Explain the concept of Security Server and how does it work?

 In Tableau, the Security Server is a component that helps enforce user authentication and authorization in a distributed environment. It acts as an intermediary between Tableau Server and external identity providers or authentication systems, providing a secure way to handle user authentication and authorization.

Here's an example to illustrate the role of the Security Server:

Suppose you have a large organization with multiple departments, each with its own set of users and data access requirements. You also have an existing centralized identity provider, such as Active Directory, which manages user authentication and authorization across the organization.

To ensure secure access to Tableau Server and enforce consistent user permissions, you can set up the Security Server. The Security Server acts as a bridge between Tableau Server and the centralized identity provider.

Here's how it works:

• User Authentication: When a user tries to access Tableau Server, the request is routed through the Security Server.
• Security Server and Identity Provider: The Security Server communicates with the centralized identity provider, such as Active Directory, to authenticate the user's credentials. It verifies the user's identity based on the configured authentication mechanism (e.g., username and password, single sign-on).
• Authorization: Once the user's identity is validated, the Security Server retrieves the user's authorized roles and permissions from the identity provider.
• Tableau Server Access: The Security Server passes the authenticated user's information, roles, and permissions to Tableau Server, which then grants or denies access to specific resources (workbooks, views, data sources) based on the user's permissions.

By using the Security Server, you can centralize user management and control access to Tableau Server based on the organization's existing authentication system. This helps ensure consistency, security, and streamlined administration across multiple departments or user groups.

It's important to note that the Security Server is an additional component that needs to be installed and configured separately alongside Tableau Server. The specific setup and configuration details may vary depending on your organization's requirements and the identity provider you are using.