diff --git a/api/v1/controllers/samples.js b/api/v1/controllers/samples.js
index ad2dd20c2c..97b9a4c784 100644
--- a/api/v1/controllers/samples.js
+++ b/api/v1/controllers/samples.js
@@ -250,19 +250,26 @@ module.exports = {
   deleteSampleRelatedLinks(req, res, next) {
     const resultObj = { reqStartTime: new Date() };
     const params = req.swagger.params;
-    u.findByKey(helper, params)
-    .then((o) => u.isWritable(req, o,
-        featureToggles.isFeatureEnabled('enforceWritePermission')))
-    .then((o) => {
-      let jsonData = [];
-      if (params.relName) {
-        jsonData =
-          u.deleteAJsonArrayElement(o.relatedLinks, params.relName.value);
-      }
+    let delRlinksPromise;
+    if (featureToggles.isFeatureEnabled(constants.featureName) &&
+     helper.modelName === 'Sample') {
+      delRlinksPromise = redisModelSample.deleteSampleRelatedLinks(params);
+    } else {
+      delRlinksPromise = u.findByKey(helper, params)
+        .then((o) => u.isWritable(req, o,
+            featureToggles.isFeatureEnabled('enforceWritePermission')))
+        .then((o) => {
+          let jsonData = [];
+          if (params.relName) {
+            jsonData =
+              u.deleteAJsonArrayElement(o.relatedLinks, params.relName.value);
+          }
 
-      return o.update({ relatedLinks: jsonData });
-    })
-    .then((o) => {
+          return o.update({ relatedLinks: jsonData });
+        });
+    }
+
+    delRlinksPromise.then((o) => {
       resultObj.dbTime = new Date() - resultObj.reqStartTime;
       const retval = u.responsify(o, helper, req.method);
 
diff --git a/api/v1/controllers/subjects.js b/api/v1/controllers/subjects.js
index 359cc4019b..d5cdbbd37a 100644
--- a/api/v1/controllers/subjects.js
+++ b/api/v1/controllers/subjects.js
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
     const findByKeyPromise =
       featureToggles.isFeatureEnabled(sampleStoreFeature) ?
-            u.findByKey(helper, params, ['hierarchy']) :
+            u.findByKey(helper, params, ['subjectHierarchy']) :
               u.findByKey(helper, params, ['hierarchy', 'samples']);
     findByKeyPromise
     .then((o) => {
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/nouns/samples.js b/api/v1/helpers/nouns/samples.js
index 06654df827..53885fefeb 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/nouns/samples.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/nouns/samples.js
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const Sample = require('../../../../db/index').Sample;
+const Aspect = require('../../../../db/index').Aspect;
+const Subject = require('../../../../db/index').Subject;
+
 const m = 'sample';
 const fieldsWithJsonArrayType = ['relatedLinks'];
 
@@ -33,4 +36,10 @@ module.exports = {
   fieldsWithJsonArrayType,
   fieldsWithEnum,
   fieldsToExclude,
+  publishEvents: true,
+  associatedModels: {
+    aspect: Aspect,
+    subject: Subject,
+  },
+
 }; // exports
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/nouns/subjects.js b/api/v1/helpers/nouns/subjects.js
index c82f7fa814..f1d7b8f13a 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/nouns/subjects.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/nouns/subjects.js
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ module.exports = {
   fieldScopeMap: {
     samples: 'withSamples',
     hierarchy: 'hierarchy',
+    subjectHierarchy: 'subjectHierarchy',
   },
   model: Subject,
   modelName: 'Subject',
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doDelete.js b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doDelete.js
index 60bdcd9efb..29af1e806c 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doDelete.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doDelete.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 'use strict'; // eslint-disable-line strict
 
 const u = require('./utils');
+const publisher = u.publisher;
+const event = u.realtimeEvents;
 const httpStatus = require('../../constants').httpStatus;
 const featureToggles = require('feature-toggles');
 const constants = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore').constants;
@@ -58,6 +60,12 @@ function doDelete(req, res, next, props) {
     );
     }
 
