How to Install an SSL Certificate on Tableau?

Installing an SSL certificate on Tableau Server is a crucial step towards securing your data and ensuring the privacy of your clients. The process involves obtaining an SSL certificate from a trusted certificate authority, configuring the certificate on Tableau Server, and verifying the successful installation.

This guide will take you through the step-by-step process of installing an SSL certificate on the Tableau Server, ensuring a secure and seamless implementation.

Create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

To obtain an SSL certificate, you must generate a CSR and submit it to your chosen Certificate Authority (CA). After you receive your CA signed certificate, you will install it on your Tableau Server along with the associated private key.

You have two options for generating your CSR:

• Utilize a convenient CSR generator tool for automatic creation.

• Manually generate a CSR on Tableau Server.

Once generated, you can open the CSR with any text editor, such as Notepad, and provide it to the CA when applying for your digital certificate.

SSL Certificate Installation on Tableau Server

Once you have received the SSL certificate from your CA, it’s time to obtain the necessary files for installation on your server. Start by downloading the ZIP folder sent by your CA and extracting its contents to your device.

The files you will need include the primary SSL certificate, which is typically in PEM format with a .crt extension, and the root and intermediate certificates, usually found in the CA Bundle or Chain certificate file.

Also Read: How to Convert CRT to PEM, DER to PEM, and CER to PFX?

Don’t forget about the private key file, which was generated during the CSR creation process and should have a .key extension. It’s crucial to have all these components to install the SSL certificate on your server correctly.

Now let’s start.

Step 1: Open the Tableau Server Manager

• Access the Tableau Server Manager by entering the URL https://:8850 in your web browser.
• This will open the Tableau Server Manager in your browser, allowing you to change your server’s configuration.

Step 2: Go to the Configuration Tab and select Security > External SSL

• In the Tableau Server Manager, navigate to the Configuration Tab and select Security > External SSL.
• This section is where you can configure the SSL settings for your server.

Step 3: Enable SSL for server communication

• Under the External Web Server SSL section, check the Enable SSL for server communication checkbox.
• This will enable SSL encryption for all communication between your server and the clients accessing it.

Step 4: Upload the SSL certificate, key file, and CA bundle

To upload your SSL certificate, follow these steps:

• SSL certificate file: Upload the primary SSL certificate file you received from your Certificate Authority (CA). This file should have a .crt extension.
• SSL certificate key file: Upload the private key file you generated during the CSR generation process. This file should have a .key extension.
• SSL certificate key passphrase: Leave this field blank, as it is not required for this process.
• SSL certificate chain file: Upload the CA bundle file that contains the root and intermediate certificates. This file should have a .crt extension.

Step 5: Save and Apply Changes

• After uploading the SSL certificate, key file, and CA bundle, click Save Pending Changes at the top of the page.
• Then, navigate back to the top of the page and click Pending Changes.
• Finally, click Apply Changes and Restart to save and apply the changes.

Step 6: Verify the SSL Certificate Installation

• Finally, you can use SSL tools to verify that the SSL certificate has been installed correctly.
• These tools check your server’s SSL configuration and provide a detailed report on its security and performance.

The End

By following these steps, you will successfully install an SSL certificate on your Tableau Server, ensuring secure communication with your clients.