Abandoned workbooks-those no longer actively used-can clutter Tableau Server and consume resources (e.
g., disk space for extracts). Identifying them efficiently requires leveraging built-in administrative tools rather than manual or destructive methods. Let's explore this in depth:
* Tableau Server Admin Views: Tableau provides pre-built administrative views to monitor server health, usage, and content. TheStale Contentview, accessible underServer > Status > Administrative Views, is specifically designed to identify content (workbooks, data sources) that hasn't been viewed or modified recently. It shows:
* Content name, owner, and project.
* Last viewed date and last modified date.
* View count over a period.This view uses Repository data to track usage metrics, making it ideal for spotting abandoned workbooks.
* Option A (Use the Stale Content administrative view): Correct. This is the most efficient and non- invasive method. You can filter by last viewed date (e.g., >30 days ago) to identify workbooks with large extracts that users have stopped accessing. From there, you can contact owners or delete the content if policy allows. It's a server administrator's go-to tool for content management.
* Option B (Examine extract files in ProgramData/.../extract): Incorrect and impractical. The ProgramData/Tableau/Tableau Server/data/tabsvc/dataengine/extract directory stores .hyper extract files, but:
* File names are cryptic (e.g., GUIDs), not tied directly to workbook names.
* It doesn't indicate usage or abandonment-only file presence and size.
* Manual inspection is time-consuming and error-prone compared to the Stale Content view.
* Option C (Delete all extracts and allow them to be re-generated): Incorrect and risky. Deleting extracts (e.g., via tsm maintenance cleanup) removes them without identifying usage. Regeneration only occurs if a schedule or user triggers it, potentially disrupting active users and losing historical data unnecessarily.
* Option D (View all workbooks, and sort by the Modified date): Partially effective but inefficient. In the Tableau Server UI (e.g., underContent > Workbooks), you can sort by "Last Modified," but:
* It doesn't show viewership (a workbook might be modified recently but unused).
* It's manual and doesn't scale for large deployments compared to the Stale Content view.
Why This Matters: The Stale Content view leverages Tableau's metadata to provide actionable insights, saving time and reducing risk compared to manual or destructive alternatives. It's part of Tableau's governance toolkit.