+    // publish the delete event to the redis channel
+    if (props.publishEvents) {
+      publisher.publishSample(o, props.associatedModels.subject,
+          event.sample.del);
+    }
+
     // when a resource is deleted, delete all its associations too
     u.deleteAllAssociations(o, assocNames);
     u.logAPI(req, resultObj, o);
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPatch.js b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPatch.js
index dc253a495d..56acd60814 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPatch.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPatch.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 const featureToggles = require('feature-toggles');
 const u = require('./utils');
+const publisher = u.publisher;
+const event = u.realtimeEvents;
 const httpStatus = require('../../constants').httpStatus;
 const constants = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore').constants;
 const redisModelSample = require('../../../../cache/models/samples');
@@ -66,6 +68,13 @@ function doPatch(req, res, next, props) {
   .then((retVal) => {
     resultObj.dbTime = new Date() - resultObj.reqStartTime;
     u.logAPI(req, resultObj, retVal);
+
+    // publish the update event to the redis channel
+    if (props.publishEvents) {
+      publisher.publishSample(retVal,
+        props.associatedModels.subject, event.sample.upd);
+    }
+
     return res.status(httpStatus.OK)
     .json(u.responsify(retVal, props, req.method));
   })
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPost.js b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPost.js
index c5e6eef55e..069aedd847 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPost.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPost.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 'use strict'; // eslint-disable-line strict
 
 const u = require('./utils');
+const publisher = u.publisher;
+const event = u.realtimeEvents;
 const httpStatus = require('../../constants').httpStatus;
 const constants = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore').constants;
 const redisModelSample = require('../../../../cache/models/samples');
@@ -47,6 +49,13 @@ function doPost(req, res, next, props) {
   postPromise.then((o) => {
     resultObj.dbTime = new Date() - resultObj.reqStartTime;
     u.logAPI(req, resultObj, o);
+
+    // publish the update event to the redis channel
+    if (props.publishEvents) {
+      publisher.publishSample(o, props.associatedModels.subject,
+        event.sample.add, props.associatedModels.aspect);
+    }
+
     return res.status(httpStatus.CREATED)
     .json(u.responsify(o, props, req.method));
   })
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPut.js b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPut.js
index 140848e9db..fd6605c201 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPut.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/doPut.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 const featureToggles = require('feature-toggles');
 const u = require('./utils');
+const publisher = u.publisher;
+const event = u.realtimeEvents;
 const httpStatus = require('../../constants').httpStatus;
 const constants = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore').constants;
 const redisModelSample = require('../../../../cache/models/samples');
@@ -75,6 +77,13 @@ function doPut(req, res, next, props) {
   putPromise.then((o) => {
     resultObj.dbTime = new Date() - resultObj.reqStartTime;
     u.logAPI(req, resultObj, o);
+
+    // publish the update event to the redis channel
+    if (props.publishEvents) {
+      publisher.publishSample(o, props.associatedModels.subject,
+       event.sample.upd);
+    }
+
     res.status(httpStatus.OK).json(u.responsify(o, props, req.method));
   })
   .catch((err) => u.handleError(next, err, props.modelName));
diff --git a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/utils.js b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/utils.js
index a157347245..e06f723c18 100644
--- a/api/v1/helpers/verbs/utils.js
+++ b/api/v1/helpers/verbs/utils.js
@@ -714,6 +714,7 @@ function checkDuplicateRLinks(rLinkArr) {
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 module.exports = {
+
   realtimeEvents,
 
   publisher,
diff --git a/cache/models/samples.js b/cache/models/samples.js
index b9a301ecdb..3477ee7694 100644
--- a/cache/models/samples.js
+++ b/cache/models/samples.js
@@ -526,6 +526,65 @@ module.exports = {
     });
   },
 
