--- schema_version: "1" id: fef0661591be286c94105a0e646f3846f4b41eed4b31f34af3cc717a17294e0e title: Upgrades collection: tableau version: current locale: en-gb portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/tableau/current/en-gb/blueprint/bp_upgrades.md canonical_url: https://help.tableau.com/current/blueprint/en-gb/bp_upgrades.htm source_site: help.tableau.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 8dfc73a91a65825a4a5235af3d9ddb271d55c99b0245134e79e0ea4f30931f0e description: Blueprint guidance on planning and communicating Tableau upgrades and version compatibility. --- [Skip to main content](#main-content) # Upgrades > [!TIP] > > This content is part of Tableau Blueprint – a maturity framework allowing you to zoom in and improve how your organisation uses data to drive impact. To begin your journey, take our [assessment](https://www.tableau.com/en-gb/learn/webinars/tableaus-blueprint-self-assessment). As part of defining your organisation's [Analytics strategy](https://help.tableau.com/current/blueprint/en-gb/bp_discovery_process.htm), the cross-functional project team established the guiding principles for upgrades with the [Tableau upgrade planning and process checklist](https://help.tableau.com/current/blueprint/en-gb/bp_upgrade_planning_checklist.htm) The initial decisions about upgrade frequency, version selection and version compatibility define when and how upgrades are performed. When these areas are addressed early, administrators can better manage users' expectations, rather than having to react to business demands for new features and functionality. In addition, the communications, education and support plans should be created by the project team in preparation of the software upgrade process outlined in this topic. ## Version compatibility Tableau Server, Tableau Cloud, Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep Builder are updated regularly. Releases may introduce new features that can have architectural changes to the platform. Due to these changes, upgrades require comprehensive testing in your test environment to mitigate post-upgrade issues. For each upgrade, you should evaluate version compatibility by reviewing the links below: - [Version compatibility between Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/desktopdeploy/en-gb/desktop_deploy_compatibility.htm) - [Workbook Version Compatibility](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-gb/publish_version_compatibility.htm) - [Version Compatibility with Tableau Prep](https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-gb/prep_conductor_compatibility.htm) - [Version compatibility with Tableau Cloud](https://help.tableau.com/current/desktopdeploy/en-gb/desktop_deploy_compatibility.htm#tableau-online-compatibility) ## Communicating the upgrade To notify users of the pending upgrade, Tableau Server administrators should use a Tableau Server [sign-in message](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-gb/maintenance_set.htm#SignInCustom) and/or a [welcome banner message](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-gb/maintenance_set.htm#customization) to help communicate the downtime window. The sign-in message is found in Server Settings > General as shown below: ![A form for customising the sign-in page for a Tableau Server.](/tableau/current/en-gb/blueprint/en-gb/Img/bp_sign_in_message.png) The welcome banner is found in Server Settings > Customisation as shown below: ![A grey banner with a line chart and the text "Your Tableau site – where analytics and your organisation meet."](/tableau/current/en-gb/blueprint/en-gb/Img/bp_welcome_banner.png) Because Tableau Cloud is a fully hosted solution, Tableau maintains it. The maintenance window for Tableau Cloud is communicated in advance through a pop-up message after sign-in, as shown below: ![A dialog indicating a scheduled maintenance period.](/tableau/current/en-gb/blueprint/en-gb/Img/bp_tol_maintenance.png) ## Software upgrade process For Tableau Server, the software upgrade process will be performed by the Systems Administrator and Tableau Server Administrator roles, who will upgrade the server environments beginning with the test environment. Once validated in the test environment, they will schedule the production environment upgrade and, if applicable, the disaster recovery environment upgrade. The Resource Monitoring Tool master server and agents should also be upgraded, if deployed. Beginning with version 2018.2, Tableau Server on Windows is available with [Tableau Services Manager (TSM)](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-gb/tsm_overview.htm), beginning with version 2018.2 for Tableau Server on Windows and version 2018.1 for Tableau Server on Linux. The Tableau Server upgrade process has changed with the introduction of TSM. TSM is the web-based server configuration and management utility that replaces the Server Configuration utility and the tabadmin command line utility. TSM is used to manage installation and configuration of Tableau Server. When you upgrade from a pre-TSM version of Tableau Server (2018.1 or earlier) to a version running with TSM, you need to go through some special upgrade steps. These are required only for the pre-TSM to TSM upgrade. Pre-TSM versions of Tableau Server on Windows are versions older than 2018.2. Examples of pre-TSM versions are 9.3, 10.5, and 2018.1. For instructions on how to determine your version of Tableau Server, see [View Server Version](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-gb/version_server_view.htm). The Desktop Administrator and Mobile Administrator roles will be responsible for packaging and updating Tableau Desktop, Tableau Prep Builder and Tableau Mobile, which apply to both Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud deployments. Review and upgrade other applications based on your installations, such as tabcmd, Tableau Bridge for Tableau Cloud and the Content Migration Tool. For every upgrade, you should evaluate the following areas: - Understand how Tableau is used: how an upgrade may affect existing use cases and enable new use cases. - Assess the current deployment using monitoring and measurement data: topology, content, users. - Compare with future state: sources of data, configuration changes, capacity vs. planned user onboarding schedule. - Inventory existing software versions: client machines, drivers, mobile devices. - Identify programmatic dependencies: embedded analytics, API-related, multi-instance deployments, client software versions and compatibility. - Schedule a retrospective to understand what worked and what didn’t, including identifying opportunities for improvement. Before you upgrade Tableau Server ([Windows](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-gb/sug_plan.htm)| [Linux](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/sug_plan.htm)), you should review and complete the upgrade process checklist below. It is included in the [Tableau Blueprint Planner](https://mkt.tableau.com/TableauBlueprintPlanner.xlsx), so that it can be customised for your requirements. Tableau Cloud customers should complete the first two tasks in Research the upgrade, then skip to the tasks labelled [Perform the client upgrades](#client_upgrade). Additional input from the Enterprise Architect, Database Administrator, Security Administrator and Network Administrator roles may be needed if changes are required in their corresponding area of expertise. Note: Specific tasks related to pre-TSM to TSM version upgrades are designated with an asterisk in the tables below.

