau Bridge supports data sources that are embedded in workbooks.

  • Live connections and extract refreshes for files data such as CSV, text, Excel, statistical (.sas7bdat) aren’t supported.
  • Pool mappings are used to determine if the Bridge client is used, therefore the data source must use named pools rather than default pools.

Published data sources

Scheduled extracts of published data sources don’t support multiple pools.

Tableau Prep Builder

Private network connections for Tableau Prep through Tableau Bridge are not supported.

Connectors and data types

Bridge supports a combination of connectors that Tableau Desktop and Tableau Cloud(Link opens in a new window) supports. Unsupported connectors and limitations for connectors and data types are listed below.

Private cloud data

In most cases, Tableau Cloud will automatically detect the Bridge client. In some cases, you might need to manually configure your connection to ensure that Bridge is used. For more information, see Use Bridge for Private Cloud Data.

Unsupported connectors

  • Connectors (.taco) built with the Tableau Connector SDK and connectors available through Tableau Exchange aren’t supported.
  • Microsoft Analysis Services.
  • Microsoft PowerPivot.
  • Oracle Essbase.
  • SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse.

Connectors that don’t support Live connections

  • Google Cloud SQL
  • OData
  • Progress OpenEdge

SAP HANA

To connect to SAP HANA using live connections, parameters and variables must be disabled.

Snowflake

Snowflake isn’t supported when used with virtual connections.

Data used in a multi-connection data source

Tableau Bridge can be used to refresh cross-database joined data sources. The database connections defined in the workbook or data source determine how you can publish and keep the data fresh on Tableau Cloud. As long as all the individual data connections are of a type that Tableau Bridge can refresh, then the cross-database joined data source can be refreshed.

Other Databases

Web data connectors

Bridge for Linux

Tableau Bridge supports a Linux-based operating system designed for container workloads. Limitations are:

  • Bridge for Linux doesn’t support legacy schedules.
  • Bridge for Linux runs in the foreground, which is comparable to Windows Application Mode.
  • To save log files, copy the files or folders between your docker container and your local filesystem.
  • Currently, Bridge for Linux is installed by running commands in a running container using docker executables.

Authentication

The connected client option must be enabled for the site to allow Bridge clients to run unattended and, if enabled, support multi-factor authentication with Tableau authentication. If connected clients are disabled for the site, Bridge can only support Tableau username and password authentication.

OAuth

  • Bridge currently supports OAuth when connecting to private data that uses OAuth and public data that uses OAuth when it's joined to private data for these connectors: Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Google Drive, Salesforce, and OneDrive.
  • When using your own identity provider (IDP) with the Amazon Athena connector, you must set up the OAuth client configuration file. See Use your own identity provider with Amazon Athena.

Windows Authentication

The Windows user account must be a member of the local admin group to run the client in service mode. If the user isn’t a local admin, they can run the Bridge client in Application mode, but they must remain logged in to the Windows machine.

Kerberos

Bridge on Windows supports integrated windows authentication through the "run-as" account, for both files and some databases

Thanks for your feedback!Your feedback has been successfully submitted. Thank you!