+  /**
+   * Delete sample related links
+   * @param  {Object} params - Request parameters
+   * @returns {Promise} - Resolves to a sample object
+   */
+  deleteSampleRelatedLinks(params) {
+    const sampleName = params.key.value;
+    let currSampObj;
+    let aspectObj;
+
+    return redisOps.getHashPromise(sampleType, sampleName)
+    .then((sampObj) => {
+      if (!sampObj) {
+        throw new redisErrors.ResourceNotFoundError({
+          explanation: 'Sample not found.',
+        });
+      }
+
+      currSampObj = sampObj;
+      const aspectName = sampleName.split('|')[ONE];
+      return redisOps.getHashPromise(aspectType, aspectName);
+    })
+    .then((aspObj) => {
+      if (!aspObj) {
+        throw new redisErrors.ResourceNotFoundError({
+          explanation: 'Aspect not found.',
+        });
+      }
+
+      let updatedRlinks = [];
+      if (params.relName) { // delete only this related link
+        const currRlinks = JSON.parse(currSampObj.relatedLinks);
+        updatedRlinks = u.deleteAJsonArrayElement(
+          currRlinks, params.relName.value
+        );
+      }
+
+      // if no change in related links, then return the object.
+      if (JSON.stringify(updatedRlinks) ===
+        JSON.stringify(currSampObj.relatedLinks)) {
+        Promise.resolve(cleanAddAspectToSample(currSampObj, aspObj));
+      }
+
+      const hmsetObj = {};
+      hmsetObj.relatedLinks = updatedRlinks;
+      hmsetObj.updatedAt = new Date().toString();
+
+      // stringify arrays
+      constants.fieldsToStringify.sample.forEach((field) => {
+        if (hmsetObj[field]) {
+          hmsetObj[field] = JSON.stringify(hmsetObj[field]);
+        }
+      });
+      return redisOps.setHashMultiPromise(sampleType, sampleName, hmsetObj);
+    })
+    .then(() => redisOps.getHashPromise(sampleType, sampleName))
+    .then((updatedSamp) => cleanAddAspectToSample(updatedSamp, aspectObj));
+  },
+
   /**
    * Patch sample. First get sample, if not found, throw error, else get aspect.
    * Update request body with required fields based on value and related links
diff --git a/db/model/aspect.js b/db/model/aspect.js
index bd2a4fd3c0..107af6daf3 100644
--- a/db/model/aspect.js
+++ b/db/model/aspect.js
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ module.exports = function aspect(seq, dataTypes) {
          * on aspectStore and the aspect hash.
          * 2. if the aspect is updated to published, add an entry to the
          * aspectStore and create the aspect hash
-         * 3. if the aspect is updated to unpublihsed, delete the entry in the
+         * 3. if the aspect is updated to unpublished, delete the entry in the
          * aspectStore, delete the aspect hash and delete the related samples
          * 4. if the aspect that is updated is already published, update the
          * the aspect with the new values.
diff --git a/db/model/sample.js b/db/model/sample.js
index 6c07519583..ddfa0cc31c 100644
--- a/db/model/sample.js
+++ b/db/model/sample.js
@@ -224,8 +224,10 @@ module.exports = function sample(seq, dataTypes) {
           .then((o) => resolve(o))
           .catch((err) => {
             if (isBulk) {
-              /* adding isFailed:true to differentiate failed results from
-               success results in bulk upsert */
+              /*
+               * adding isFailed:true to differentiate failed results from
+               * success results in bulk upsert
+              */
               resolve({ explanation: err, isFailed: true });
             } else {
               reject(err);
@@ -319,52 +321,6 @@ module.exports = function sample(seq, dataTypes) {
         );
       }, // hooks.beforeCreate
 