Research the Upgrade

Yes

No

N/A

Review Release Notes: Tableau Server | Tableau Cloud

 

 

 

What's new and changed in Tableau Server | What's new in Tableau Cloud

 

 

 

Upgrade from Tableau Server 2018.1 or earlier to TSMLinux | Windows | Tableau community forum post

 

 

 

Comparing functionality of tabadmin to TSM*

 

 

 

Validate sufficient capacity to support workload

 

 

 

Install on existing hardware

 

 

 

Migrate to New Hardware

 

 

 

Desktop and Server compatibility

 

 

 

Prepare for the server upgrade

Yes

No

N/A

Review and validate documented settings in Tableau Server architecture & configuration design document

 

 

 

Customisations

 

 

 

SMTP configuration

 

 

 

SSL configuration and certificates

 

 

 

SAML configuration, certificates and IdP metadata files

 

 

 

Kerberos configuration

 

 

 

OpenID configuration

 

 

 

Addition node(s) configuration

 

 

 

Quantify projects, workbooks, views, data sources

 

 

 

Quantify users and groups

 

 

 

Download setup files for the new Tableau Server version

 

 

 

Back up Tableau Server data

 

 

 

Check your product maintenance status

 

 

 

Test the server upgrade

Yes

No

N/A

Prepare a test environment

 

 

 

Upgrade the test environment

 

 

 

Confirm Tableau Server functionality

 

 

 

Server processes

 

 

 

User access

 

 

 

Publishing workbooks and data sources

 

 

 

View published workbooks

 

 

 

Subscriptions and extract refreshes

 

 

 

Permissions

 

 

 

Command-line utilities and APIs

 

 

 

Performance and user acceptance testing

 

 

 

Performance Resources

 

 

 

Test Workbook Performance

 

 

 

Test new features

 

 

 

Communicate the planned upgrade window

 

 

 

Note: Specific tasks related to pre-TSM to TSM version upgrades are designated with an asterisk in the tables below.

Perform the server upgrade

Yes

No

N/A

Communicate the pending upgrade

 

 

 

Disable subscriptions and scheduling

 

 

 

Create a pre-upgrade backup of Tableau Server data. Reference Back up Tableau Server data for assistance.

 

 

 

Uninstall existing pre-TSM version of Tableau Server and save tsbak file to another location*

 

 

 

Upgrade Tableau Server

 

 

 

Install initial node

 

 

 

Install other nodes in cluster

 

 

 

Run the upgrade script to complete the installation

 

 

 

Log in to TSM and start Tableau Server

 

 

 

Restore gathered files*

 

 

 

Validate the upgrade

 

 

 

Verify status of Tableau Server processes

 

 

 

Verify Tableau Server settings

 

 

 

Enable subscriptions and scheduling

 

 

 

Modify Tableau Server processes (if needed)

 

 

 

Review user access

 

 

 

Verify publishing workbooks and data sources

 

 

 

View published workbooks

 

 

 

Review permissions

 

 

 

Verify Command-line utilities and APIs

 

 

 

Log in to Tableau Server

 

 

 

Verify count of projects, workbooks, views, data sources

 

 

 

Verify count of users and groups

 

 

 

Verify database connectivity

 

 

 

Execute backup script

 

 

 

Upgrade Resource Monitoring Tool master server and agents

 

 

 

Communicate the successful upgrade

 

 

 

Perform the client upgrades

Yes

No

N/A

Communicate the client software to be upgraded (Tableau Desktop, Tableau Prep Builder, tabcmd, Content Migration Tool, Tableau Mobile, Tableau Bridge)

 

 

 

Upgrade Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep Builder

 

 

 

Upgrade tabcmd

 

 

 

Upgrade Content Migration Tool

 

 

 

Upgrade Tableau Mobile (auto update, publish to MDM)

 

 

 

Upgrade Tableau Bridge (for Tableau Cloud)