What is a key topology consideration for managing high availability in Tableau?

Having a dedicated node for each type of process is essential for high availability in Tableau. This approach enhances the performance and reliability of Tableau Server by ensuring that different processes, such as the application server, background tasks, and data engine, are isolated. This separation helps to minimize resource contention and allows for better scaling and failover capabilities.

When each process runs on its dedicated node, it can be managed and monitored more effectively, reducing the risk of one overloaded service affecting the performance of others. This design also facilitates maintaining uptime, as if one node fails, others can continue to operate, ensuring that users can still access the Tableau Server without significant disruption.

In contrast, running all processes on a single server can create a single point of failure and result in resource contention, where multiple processes compete for CPU and memory, potentially leading to performance degradation. Grouping multiple services together may seem efficient but can also lead to similar issues of resource contention and higher risk during failover scenarios. Prioritizing the use of virtual machines offers flexibility but doesn't directly address the structural arrangement of services necessary for high availability.