Update the Aternity Dashboard Gateway Server

Update the Aternity Dashboard Gateway Server by running the setup over the existing pathname.

The Dashboard Gateway acts as the interface between the Dashboard Server and the Aternity Management Server, performing background tasks like preprocessing the data for display in the dashboards, and maintaining logs, audits and cleanup. It must be on the same computer as the Dashboard Server. While it has no user interface of its own, it is crucial to the proper functioning of Aternity.

The Dashboard Gateway is on the same computer as the Dashboard Server

Before you begin

  • Download the latest Aternity on-premise's main setup package from the Aternity Support Site (learn more).

  • If you are running a version earlier than 11.0.3, update to 11.0.3 before updating to 12.1.

  • Check the correct sizing for your deployment before updating any of your Aternity servers. Learn more.

  • Prepare the Aternity Oracle Database Server for Aternity by verifying its configuration. Learn more.

  • Aternity requires you set up one or more new Vertica Database Servers, depending on the size of your deployment. Learn more. (If you performed the data migration process, then your Vertica Database Server is already up and running.)

  • (For upgrades from 11.0.3) Update the Dashboard Server by removing the previous version of Tableau and then running the setup of the new version. Learn more.

To install the Dashboard Gateway, you must have on the Dashboard Server:

Attribute Requirement

Permissions

Ensure you have local administrator privileges on this computer.

Microsoft .NET

Ensure this server has Microsoft .NET 3.5 (exactly) required for the database drivers, and .NET 4.5 or later, required for driver setup (both in parallel). To add .NET to a Windows Server, learn more.

Time zone

Synchronize all Aternity components to have the same date, time AND time zone.

We recommend that an IT person define a clock synchronization service, like for example NTP, between all Aternity components. This will provide highly accurate timing for all network components and prevent clock drift.

Procedure

  1. Step 1 Access the Aternity Dashboard Server.
  2. Step 2 Log in to the computer as a local administrator.

    To verify you are a local administrator on this computer, not a domain administrator, open the System control panel, select Advanced system settings > Computer Name, and confirm the Change button is active.

  3. Step 3 Locate the AternityTableauGateway_windows-x64_12.1.0.<build number> setup file, which you downloaded as part of the Aternity on-premise server setup package.

    Copy it to a temporary location on this computer.

  4. Step 4 Right-click the setup and select Run as administrator to begin.
  5. Step 5 Select Yes, update the existing installation.
    Choose to overwrite the previous deployment
  6. Step 6 Define the Management Server's access to the Dashboard Gateway and click Next.
    Define the credentials and port number for the Dashboard Gateway
    Field Description
    Gateway User / Password /Confirm Password

    Displays the username and password for the Dashboard Gateway. Make a note of this for when you later install the Aternity dashboard layouts on the Management Server.
    Gateway Port

    Displays the port number which the Management Server must use when it accesses the Dashboard Server. The default port is 8088.

    If already defined, you can preserve the existing credentials or change them as desired.

  7. Step 7 Define the credentials of a local administrator on that device and click Next.
    Define the local user

    • (For upgrades from 11.0.3) Provide the credentials of a local administrator on that device and click Next. Tableau file paths are automatically discovered. You need only enter the administrator user name and password.

    • (For upgrades from 12.0) The credentials for a local administrator on the device provided for the original setup are preserved and do not need to be updated.

  8. Step 8 Connect the Dashboard Gateway to the Dashboard Server (Tableau).

    The update automatically inserts the settings from the previous existing setup.

    Connect to the Dashboard Server (Tableau)
    Field Description
    Tableau Administrator User / Password

    Enter the Tableau administrator username and password which you created when you set up the Dashboard Server.

    Tip

    To avoid adding hidden characters, type these fields with the exact correct credentials. Do not paste them.
    Tableau Hostname

    Enter the hostname or IP address which users enter as their URL when accessing the dashboards directly from the Dashboard Server.

    This is NOT the Aternity URL. This is the direct dashboards URL. For example, dashboards.company.com

    Tip

    To avoid adding hidden characters, type this field with the exact correct address. Do not paste it.
    Port

    Enter the port for users to access the dashboards. The default is 80, but if you select Use SSL Transport, enter 443.
    Use SSL Transport

    Select if you configured the Dashboard Server so users who view the dashboards in their browsers must access via SSL (https).

    This setting encrypts the connection between the Dashboard Server and the Dashboard Gateway.
  9. Step 9 If prompted, restart the computer to complete the setup.

    If you choose not to restart when prompted, it displays the final screen which urges you to restart the computer.

    Start the Dashboard Gateway automatically
  10. Step 10 To verify that the Dashboard Gateway is functioning properly:
    1. a Verify there is a Windows Service called AternityTableauGateway which starts automatically.
    2. b On the Dashboard Server, go to http://localhost:8088/tableau-gateway/info.jsp

      If you changed the default port from 8088 to a different value, substitute it here.

    3. c Enter the Dashboard Gateway's username and password to display its settings in the browser.
      Verify the Dashboard Gateway is functioning
  11. Step 11 Set up the drivers on the Dashboard Server to enable connection to the Aternity Vertica Database Server, by launching the small driver setup file, data\AternityTableauGateway\vertica\VerticaSetup-<version>.exe.

    This standalone setup program is part of the Aternity on-premise download package, and requires .NET installed, as detailed in the prerequisites. Select Install to start the setup wizard.

    Select all the components (selected by default), and then select Next > Proceed.

    Add all Vertica driver components

    After the setup completes, exit the program.

  12. Step 12 Clean up log files manually on a regular basis (recommended – once a week).

    Tableau log cleaning does not run automatically resulting in logs building up and filling available disk space. It is important to add a scheduled task to run this command periodically:

    tsm maintenance cleanup -l --log-files-retention <number of days>

    Important

    Unhandled log files cleaning may cause a Tableau server corruption and malfunction.

    Running the tsm maintenance command requires administrator privileges. The user running this command must be a member of the administrative group on the host machine.

    For more information, read Tableau Help.