Getting Started with the CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ

This guide explains everything you need to get started with the CData API Driver for Tableau. You'll learn how to install and license the connector, configure your first connection, and explore next steps for working with RabbitMQ data in your applications.

This setup guide applies to Tableau Desktop, Tableau Prep, and Tableau Server environments.

Installation & Licensing

The CData API Driver for Tableau enables Tableau Desktop, Tableau Prep, and Tableau Server to connect directly to live RabbitMQ data. This section details installation prerequisites, platform support, connector deployment, and licensing requirements.

System Requirements

The connector is supported in environments where Tableau Desktop, Tableau Prep, or Tableau Server are available. The CData API Driver for Tableau supports both Windows and macOS platforms.

Operating System Support

Windows

• Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Windows Server 2016, 2019, or 2022 (for Tableau Server deployments)

macOS

• macOS 10.14 or later

Tableau Components

• Tableau Desktop 2020.3 or later (for automatic installation); Tableau Desktop 2020.1 or later (with manual registration)
• Tableau Prep Builder 2020.4.1 or later
• Tableau Server 2020.1 or later

For older versions of Tableau, use the CData ODBC Driver or JDBC Driver for RabbitMQ instead.

Software Dependencies

• Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - an up-to-date version of Java is required

Installing the Tableau Connector

Windows

1. Download the CData API Driver for Tableau.
2. Run the installer and follow the installation wizard.
3. The installer deploys the connector to the default installation directory: C:\Program Files\CData\CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ 20XX.
4. If you have Tableau Desktop 2020.3 or later, the setup automatically installs the connector into your personal Tableau repository.
5. Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

Note: If you are using Tableau Prep or an earlier version of Tableau Desktop (before 2020.3), the setup will not detect your Tableau installation, and you will need to register the connector manually (see Manual Registration below).

macOS

1. Download the CData API Driver for Tableau.
2. Run the installer package and follow the installation wizard.
3. The installer deploys the connector to: /Applications/CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ 20XX.
4. If you have Tableau Desktop 2020.3 or later, the setup automatically installs the connector into your personal Tableau repository.
5. Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

Manual Registration (Tableau Desktop or Tableau Prep)

If automatic registration did not occur, follow these steps:

1. Find the connector install directory:
   • Windows: C:\Program Files\CData\CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ 20XX
   • macOS: /Applications/CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ 20XX
2. Find your Tableau repository:
   • Windows: Documents\My Tableau Repository (or "My Tableau Prep Repository" for Prep)
   • macOS: /Users/[username]/Documents/My Tableau Repository
3. Open the connector install directory and navigate to the lib folder.
4. Copy cdata.api.legacy.taco into the Connectors directory within your Tableau repository.

Note: As of Tableau Prep 21.2 and above versions, standard .taco files are supported instead of legacy .taco files.

Activating Your License

The CData API Driver for Tableau uses file-based licensing rather than license key activation. The license file is included in the installation package.

If not, you should have received your license key via email from the CData Orders Team. The license key looks like this: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Licensing Steps

1. Navigate to the lib folder in your connector installation directory:
   • Windows: C:\Program Files\CData\CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ 20XX\lib
   • macOS: /Applications/CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ 20XX/lib
2. Locate the license file: cdata.tableau.api.lic
3. Place the .lic file in the same folder as the connector's JAR file (cdata.tableau.api.jar).

The automatic install process attempts to register both the driver JAR and the license file. The JAR file is copied to one of these locations:

• Windows: C:\Users[username]\My Tableau Repository\Drivers
• macOS: /Users/[username]/Documents/My Tableau Repository/Drivers

Note: If you are running a trial, the trial license file is included with the installer. No additional activation steps are required.

Deploying to Tableau Server

Windows

1. Install the CData API Driver for Tableau on the Tableau Server machine.
2. Locate the connector file: cdata.api.taco
3. Copy the .taco file to the Tableau Server connectors directory: [TableauServerRoot]\data absvc\vizqlserver\Connectors
   • In most cases, TableauServerRoot is located under "C:\ProgramData"
4. Ensure the JAR file (cdata.tableau.api.jar) and license file (cdata.tableau.api.lic) are in the Tableau Server drivers directory.
5. Restart Tableau Server.

Linux

1. Unpack the setup.zip archive. Creating a directory such as "/opt/cdata/.api" is recommended.
2. Navigate to the lib subdirectory under the install directory.
3. Generate a license file by running the licensing tool and following the prompts:

   java -jar cdata.tableau.api.jar -l

4. Copy cdata.tableau.api.jar and cdata.tableau.api.lic into the drivers directory: /opt/tableau/tableau_driver/jdbc
5. Copy cdata.api.taco into the connectors directory: /var/opt/tableau/tableau_server/data/tabsvc/vizqlserver/Connectors
6. Restart Tableau Server.

