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Tableau Server – Admin Insights Dashboard Shows Less Storage Than Actual Disk Usage`

Publish Date: May 22, 2026
Description

1. Archived State of Deleted Content

When content is deleted in Tableau Server, it does not get immediately purged from disk. Deleted items go through an archived state before being fully purged. During this window, the content continues to consume real disk space even though it is no longer accessible to users.

  • Items deleted from the recycle bin can remain in an archived state for up to ~30 days before being fully purged
  • Items in archived state appear in the Admin Insights dashboard with a NULL project name

2. Nightly Dashboard Refresh Lag

The Admin Insights dashboard does not update in real time. It refreshes on a nightly schedule, which means:

  • Recent deletions will not be immediately reflected in the dashboard
  • There is always a lag between actual disk usage and what the dashboard reports

3. Revision History Not Reflected

Workbook and data source revision history consumes real disk space but is often not included in the Admin Insights space usage views. This can contribute to a gap between actual and reported storage.

Resolution

Step 1: Wait for the Purge Cycle

Allow the automated purge cycle to complete (~30 days from deletion). Once archived content is fully purged, storage usage will decrease accordingly.

Step 2: Run TSM Cleanup

Run the following command to remove temporary files and reclaim available space:

tsm maintenance cleanup -a

Note: This primarily clears temporary files and may not reclaim large amounts of space if the issue is extract or archive-related.

Step 3: Reduce Revision History

Navigate to Admin > General > Revision History and reduce the number of stored revisions to free up disk space.

Step 4: Query the PostgreSQL Repository (Advanced)

For a more accurate storage breakdown, including revisions and archived content, query the Tableau PostgreSQL repository directly. This provides visibility beyond what the Admin Insights dashboard exposes.

Step 5: Inspect Disk Usage at Folder Level

Use a disk analysis tool (e.g., WinDirStat on Windows) to inspect actual disk usage at the folder level and cross-reference with what the admin view reports. Key folders to check:

  • data\tabsvc\filestore
  • data\tabsvc\dataengine\extracts (.hyper files)
Additional Resources

Items showing NULL project name in the Admin Insights dashboard indicate deleted or archived content that no longer has an active project association

Knowledge Article Number

005385011

 
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