Admin Guide: Asset Maintenance

Asset Lifecycle Overview

The DAM uses a non-destructive lifecycle model with several statuses:

Bin Management

• When portal users with delete permission "delete" an asset, it moves to the Bin (soft delete).

• Binned assets appear under the Bin status tab in the portal.

• Users with appropriate permissions can:

  • Restore: Move the asset back to Active status.

  • Permanently Delete: Remove the asset forever (super admin only in the portal).

• Assets remain in the Bin until manually restored or purged.

Asset Purge (Super Admin Only)

Access via DAM section > Asset Purge tab in the backoffice. This is a hard-delete tool that permanently removes assets from both the database and Azure Blob Storage. It is only available to users with the Asset Purge permission (typically super admins only).

Using the Asset Purge tool

1. Step 1: Select a client from the dropdown (required).

2. Step 2: Filter assets by status (All, Active, Archived, Deleted), keyword search, or date range.

3. Step 3: The list shows assets with their details -- select items using checkboxes.

4. Step 4: Click purge and confirm by typing the exact phrase DELETE N assets (where N is the count).

Purged items are permanently removed: database rows, blob storage files (original, thumbnail, versioned files), and all associated metadata.

Every purge action is recorded in the immutable audit log (DAM Purge Log) for compliance -- this log survives even after the asset is gone.

Orphan Blob Cleanup

The Asset Purge tab also includes an Orphan Blobs section.

1. Click Scan to check Azure Blob Storage for files that have no matching database record.

2. Orphan blobs can occur from failed uploads, interrupted operations, or database inconsistencies.

3. Review the list of orphan blobs and select any you want to remove.

4. Confirm deletion -- the files are permanently removed from storage.

This helps reclaim storage space and maintain system hygiene.

CSV Bulk Import

Access via DAM section > Bulk Import tab (super admin only). Used for importing large batches of assets with pre-populated metadata.

Three-step wizard

1. Step 1 -- Upload: Upload a CSV file and optionally a ZIP file containing the asset files. The CSV should contain metadata rows, one per asset.

2. Step 2 -- Column Mapping: Map CSV column headers to DAM metadata fields. Reserved columns are handled automatically: FileName (matches to files in the ZIP), DisplayName, Title, Description, Tags (comma-separated values).

3. Step 3 -- Import: Start the import process. View real-time progress with per-row success/failure status. Retry failed rows without re-processing successful ones.

CSV format requirements

• UTF-8 encoded.

• First row must be column headers.

• Comma-delimited.

• The "FileName" column should match file names in the accompanying ZIP.

• Tags should be comma-separated within the Tags column.

Regular Maintenance Tasks

• Review Bin: Periodically purge assets that have been in the Bin for an extended period.

• Check Orphan Blobs: Run an orphan scan quarterly to identify storage waste.

• Review Archived Assets: Check if any archived assets should be restored or permanently removed.

• Monitor Storage: Use the analytics storage report to track growth and plan capacity.

• Tag Cleanup: Regularly review and merge duplicate tags (see the Tag Management guide).

• Metadata Audit: Export asset metadata via CSV to review data quality and completeness.

Tips

• Always double-check before purging -- permanent deletion cannot be undone.

• The purge confirmation phrase is intentionally cumbersome to prevent accidental deletion.

• Keep the purge log for compliance and audit trail purposes.

• Schedule regular maintenance windows (e.g. monthly) for bin cleanup and orphan blob removal.

• Use CSV bulk import for initial data migration or large-scale ingestion from other systems.

• Test CSV imports with a small batch before importing hundreds of assets.