Note: If you cannot execute the java command, you will need to install a Java Runtime Environment (JRE).

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Common Licensing Questions

Can I use my license on multiple machines?

Yes, depending on your subscription tier. Check your order confirmation or contact your account representative for details. If you are unsure of who your account representative is, contact [email protected].

I lost my license key. How do I retrieve it?

Email [email protected] with your order number, and we'll resend your license key.

Can I transfer my license to a different machine?

Yes. When transferring the license to a different machine, you will need to submit a License Transfer Request on our site linked below:

https://www.cdata.com/lic/transfer/

After the License Transfer Request is submitted and successfully processed, an activation will be added to your Product Key, and you will be able to activate the full license on the other machine. Once this process is finished, the license on the previous machine will be invalid.

For additional licensing questions, contact [email protected]. Viewing and upgrading your license can now be done through our self-service portal at portal.cdata.com.

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Connection Configuration

After installing the connector, you can connect and create a Data Source for RabbitMQ data.

Complete the following steps to connect to the data:

1. Open Tableau Desktop.
2. Under Connect | To a Server, click More...
3. Select the data source called RabbitMQ by CData.
4. Enter the information required for the connection.
5. Click Sign In.

The connector makes the most common connection properties available directly in Tableau. However, if you need to use more advanced settings or troubleshoot connection issues, the connector includes a separate connection builder that allows you to create and test connections outside of Tableau.

There are two ways to access the connection builder:

• On Windows, use a shortcut called Connection Builder in the Start menu, under the "CData API Driver for Tableau" folder.
• Navigate to the driver install directory (by default, C:/Program Files/CData/CData Tableau Connector for RabbitMQ) and run the .jar file in the lib directory.

In the connection builder, you can set values for connection properties and click Test Connection to validate that they work. You can also use the Copy to Clipboard button to save the connection string. This connection string can be given to the Connection String option included in the connector connection window in Tableau.

Configuring Connection Properties

About RabbitMQ Management HTTP API

RabbitMQ is an open-source message broker that supports multiple messaging protocols. The RabbitMQ Management HTTP API provides HTTP-based access to management and monitoring data for a RabbitMQ server. The API exposes information about virtual hosts, exchanges, queues, bindings, connections, channels, consumers, users, permissions, policies, and cluster-wide statistics.

The Management plugin must be enabled on the RabbitMQ server for the HTTP API to be available. By default, the management interface listens on port 15672.

Using Basic Authentication

RabbitMQ Management HTTP API uses HTTP Basic authentication. You must supply the username and password of a RabbitMQ management user.

To enable access to the management API:

1. Ensure the RabbitMQ Management plugin is enabled on your server (rabbitmq-plugins enable rabbitmq_management).
2. Use an existing management user or create one with the appropriate management tag (management, policymaker, monitoring, or administrator).
3. Note the full base URL of your RabbitMQ Management HTTP API (e.g., http://localhost:15672).

After configuring your RabbitMQ server, set the following connection properties to connect:

• AuthScheme: Set this to Basic.
• URL: Set this to the base URL of your RabbitMQ Management HTTP API (e.g., http://localhost:15672).
• User: Set this to your RabbitMQ management username (e.g., guest).
• Password: Set this to your RabbitMQ management password.

Example connection string:

Profile=C:\profiles\RabbitMQ.apip;AuthScheme=Basic;URL=http://localhost:15672;User=guest;Password=guest;

Available Tables

The RabbitMQ profile provides access to the following tables:

• Overview - Cluster-wide statistics and information about the RabbitMQ node
• Nodes - Information about individual nodes in the RabbitMQ cluster
• NodeMemory - Detailed memory usage breakdown for a specific cluster node
• Connections - List of all open AMQP connections to the broker
• Channels - List of all open AMQP channels across all connections
• Consumers - List of all consumers registered across all queues
• Exchanges - List of exchanges declared across all virtual hosts
• Queues - List of queues declared across all virtual hosts
• Bindings - List of all bindings between exchanges and queues
• VirtualHosts - List of virtual hosts configured on the broker
• VhostPermissions - User permissions within a specific virtual host
• Users - List of all RabbitMQ users
• Permissions - Permission records for all users across all virtual hosts
• TopicPermissions - Topic-level permission records for all users
• Policies - List of policies applied to queues and exchanges in virtual hosts
• OperatorPolicies - List of operator policies applied to queues in virtual hosts
• Parameters - List of component parameters (e.g., federation, shovel) per virtual host
• GlobalParameters - List of global parameters that apply across all virtual hosts
• VhostLimits - Resource limits configured for specific virtual hosts
• UserLimits - Resource limits configured for specific users
• FeatureFlags - List of feature flags and their enabled/disabled state on the node
• DeprecatedFeatures - List of deprecated features and their usage state
• AuthAttempts - Authentication attempt statistics for the node
• ClusterName - The name of the RabbitMQ cluster
• WhoAmI - Information about the currently authenticated management user
• ExchangeBindingsSource - Bindings for which a specific exchange is the source
• ExchangeBindingsDestination - Bindings for which a specific exchange is the destination
• QueueBindings - Bindings for a specific queue within a virtual host