-      /**
-       * Publishes the created sample to redis channel *including* the values
-       * from its aspect association.
-       *
-       * @param {Sample} inst - The newly-created instance
-       */
-      afterCreate(inst /* , opts */) {
-        let samp;
-        Sample.findOne({
-          where: {
-            name: {
-              $iLike: inst.getDataValue('name'),
-            },
-          },
-        })
-        .then((found) => {
-          samp = found;
-          return common.sampleAspectAndSubjectArePublished(seq, samp);
-        })
-        .then((published) => {
-          if (published) {
-            // augment the sample instance with the subject instance to enable
-            // filtering by subjecttags in the realtime socketio module
-            common.augmentSampleWithSubjectAspectInfo(seq, samp)
-            .then(() => common.publishChange(samp, eventName.add));
-          }
-        });
-      },
-
-      /**
-       * Publishes the delete to redis subscriber
-       *
-       * @param {Sample} inst - The Sample instance which was just deleted
-       */
-      afterDelete(inst /* , opts */) {
-        return common.sampleAspectAndSubjectArePublished(seq, inst)
-        .then((published) => {
-          if (published) {
-            // augument the sample instance with the subject instance to enable
-            // filtering by subjecttags in the realtime socketio module
-            common.augmentSampleWithSubjectAspectInfo(seq, inst)
-            .then(() => common.publishChange(inst, eventName.del));
-          }
-        });
-      }, // hooks.afterDelete
-
       /**
        * Update isDeleted.
        * Publishes the deleted sample to redis channel.
diff --git a/db/model/subject.js b/db/model/subject.js
index 48712b2774..5620776d5c 100644
--- a/db/model/subject.js
+++ b/db/model/subject.js
@@ -206,6 +206,22 @@ module.exports = function subject(seq, dataTypes) {
             },
           ],
         });
+        Subject.addScope('subjectHierarchy', {
+          where: {
+            isPublished: true,
+          },
+          include: [
+            {
+              model: models.Subject,
+              as: 'descendents',
+              hierarchy: true,
+              required: false,
+              where: {
+                isPublished: true,
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+        });
       },
     },
     hooks: {
diff --git a/realtime/redisPublisher.js b/realtime/redisPublisher.js
index 58b0aacbc8..bb6277870b 100644
--- a/realtime/redisPublisher.js
+++ b/realtime/redisPublisher.js
@@ -92,32 +92,49 @@ function publishObject(inst, event, changedKeys, ignoreAttributes) {
  * a absolutePath field added to it before the sample is published to the redis
  * channel.
  * @param  {Object} sampleInst - The sample instance to be published
- * @param  {Model} model - The subject model used to get the related subject
- * instance
+ * @param  {Model} subjectModel - The subject model to get the related
+ * subject instance
  * @param  {String} event  - Type of the event that is being published
+ * @param  {Model} aspectModel  - The aspect model to get the related
+ * aspect instance
  * @returns {Promise} - which resolves to a sample object
  */
-function publishSample(sampleInst, model, event) {
+function publishSample(sampleInst, subjectModel, event, aspectModel) {
   const eventType = event || getSampleEventType(sampleInst);
   const sample = sampleInst.get ? sampleInst.get() : sampleInst;
-  const subName = sample.name.split('|')[0];
-  const options = {};
-  options.where = { absolutePath: subName };
-  return model.findOne(options)
+  const nameParts = sample.name.split('|');
+  const subName = nameParts[0];
+  const aspName = nameParts[1];
+  const subOpts = {
+    where: {
+      absolutePath: subName,
+    },
+  };
+  const aspOpts = {
+    where: {
+      name: aspName,
+    },
+  };
+  const getAspect = aspectModel ? aspectModel.findOne(aspOpts) :
+                            Promise.resolve(sample.aspect);
+  return getAspect
+  .then((asp) => {
+    sample.aspect = asp.get ? asp.get() : asp;
+    return subjectModel.findOne(subOpts);
+  })
   .then((sub) => {
     if (sub) {
+
       /*
        *pass the sample instance to the publishObject function only if the
        *aspect and subject are published
        */
       if (sample.aspect && sample.aspect.isPublished && sub.isPublished) {
-
         // attach subject to the sample
         sample.subject = sub.get();
 
         // attach absolutePath field to the sample
         sample.absolutePath = subName;
-
         publishObject(sample, eventType);
       }
     }
diff --git a/tests/cache/models/aspects/aspectCRUD.js b/tests/cache/models/aspects/aspectCRUD.js
index 37529610ab..9c7ff12f19 100644
--- a/tests/cache/models/aspects/aspectCRUD.js
+++ b/tests/cache/models/aspects/aspectCRUD.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * tests/cache/models/aspect/aspectCRUD.js
+ * tests/cache/models/aspects/aspectCRUD.js
  */
 'use strict'; // eslint-disable-line strict
 
