Asset copies and deletions

When you copy an asset, different types of associations are created, depending on the K2 storage location and the type of asset copy, as follows:

Shallow copy — When you copy assets and both copies are in the same K2 storage location, shallow copies are created. With a shallow copy, the high-resolution media files are not copied. Rather, the K2 media database and the GV STRATUS database contain a record for each shallow copy, and each record references the same media files. In the GV STRATUS system, this results in an asset with multiple references, similar to a subclip.

Deep copy — When you copy assets and the copies are in different K2 storage locations, deep copies are created. With a deep copy, the high-resolution media files are copied. The K2 media database on each K2 system references its own media files. The GV STRATUS database references all the media files on all the different K2 storage locations and archive locations. In the GV STRATUS system, this results in an asset with multiple high-resolution associations.

When deleting assets, the following occurs:

Assets with shallow copies — When the GV STRATUS system attempts to delete the shallow copy, the asset is not deleted. You must delete the referenced copy before you can delete the asset.
Assets with deep copies — When you delete any one of the associated high-resolution assets, in any K2 storage or archive location, by default the GV STRATUS system deletes all the high-resolutions assets in all locations. Since it is one asset with multiple high-resolutions associations, the entire asset with all its associations is deleted. If you only want to delete a high-resolution association, you can do so on the Associations tab in the Inspector.

Take care when creating copies, considering your workflow in which copied assets are deleted. The GV STRATUS roles of Delete Rights and Media Manager can be assigned to user accounts to implement the desired workflow. As part of the delete operation, Media Managers can specify online/archive deletion and choose whether to delete or conform referenced copy of assets.