accepting input defining a mote-appropriate network task;
searching at least one mote-addressed content index in response to said accepted input; and
presenting an indication of motes appropriate to the mote-appropriate network task,
wherein searching at least one mote-addressed content index in response to said accepted input comprises successively searching a time series of a federated index for motes capable of gathering a defined type of information related to the specified mote-appropriate network task, the federated index having at least one first-administered content index and at least one second-administered content index.