Patent ID: 6988086

Claim:
A method comprising: registering document distribution services of a plurality of document distribution providers, the document distribution services including print services, electronic mail services, and publishing services; identifying at least one resource of the document distribution providers for performing each of the document distribution services, including defining at least one attribute of the at least one resource; distributing documents with the document distribution services, including receiving and processing document distribution requests each specifying at least one of the document distribution services; and monitoring an availability of the at least one resource for each of the document distribution services, including recording a real-time status and a historical status of the at least one attribute of the at least one resource, wherein identifying the at least one resource includes identifying at least one printer which provides the print services, wherein defining the at least one attribute includes defining at least one printer attribute of the at least one printer, and wherein recording the real-time status and the historical status includes recording at least one of a quantity level of print medium, a status of a print media path, a quantity level of marking material, and a status of an input/output connection of the at least one printer.