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Getting RabbitMQ Data in Tableau Desktop or Tableau Prep Builder

Once you establish the connection to RabbitMQ data, you can configure which entities to visualize:

1. Drag the tables and views you wish to visualize onto the join area. You can include multiple tables.
2. Select Update Now or Automatically Update:
   • Update Now lets you preview the first 10,000 rows of the data source (or enter the number of rows you want to see in the Rows text box).
   • Automatically Update automatically reflects the changes in the preview area.

Creating Visualizations in Tableau Desktop

With the data source configured, you are ready to create visualizations:

1. Click the tab for your worksheet.
2. Columns are listed as Dimensions and Measures, depending on the data type. The CData Tableau Connector discovers data types automatically, allowing you to leverage the powerful data processing and visualization features of Tableau.
3. Drag a field from the Dimensions or Measures area to Rows or Columns. Tableau creates column or row headers.
4. Select one of the chart types from the Show Me tab.
5. Tableau displays the chart type that you selected.

You can also use Custom SQL queries to further customize the exact RabbitMQ data pulled. Click New Custom SQL in the data source pane and enter your SQL query to retrieve specific data from RabbitMQ.

Preparing Data in Tableau Prep Builder

With the CData API Driver for Tableau installed, you can build data preparation flows in Tableau Prep Builder:

1. Open Tableau Prep Builder and click Connect to Data.
2. Search for RabbitMQ by CData in the connector list.
3. Configure the connection by entering your authentication credentials and click Sign In. The connector supports Login, OAuth, and SSO authentication methods.
4. Once connected, drag tables from the Connections pane to the flow canvas to add them as input steps.
5. Use Tableau Prep's built-in tools to clean, shape, and transform your RabbitMQ data by adding steps for filters, calculated fields, aggregations, pivots, or joins.
6. Add an Output step to save your prepared data as a hyper extract, published data source, or CSV file.

Tableau Prep Builder allows you to join, cleanse, filter, and aggregate RabbitMQ data into reusable, repeatable flows. You can also use Custom SQL queries to define the exact RabbitMQ data pulled into your flow by clicking New Custom SQL when adding an input step.

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Common Connection Issues

Authentication Failed

Solution: Verify your credentials are current. For OAuth authentication, you may need to re-authorize CData in your RabbitMQ Connected Apps settings. If using Basic authentication, ensure your Security Token is valid; tokens must be reset when passwords change. Contact [email protected] for authorization assistance.

Cannot Reach Server

Solution: Check firewall and proxy settings. Ensure outbound HTTPS (port 443) access to RabbitMQ endpoints is allowed. You can configure proxy settings using the ProxyServer, ProxyPort, and ProxyUser connection properties. Contact [email protected] for specific port requirements.

Connector Not Appearing in Tableau

Solution: Ensure the TACO file is properly installed. For Tableau Desktop 2020.3+, the installer should automatically place it in your "My Tableau Repository/Connectors" folder. For manual installation, copy "cdata.api.legacy.taco" from the connector's lib directory to your Tableau Connectors folder. Restart Tableau after installation.

For additional connection troubleshooting, contact [email protected] with your specific error message.

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What's Next

Now that you have installed, licensed, and configured the connector, here are some scenarios you can use to explore our Tableau Connectors:

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Installation & Licensing

Do I need administrator rights to install the connector?

Yes. Administrator rights are required to install the CData Tableau Connector, as the installer writes to system directories and registers the required components.

Is the connector available for both Windows and Mac?

Yes. The CData API Driver for Tableau is available for both Windows and macOS platforms. The connector appears directly in Tableau's native connector gallery for streamlined access to your RabbitMQ data.

What versions of Tableau are supported?

The CData Tableau Connectors require Tableau Desktop 2020.3 or later and Tableau Prep Builder 2020.4.1 or later. For older versions of Tableau, use the CData ODBC Driver or JDBC Driver for RabbitMQ instead.

Where do I place the license file?

Place the bundled .lic file (cdata.tableau.api.lic from the lib folder of the installation directory) in the same folder as the connector's JAR file.

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Get Support

If you need assistance at any point:

• Technical Support: [email protected]
• Community Forum: CData Community Site
• Help Documentation: Installed locally and available online

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Connecting

Can I use the Connection Builder to test my connection?

