1. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items with an open-topped funnel-shaped receiving element for bulk items, and with a moveable closure element (20) arranged at the lower outlet end, with a bulk item supply funnel (32) placed above the receiving element for bulk items, characterised in that the receiving element for bulk items is in the form of a housing-type base body (1) against which the bulk item supply funnel (32) detachably abuts and against which a cylindrical rotating ring (3) abuts underneath, where the rotating ring (3) which rotates relative to the base body (1) is surrounded externally by a bearing ring (6), which is fixed onto the base body (1) and supports the rotating ring (3) underneath, where the rotating ring (3) can be connected by side driving elements (12) to turn the latter and in that the base body (1), the rotating ring (3) and the bearing ring (6) are separable from each other and are sealed off from each other.
2. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower outlet end is closed by a laterally moving slider (20), which abuts against a ring-shaped seal (46) on the lower end of the bearing ring (6).
3. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to claim 1, characterised in that a scraping and loosening element (15) is detachably fixed onto the rotating ring (3).
4. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to claim 3, characterised in that the scraping and loosening element (15) extends eccentrically downwards to the vicinity of the slider (20), runs above along the inner wall of the funnel (2) and the upper area is inclined backwards with respect to the direction of rotation.
5. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to claim 2, characterised in that the slider (20) can be moved by a hand lever (22, 24).
6. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to claim 2, characterised in that the slider (20) can be adjusted by means of a power drive.
7. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to one of the previously claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the rotating ring (3) displaying a driving rim (17) is externally surrounded by a bearing ring (6) with a graduated borehole, with the driving rim engaging in a toothed driving wheel (12), which runs on bearings in the base body (1) and in the bearing ring (6).
8. Dispensing and dosing device for bulk items according to one of the previous claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the bearing ring (6) is equipped with a corresponding dome-shaped lower area (6), through which, in place of the slider (20), two reciprocally-sealing dome-shaped plates can be fitted as the dosing element.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a user interface module to allow an administrator of a data storage system to define a data set having storage objects and to associate the data set with an owner and a data management policy, wherein each storage object includes a logical representation of data stored in storage containers that are managed by storage severs in the data storage system, wherein a physical implementation of the storage containers is independent of the logical representation of the storage containers, wherein the data set is a singular logical storage unit representation of the plurality of storage objects, the data set enabling storage and management of data across the plurality of storage objects via a singular entity, and wherein the data set includes associated meta data for mapping the data set to each of the plurality of storage objects, wherein the data set is instantiated as a unique logical entity in the data storage system with independently attached metadata and includes references to the plurality of storage objects represented by the data set; and
a data set manager to manage the data set as a single unit and to identify storage consumed by each data set in accordance with implementation of the data management policy and the associated owner of the data set, wherein an action corresponding to the data management policy is directly applied to the data set existing as a unique logical entity in the data storage system, wherein the storage objects have differing tiers of charging rates, and wherein the usage of the storage objects by the data set is accumulated in accordance with a tier associated with each storage object that is used by the data set, and wherein the usage of the storage objects by the data set is accumulated by comparing logged times associated with the usage with a predetermined list of peak usage rates.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data set manager produces a billing report for the associated owner of the data set.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a persistent store coupled to the storage manager to log usage of storage containers by a data set over time.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a graphical user interface (GUI) to display data management policies, data sets, owners of data sets, and user interface controls to allow the administrator to apply one of a list of predetermined data management policies to a selected data set.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the GUI further includes:
a display of the accumulated usage of each of the data sets based on the usage of storage containers by each data set over time.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the accumulated usage is multiplied by a cost rate to generate an amount owed for a billing report.
7. A computer-implemented method comprising:
defining a data set including a plurality of storage objects;
managing the data set as a single unit according to a data management policy, wherein an action corresponding to the data management policy is directly applied to the data set existing as a unique logical entity in the data storage system, wherein the data set is a singular logical storage unit representation of the plurality of storage objects, the data set enabling storage and management of data across the plurality of storage objects via a singular entity, and wherein the data set includes associated meta data for mapping the data set to each of the plurality of storage objects, wherein the storage objects change in response to changes in relationship between the data management policy and the data set, wherein the data set is instantiated as a unique logical entity in the data storage system with independently attached metadata and includes references to the plurality of storage objects represented by the data set; and
providing a report on the usage over time of the storage objects represented by the data set, wherein the storage objects have differing tiers of charging rates, and wherein the usage of the storage objects by the data set is accumulated in accordance with a tier associated with each storage object that is used by the data set, and wherein the usage of the storage objects by the data set is accumulated by comparing logged times associated with the usage with a predetermined list of peak usage rates.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the report includes billing information related to the data set.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the data management policy includes a costing rate that is used to determine the billing information.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the data set is associated with an owner to which the billing information is directed.
11. A data storage system comprising:
a plurality of storage servers; and
a storage manager operable to provide a user interface to allow an administrator of the data storage system to:
define a data set including a plurality of storage objects;
manage the data set as a single unit according to a data management policy, wherein an action corresponding to the data management policy is directly applied to the data set existing as a unique logical entity in the data storage system, wherein the data set is a singular logical storage unit representation of the plurality of storage objects, the data set enabling storage and management of data across the plurality of storage objects via a singular entity, and wherein the data set includes associated meta data for mapping the data set to each of the plurality of storage objects, wherein the storage objects change in response to changes in relationship between the data management policy and the data set, wherein the data set is instantiated as a unique logical entity in the data storage system with independently attached metadata and includes references to the plurality of storage objects represented by the data set; and
provide a report on the usage over time of the storage objects represented by the data set, wherein the storage objects have differing tiers of charging rates, and wherein the usage of the storage objects by the data set is accumulated in accordance with a tier associated with each storage object that is used by the data set, and wherein the usage of the storage objects by the data set is accumulated by comparing logged times associated with the usage with a predetermined list of peak usage rates.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the report includes billing information related to the data set.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data management policy includes a costing rate that is used to determine the billing information.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the data set is associated with an owner to which the billing information is directed.