diff --git a/tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteRelatedLinks.js b/tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteRelatedLinks.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d2e4f06755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteRelatedLinks.js
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2017, salesforce.com, inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ * Licensed under the BSD 3-Clause license.
+ * For full license text, see LICENSE.txt file in the repo root or
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
+ */
+
+/**
+ * tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteRelatedLinks.js
+ */
+'use strict'; // eslint-disable-line strict
+
+const supertest = require('supertest');
+const api = supertest(require('../../../../index').app);
+const constants = require('../../../../api/v1/constants');
+const tu = require('../../../testUtils');
+const rtu = require('../redisTestUtil');
+const expect = require('chai').expect;
+const Aspect = tu.db.Aspect;
+const allDeletePath = '/v1/aspects/{key}/relatedLinks';
+const oneDeletePath = '/v1/aspects/{key}/relatedLinks/{akey}';
+const redisOps = require('../../../../cache/redisOps');
+const objectType = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore')
+                    .constants.objectType;
+const samstoinit = rtu.samstoinit;
+const ZERO = 0;
+const ONE = 1;
+
+describe('api: aspects: DELETE RelatedLinks', () => {
+  let token;
+  let i;
+  let name;
+
+  const n = {
+    name: `${tu.namePrefix}ASPECTNAME`,
+    timeout: '110s',
+    relatedLinks: [
+      { name: 'rlink0', url: 'https://samples.com' },
+      { name: 'rlink1', url: 'https://samples.com' },
+    ],
+    isPublished: true,
+  };
+
+  before((done) => {
+    tu.toggleOverride('enableRedisSampleStore', true);
+    tu.createToken()
+    .then((returnedToken) => {
+      token = returnedToken;
+      done();
+    })
+    .catch(done);
+  });
+
+  beforeEach((done) => {
+    Aspect.create(n)
+    .then((asp) => {
+      i = asp.id;
+      name = asp.name;
+      return samstoinit.eradicate();
+    })
+    .then(() => samstoinit.init())
+    .then(() => done())
+    .catch(done);
+  });
+  afterEach(rtu.forceDelete);
+  after(() => tu.toggleOverride('enableRedisSampleStore', false));
+
+  it('delete all related links', (done) => {
+    api.delete(allDeletePath.replace('{key}', i))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.length(ZERO);
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        expect(JSON.parse(aspect.relatedLinks)).to.have.length(ZERO);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('delete one relatedLink', (done) => {
+    api.delete(oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', i).replace('{akey}', 'rlink0'))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.length(ONE);
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.deep.property('[0].name', 'rlink1');
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        const rlinks = JSON.parse(aspect.relatedLinks);
+        expect(rlinks).to.have.length(ONE);
+        expect(rlinks).to.have.deep.property('[0].name', 'rlink1');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('delete related link by name', (done) => {
+    api.delete(oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', name).replace('{akey}', 'rlink0'))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.length(ONE);
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.deep.property('[0].name', 'rlink1');
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        const rlinks = JSON.parse(aspect.relatedLinks);
+        expect(rlinks).to.have.length(ONE);
+        expect(rlinks).to.have.deep.property('[0].name', 'rlink1');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteTags.js b/tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteTags.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9cee01a6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteTags.js
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2017, salesforce.com, inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ * Licensed under the BSD 3-Clause license.
+ * For full license text, see LICENSE.txt file in the repo root or
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
+ */
+
+/**
+ * tests/cache/models/aspects/deleteTags.js
+ */
+'use strict'; // eslint-disable-line strict
+
+const supertest = require('supertest');
+const api = supertest(require('../../../../index').app);
+const constants = require('../../../../api/v1/constants');
+const tu = require('../../../testUtils');
+const rtu = require('../redisTestUtil');
+const expect = require('chai').expect;
+const Aspect = tu.db.Aspect;
+const allDeletePath = '/v1/aspects/{key}/tags';
+const oneDeletePath = '/v1/aspects/{key}/tags/{akey}';
+const redisOps = require('../../../../cache/redisOps');
+const objectType = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore')
+                    .constants.objectType;
+const samstoinit = rtu.samstoinit;
+
+describe(`api: redisStore: aspects: DELETE tags`, () => {
+  let token;
+  let aspId;
+  let aspName;
+  const tag0 = 'tag0';
+
+  const n = {
+    name: `${tu.namePrefix}ASPECTNAME`,
+    timeout: '110s',
+    tags: ['tag0', 'tag1'],
+    isPublished: true,
+  };
+
+  before((done) => {
+    tu.toggleOverride('enableRedisSampleStore', true);
+    tu.createToken()
+    .then((returnedToken) => {
+      token = returnedToken;
+      done();
+    })
+    .catch(done);
+  });
+
+  beforeEach((done) => {
+    Aspect.create(n)
+    .then((asp) => {
+      aspId = asp.id;
+      aspName = asp.name;
+      return samstoinit.eradicate();
+    })
+    .then(() => samstoinit.init())
+    .then(() => done())
+    .catch(done);
+  });
+  afterEach(rtu.forceDelete);
+  after(() => tu.toggleOverride('enableRedisSampleStore', false));
+
+  it('delete all tags', (done) => {
+    api.delete(allDeletePath.replace('{key}', aspId))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.length(0);
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        expect(JSON.parse(aspect.tags)).to.have.length(0);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('delete one tag', (done) => {
+    api.delete(oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', aspId).replace('{akey}', tag0))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.length(1);
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.members(['tag1']);
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        const tags = JSON.parse(aspect.tags);
+        expect(tags).to.have.length(1);
+        expect(tags).to.have.members(['tag1']);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('delete tag by name', (done) => {
+    api.delete(oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', aspName).replace('{akey}', tag0))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.length(1);
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.members(['tag1']);
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        const tags = JSON.parse(aspect.tags);
+        expect(tags).to.have.length(1);
+        expect(tags).to.have.members(['tag1']);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('no error if tag not found, no update on tags', (done) => {
+    api.delete(oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', aspId).replace('{akey}', 'x'))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.length(2);
+      expect(res.body.tags).to.have.members(['tag1', 'tag0']);
+      redisOps.getHashPromise(objectType.aspect, n.name)
+      .then((aspect) => {
+        const tags = JSON.parse(aspect.tags);
+        expect(tags).to.have.length(2);
+        expect(tags).to.have.members(['tag1', 'tag0']);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/cache/models/samples/delete.js b/tests/cache/models/samples/delete.js
index b3ffcee5a3..189e79fb16 100644
--- a/tests/cache/models/samples/delete.js
+++ b/tests/cache/models/samples/delete.js
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ const redisOps = require('../../../../cache/redisOps');
 const objectType = require('../../../../cache/sampleStore')
                     .constants.objectType;
 const expect = require('chai').expect;
+const u = require('./utils');
+const allDeletePath = '/v1/samples/{key}/relatedLinks';
+const oneDeletePath = '/v1/samples/{key}/relatedLinks/{akey}';
+const samstoinit = require('../../../../cache/sampleStoreInit');
+const Sample = tu.db.Sample;
 const ZERO = 0;
 
