A company is transitioning to Tableau Cloud but still has critical data in on-premises databases that need to be accessed in real-time. What is the best solution for integrating these data sources with Tableau Cloud?
A. Utilize Tableau Builder for real-time data integration
B. Implement Tableau Bridge to establish a live connection to on-premises databases
C. Migrate all on-premises data to the cloud before using Tableau Cloud
D. Rely solely on Tableau Cloud's native capabilities for on-premises data integration
B. Implement Tableau Bridge to establish a live connection to on-premises databases
Explanation:
Why B is Correct?
Tableau Bridge is specifically designed to enable secure, real-time connections between Tableau Cloud and on-premises data sources (e.g., SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL).
It acts as a gateway, maintaining a live link without requiring data migration to the cloud.
Supports both live queries and scheduled extracts, balancing performance and freshness.
Tableau’s Bridge Documentation confirms this as the recommended approach.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect?
A. Tableau Builder: Doesn’t exist—likely a distractor.
C. Migrate all data: Often impractical due to compliance, cost, or latency constraints.
D. Native capabilities:Tableau Cloud cannot directly access on-premises data without Bridge or a VPN (not recommended).
Key Benefits of Tableau Bridge:
No data movement: Keeps sensitive on-premises data behind the firewall.
Automatic updates: Scheduled extracts refresh in Tableau Cloud without manual intervention.
Scalability: Multiple Bridge clients can be deployed for high availability.
Implementation Steps:
Install Bridge on an on-premises machine with database access.
Configure data sources in Tableau Cloud to use Bridge.
Monitor connections via Bridge’s admin console.
Reference:
Tableau’s Bridge Setup Guide.
Final Note:
B is the only viable solution for hybrid (cloud + on-prem) analytics. Options A/C/D either don’t exist, are inflexible, or insecure. Always use Bridge for live on-prem access.