Yes. The connector includes a separate Connection Builder tool that allows you to create and test connections outside of Tableau. Access it via the Start menu shortcut (Windows) or by running the .jar file in the connector's lib directory. Use the Test Connection button to validate your settings.

How do I connect to multiple RabbitMQ accounts?

Create separate data sources in Tableau, each configured with different RabbitMQ credentials. When using OAuth, each connection will prompt for authentication with the respective RabbitMQ account. Each data source stores its own connection settings independently.

Can I connect through a proxy server?

Yes. Proxy settings can be configured using the following connection properties:

• ProxyServer: The hostname or IP address of your proxy server
• ProxyPort: The TCP port of your proxy server
• ProxyUser and ProxyPassword: Authentication credentials if required
• ProxyAuthScheme: The authentication scheme (BASIC, DIGEST, NTLM, etc.)

By default, the connector uses the system proxy. Set ProxyAutoDetect to false to use a different proxy. For SOCKS proxies, use FirewallServer, FirewallPort, and set FirewallType to SOCKS5.

Refer to the Firewall & Proxy section of the documentation for required properties and supported proxy scenarios.

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Performance & Troubleshooting

Why are my queries slow?

Check the following:

• Use Extract mode if you are working with large datasets or performing heavy transformations. Extract mode caches data locally and reduces the number of live API calls.
• Use Live Connection only when real-time data is required, as it sends every query to RabbitMQ in real time.
• Apply filters in Tableau to reduce the size of the dataset before loading.
• Avoid selecting all columns if only a subset is needed - drag only the required tables/fields.
• Monitor RabbitMQ API limits, which can throttle performance.
• Enable ServerSideAggregation to push aggregation operations to RabbitMQ servers.

Contact [email protected] for help with query optimization and best practices.

How do I enable logging for troubleshooting?

Logging can be enabled through the connector's connection properties in the Connection Builder or directly in Tableau.

Set the following properties:

• Logfile: A filepath that designates the name and location of the log file (e.g., C:\logs[rootadoname|tolower].log)
• Verbosity: A numerical value (1-5) that determines the amount of detail in the log
• MaxLogFileSize: Maximum log file size (default is 100 MB)
• MaxLogFileCount: Maximum number of log files to retain

Verbosity Levels:

• 1 - Errors only (recommended for normal operation)
• 2 - Warnings and errors
• 3 - Informational messages, including full request/response bodies
• 4-5 - Debug-level detail, including binary transfer data

Note: Verbosity should not be set to greater than 1 for normal operation. Higher verbosity levels log substantial amounts of data and may delay execution times. Verbosity 3 and above may capture sensitive information.

Be prepared to upload the log file when contacting [email protected] for analysis.

What ports does the connector need access to?

Most RabbitMQ connections require outbound HTTPS (port 443) access. Ensure your firewall allows outbound secure traffic to RabbitMQ endpoints.

For environments using proxies or additional security layers, consult the Firewall & Proxy section of the connector documentation.

Can I use the connector in a Linux container or Docker?

Yes, with some considerations. The CData API Driver for Tableau can be used on Linux for Tableau Server deployments.

For Tableau Server on Linux:

1. Copy the connector files to "/opt/tableau/connectors" or "/var/opt/tableau_server/data/tabsvc/vizqlserver/Connectors/".
2. Generate a license file by running the licensing tool in the lib subdirectory.
3. Restart Tableau Server.

Note: Tableau Desktop runs only on Windows and macOS. For Tableau Cloud connectivity, use CData Connect Cloud.

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General

Where can I find the complete list of supported SQL operations?

Refer to the SQL Compliance section of the RabbitMQ connector documentation. The connector supports comprehensive ANSI-92 SQL including filtering, GROUP BY, JOINs, and aggregations. The connector pushes supported SQL operations directly to RabbitMQ and uses an embedded SQL engine for client-side processing of unsupported operations.

What's the difference between Live Connection and Extract in Tableau?

Live Connection: Queries RabbitMQ in real-time for every interaction. Best for dashboards requiring up-to-the-second data accuracy. It may be slower for large datasets due to API calls.

Extract: Creates a local snapshot of the data in Tableau's high-performance data engine. Best for large datasets, complex calculations, or when working offline. Schedule refreshes to keep data current. Reduces API calls and improves performance.

How often is the connector updated?

CData releases major updates to the Tableau Connector annually, with periodic maintenance updates as needed. Check your CData Account Portal or contact [email protected] for the latest version.

Can I use Custom SQL in Tableau with this connector?

Yes. You can use Custom SQL queries to further customize the exact RabbitMQ data pulled. Click New Custom SQL in the data source pane and enter your SQL query. The connector supports standard SQL syntax and will translate queries to retrieve data from RabbitMQ.

For questions not covered in this FAQ, contact [email protected].