Workspace deletion and ADLS Gen2 storage

[KamenP]

When a workspace linked to Azure ADLS Gen2 is deleted, the storage account is not cleaned up. The container and blobs are left behind. If the user subsequently attempts to link a workspace with the same name to the same storage account, PowerBI fails with an error message that is misleading ("This is likely temporary blah blah"). The issue is not temporary. In order to recover from this, the user has to go and manually delete the blobs.

Leaving the storage account intact when the workspace is deleted is the correct behavior, since the storage account may not be fully owned by PowerBI (other tools may be dependent on it). However, the handling of the conflict when linking a new workspace should be improved as follows:

1. PowerBI should detect that there is already a blob folder with a conflicting name.

2. The user should be offered a choice:

• Delete the old folder.
  • Suboption to archive/rename it.
• Reconnect to the old folder.
• Rename the new workspace and retry.

[KamenP]

On a second thought, the workspace deletion experience should be improved also by informing the user that data will be left behind in the linked storage account. The user should be given a choice to further delete the data in the storage account. There may be a reasonable expectation by the user that when they delete a workspace, all the associated data is deleted.

[v-cazheng-msft]

Hi @KamenP ,

Thanks for the suggestions! Please submit them in Power BI Ideas where the product group collects great ideas from users and take them into consideration when designing the feature of this product. Thanks in advance!

Link of Power BI Ideas: https://ideas.powerbi.com/ideas/search-ideas/?q=ADLS%20Gen2%20storage&page=1

Best Regards,

Community Support Team _ Caiyun