 describe(`api: redisStore: DELETE ${path}`, () => {
@@ -101,3 +106,99 @@ describe(`api: redisStore: DELETE ${path}`, () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('api: redisStore: samples: DELETE RelatedLinks', () => {
+  let token;
+  let sampleName;
+
+  before((done) => {
+    tu.toggleOverride('enableRedisSampleStore', true);
+    tu.createToken()
+    .then((returnedToken) => {
+      token = returnedToken;
+      done();
+    })
+    .catch((err) => done(err));
+  });
+
+  beforeEach((done) => {
+    u.doSetup()
+    .then((samp) => {
+      samp.relatedLinks = [
+        {
+          name: 'rlink0',
+          url: 'https://samples.com',
+        },
+        {
+          name: 'rlink1',
+          url: 'https://samples.com',
+        },
+      ];
+      return Sample.create(
+        samp
+      );
+    })
+    .then((samp) => {
+      sampleName = samp.name;
+      return samstoinit.eradicate();
+    })
+    .then(() => samstoinit.init())
+    .then(() => done())
+    .catch((err) => done(err));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(rtu.forceDelete);
+  after(() => tu.toggleOverride('enableRedisSampleStore', false));
+
+  it('delete all related links', (done) => {
+    api.delete(allDeletePath.replace('{key}', sampleName))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .end((err, res) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.length(ZERO);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('delete one relatedLink', (done) => {
+    api.delete(
+      oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', sampleName).replace('{akey}', 'rlink0')
+    )
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .expect((res) => {
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.length(1);
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks)
+        .to.have.deep.property('[0].name', 'rlink1');
+    })
+    .end((err /* , res */) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('delete related link by name', (done) => {
+    api.delete(oneDeletePath.replace('{key}', sampleName)
+      .replace('{akey}', 'rlink0'))
+    .set('Authorization', token)
+    .expect(constants.httpStatus.OK)
+    .expect((res) => {
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.length(1);
+      expect(res.body.relatedLinks).to.have.deep.property('[0].name', 'rlink1');
+    })
+    .end((err /* , res */) => {
+      if (err) {
+        done(err);
+      }
+
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+});
+
diff --git a/tests/db/model/subject/hierarchy.js b/tests/db/model/subject/hierarchy.js
index c4414f861a..b63415580f 100644
--- a/tests/db/model/subject/hierarchy.js
+++ b/tests/db/model/subject/hierarchy.js
@@ -178,6 +178,28 @@ describe('db: subject: get hierarchy: ', () => {
     .catch(done);
   });
 
