Admin Media Management

The Admin Media Management page provides administrators with a comprehensive view of all media files in the system. You can view system-wide statistics, filter by user, manage media files, and clean up orphaned files that exist in storage but aren’t tracked in the database.

Why Admin Media Statistics Matter

Paideia’s built-in media management system provides administrators with powerful analytics and insights that are essential for effective platform management. Unlike LMS platforms that rely on external storage integrations, Paideia’s integrated system gives you complete visibility and control over media usage.

The statistics enable administrators to:

• Make Data-Driven Decisions: Base storage policies and quotas on actual usage data
• Identify Power Users: Find users who may need additional storage or guidance
• Optimize Storage Costs: Understand what types of content drive storage costs
• Plan Infrastructure: Use historical data to predict future storage needs
• Troubleshoot Issues: Quickly identify unusual storage patterns

Overview

Admin Media Management provides:

• System-Wide View: See all media files across the entire platform
• User Filtering: Filter media files by specific users
• Media Statistics: Visual charts showing media distribution and storage usage
• Creator Information: See who uploaded each file with profile links
• Orphaned Media Cleanup: Identify and remove files not tracked in the database
• Bulk Operations: Select and delete multiple files at once

Accessing Admin Media Management

There are two ways to access the Admin Media Management page:

1. Via Admin Dashboard: Navigate to Site Admin → Server → Media management
2. Direct Navigation: Navigate directly to /admin/media in your browser

System-Wide View

The Admin Media Management page displays all media files in the system by default. You can see total file count, total storage, media distribution by type, and storage visualization comparing user storage vs system storage.

View Modes

Switch between two view modes using the “Card” and “Table” toggle buttons:

• Card View: Visual cards with thumbnails and file information
• Table View: Data table format with sortable columns

User Filtering

To view media files for a specific user:

1. Find the “Filter by User” section at the top of the page
2. Click the user selector dropdown and search by name or email
3. Select the user from the dropdown
4. The page updates to show only that user’s media files

When a user is selected, statistics and charts update to show user-specific data. Clear the filter to view all system media again.

Media Statistics

The page provides comprehensive statistics about media usage:

Media by Type

A pie chart displays the distribution of media files by type (images, videos, audio, PDFs, documents, archives, etc.), with each segment color-coded for easy identification.

Storage Visualization

A donut chart displays storage usage:

• When Viewing All Media: Shows total system storage
• When Viewing a User: Shows user storage (blue) vs system storage (green) for comparison

Below the charts, you’ll see total files and total size for the current view.

Tip

The storage comparison helps identify users with unusually high storage usage and provides context for quota management decisions.

Creator Information

Each media file displays information about who uploaded it, including a small avatar and clickable name that links to the user profile. This helps identify upload sources, navigate to user profiles, and track file ownership.

Orphaned Media Cleanup

Orphaned media files are files that exist in S3 storage but are not tracked in the database. These can accumulate over time and waste storage space.

Viewing and Deleting Orphaned Files

The Orphaned Media Files section displays the total count, total size, and a file list with checkboxes for selection.

Selective Deletion: Check boxes next to files you want to delete, then click “Delete Selected”.

Bulk Pruning: Click the “Prune All” button (red button with trash icon) to delete all orphaned files at once.

Caution

Bulk pruning deletes all orphaned files. Review the list before proceeding, as this action cannot be undone.

The cleanup includes validation, batch processing, error handling, and detailed results reporting.

Managing Media Files

As an administrator, you can perform all the same operations as users:

• View Files: Card view, table view, and full-size preview modal
• File Operations: Download, rename (updates both database and S3), delete (individually or in batches), and show usage
• Permissions: View all files, delete any file, manage orphaned files, and view system statistics

Best Practices

• Regular Monitoring: Check storage and file distribution regularly, monitor growth, and identify trends
• Orphaned File Management: Periodically check for and remove orphaned files, investigate causes if they appear frequently
• User Support: Help users understand storage limits, guide them on organizing media, and assist with troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Statistics Not Updating: Refresh the page, check database connectivity, and review system logs.

Orphaned Files Not Detected: Verify S3 connectivity, check bucket accessibility, and review system logs for S3 errors.

Cannot Delete Files: Check that files aren’t in use, verify admin permissions, and check system logs.

User Filter Not Working: Verify the user exists, check that the user has uploaded media files, and refresh the page.

Related Features

• Media Management - Learn how users manage their media files
• Site Policies - Configure storage quotas and upload limits
• Maintenance Mode - Learn about other admin features