1. A method of providing end-to-end water quality control from a water system operator to a point of delivery proximate a consumer, comprising:
treating the water;
delivering the water to the consumer at the point of delivery;
filtering and purifying the water at the point of delivery;
monitoring water quality at the point of delivery;
reporting water quality at the point of delivery to the water system operator over a network.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of filtering and purifying the water is performed using a water filterpurifier.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the water filterpurifier comprises a housing, a replaceable water filterpurifier cartridge disposed within the housing, and at least one water quality sensor disposed within the water filterpurifier for monitoring the water quality.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the water filterpurifier comprises a housing, a replaceable water filterpurifier cartridge disposed within the housing, and at least one sensor disposed within the water filterpurifier for monitoring the non-water quality parameters.
5. The method of claim 2 further comprising monitoring water usage of the consumer and reporting the water usage to the water system operator over the network.
6. The method of claim 3 further comprising estimating when the cartridge needs replacement based on water quality sensor data.
7. The method of claim 3 further comprising estimating when the cartridge needs replacement based on meter reading data.
8. The method of claim 3 further comprising estimating when the cartridge needs replacement based on sensor data.
9. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending a replacement cartridge to the consumer prior to when the cartridge needs replacement.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of delivering includes delivering the water through a water meter associated with the consumer to the point of delivery.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of delivering includes delivering into a building associated with the consumer.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of delivering includes delivering to a water fixture associated with the consumer.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the water fixture is selected from a set comprising a tap, a faucet, a hydrant, a spigot, a spout, a valve, and a bib.
14. The method of claim 1 further comprising stopping supply of the water to a water fixture at the point of delivery if the water quality at the point of delivery is below a threshold.
15. A method of providing end-to-end water quality control from a water system operator to a point of delivery proximate a consumer, comprising:
treating the water;
delivering the water to the consumer at the point of delivery;
filtering and purifying the water at the point of delivery;
monitoring water quality at the point of delivery;
reporting water quality at the point of delivery to the water system operator over a network;
stopping supply of the water at the point of delivery if the water quality is below a threshold;
providing a promise from the water system operator to the consumer that the water quality is above the threshold.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising billing the consumer.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the water quality is based at least in part on a concentration of one or more contaminants.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of filtering and purifying the water is performed using a water filterpurifier cartridge.
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising monitoring water usage of the consumer and reporting the water usage to the water system operator over the network.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising estimating when the cartridge needs replacement.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising sending a replacement cartridge to the consumer prior to when the cartridge needs replacement.
22. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of delivering includes delivering the water through a water meter associated with the consumer to the point of delivery.
23. The method of claim 15 further comprising stopping supply of the water to a water fixture at the point of delivery if the water quality at the point of delivery is below a threshold.
24. A method of providing end-to-end water quality control from a water system operator to a point of delivery proximate a consumer, comprising:
treating the water;
delivering the water to the consumer at the point of delivery;
filtering and purifying the water at the point of delivery;
monitoring the total volume of water passing the point of delivery;
reporting the total volume of water passing the point of delivery to the water system operator over a network;
stopping supply of the water at the point of delivery if the total water volume is above a threshold;
providing a promise from the water system operator to the consumer that the total volume of water is below the threshold.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claims which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for performing a storage operation using at least two storage devices, the method comprising:
receiving a request to perform a storage operation;
determining a storage characteristic related to performing the requested storage operation;
detecting, among a plurality of storage devices, a first storage device and a second storage device satisfying the storage characteristic;
associating the first storage device and the second storage device with a virtual library; and
performing the storage operation using the virtual library.
2. (canceled)
3. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the first storage device and the second storage device with a virtual library comprises storing data indicating an association of the first and second storage device with the virtual library in an index.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the virtual library.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
detecting a third storage device among the plurality of storage devices, the third storage device satisfying the storage characteristic;
disassociating the first storage device with the virtual library; and
associating the third storage device with the virtual library.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a first value of a storage characteristic of the first storage device, the first storage device being associated in the virtual library;
detecting a change in the storage characteristic of the first storage device; wherein the change in the storage characteristic of the first storage device causes the first storage device to not satisfy a storage characteristic threshold
identifying a third storage device having a storage characteristic satisfying the storage characteristic threshold;
disassociating the first storage device from the virtual library; and
associating the third storage device in the virtual library.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein detecting a change in the storage characteristic of the first storage device comprises examining the first storage device prior to receiving the request to perform the storage operation.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein disassociating the first storage device from the virtual library comprises updating an index with data indicating a disassociation of the first storage device with the virtual library; and wherein associating the third storage device in the virtual library comprises updating the index with data indicating an association of the third storage device with the virtual library.
9.-15. (canceled)
16. A method for storing data using a virtual library, the method comprising:
receiving a request to perform a data storage operation;
selecting a virtual library of at least two associated storage devices capable of performing the data storage operation; and
performing the data storage operation using the virtual library.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least two associated storage devices are associated by storing data indicating an association of the at least two associated storage devices in an index.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein selecting the virtual library comprises:
receiving a storage characteristic relating to the requested data storage operation; and
detecting that the at least two storage devices have a storage characteristic that matches the received storage characteristic.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the request to perform a data storage operation includes a data identifier; and selecting the virtual library comprises consulting an index to determine the virtual library associated with the data identifier.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the virtual library associated with the data identifier is a current virtual library configuration.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the virtual library associated with the data identifier is a previous virtual library configuration.
22. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
detecting that a given one of the at least two storage devices becomes incapable of performing the data storage operation;
disassociating the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library; and
associating a third storage device capable of performing the storage operation with the virtual library.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein disassociating the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library comprises storing data in an index indicating a disassociation of the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library and storing data in an index indicating a previous configuration of the virtual library.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein associating a third storage device capable of performing the storage operation with the virtual library comprises storing data in an index indicating an association of the third storage device with the virtual library and storing data in an index indicating a current configuration of the virtual library.
25. The method of claim 22 further comprising consulting the index to identify the current configuration of the virtual library for performing the storage operation.
26. A virtual library for performing a storage operation, the virtual library comprising:
at least two storage devices, the at least two storage devices having a common storage characteristic for performing a storage operation;
a media management component communicatively coupled to the at least two storage devices, a storage manager and an index, wherein:
the media management component is programmed to coordinate performing the storage operation in the virtual library; and
the index comprises data indicating an association of the at least two devices with the virtual library.
27. The virtual library of claim 26 wherein the media management component is further programmed to maintain the virtual library.
28. The virtual library of claim 26 wherein the media management component is further programmed to detect a change in the common storage characteristic of a given one of the at least two storage devices; disassociate the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library; and associate a third storage device with the virtual library.
29. A computer readable storage medium including computer executable code for a method for performing a storage operation using at least two storage devices, the method comprising:
receiving a request to perform a storage operation;
determining a storage characteristic related to performing the storage operation;
detecting, among a plurality of storage devices, a first storage device and a second storage device satisfying the storage characteristic;
associating the first storage device and the second storage device with a virtual library; and
performing the storage operation using the virtual library.
30.-41. (canceled)