+  it('using "subject hierarchy" scope: sample should not be ' +
+    ' included in any level of the hierarchy', (done) => {
+    Subject.scope('subjectHierarchy').findById(ipar)
+    .then((o) => {
+      const gp = o.get({ plain: true });
+      expect(gp).to.not.have.property('samples');
+      expect(gp.children).to.have.length(1);
+      expect(gp.childCount).to.equal(1);
+      const pa = gp.children[0].get();
+      expect(pa.children).to.have.length(1);
+      expect(pa.childCount).to.equal(1);
+      expect(pa).to.not.have.property('samples');
+      const ch = pa.children[0].get();
+      expect(ch.parentAbsolutePath).to.equal(pa.absolutePath);
+      expect(ch.childCount).to.equal(0);
+      expect(ch).to.not.have.property('children');
+      expect(ch).to.not.have.property('samples');
+      done();
+    })
+    .catch(done);
+  });
+
   describe('db: subject: get hierarchy: with children', () => {
     const howManyChildren = 7;
 
diff --git a/tests/realtime/redisPublisher.js b/tests/realtime/redisPublisher.js
index 80141308b0..423bfb74be 100644
--- a/tests/realtime/redisPublisher.js
+++ b/tests/realtime/redisPublisher.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * tests/realtime/setupSocketIO.js
+ * tests/realtime/redisPublisher.js
  */
 'use strict';
 
@@ -81,6 +81,29 @@ describe('redis Publisher', () => {
       })
       .catch(done);
     });
+
+    it('when tried to publish sample without aspect,'+
+      ' aspect should be attached', (done) => {
+      Sample.findById(sampId)
+      .then((sam) => {
+        const sampInst = sam.get();
+        delete sampInst.aspect;
+        return publisher.publishSample(sam, Subject, sampleEvent.upd, Aspect);
+      })
+      .then((pubObj) => {
+        expect(pubObj.aspect).to.not.equal(null);
+        expect(pubObj.aspect.name).to.equal(humidity.name);
+        expect(pubObj.aspect.tags.length).to.equal(0);
+        expect(pubObj.subject).to.not.equal(null);
+        expect(pubObj.subject.name).to.equal(subjectNA.name);
+        expect(pubObj.subject.tags.length).to.equal(0);
+        expect(pubObj.absolutePath).to.equal(subjectNA.name);
+        expect(pubObj.aspect.tags.length).to.equal(0);
+
+        done();
+      })
+      .catch(done);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('getSampleEventType function tests: ', () => {
@@ -115,5 +138,4 @@ describe('redis Publisher', () => {
       .catch(done);
     });
   });
-
 });