Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep Builder Deployment
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Administrators will distribute and install Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep Builder for Creator-licensed users. If you choose to create a packaged installation file, you can customize the install and not have any prompts for the end user during the install process. When you install Tableau Desktop or Tableau Prep Builder on a Windows or Mac computer, default database connectivity drivers are installed. For a complete list of default drivers, see Before You Install. If you prefer that some or all of these drivers not be installed, you can customize the list from the Customize pane in the installation program for Tableau Desktop. If additional drivers are needed beyond the default, they will need to be installed on each computer.
Virtual desktop support gives you the ability to optimize your installations of Tableau for non-persistent virtual desktops or for computers that are regularly re-imaged. With virtual desktop support enabled, Tableau license product keys or login-based license management are automatically deactivated after a predetermined amount of time if Tableau Desktop or Tableau Prep Builder cannot connect to a Tableau-hosted service that confirms the validity of the license. This means you do not need to perform a refresh or deactivation when using Tableau license product keys or login-based license management. For desktops using Tableau license product keys, the requirement is to periodically connect to the Internet. The requirement for login-based license management virtual desktop is to communicate with the Tableau Server.For more information, see Configure Virtual Desktop Support.
BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATION:
Using login-based license management is highly recommended to decrease the maximum activation errors, improve the Virtual Desktop experience, and remove the need to manage product keys.
When using login-based license management, the ability to view Desktop usage is available on Tableau Server with a default Administrative view. If using product keys, it is possible to set up and configure Desktop License Reporting with instructions in Configure Desktop License Reporting and continue the server-configuration as outlined in the License Tracking section.