The Cougar approach introduces a method for tasking sensor networks through declarative queries, enabling efficient in-network query processing. Sensor networks consist of numerous sensor nodes with limited resources, including power, computation, and memory. Traditional approaches rely on centralized systems, which are inefficient due to high communication costs and limited battery life. The Cougar approach allows users to issue declarative queries, which are optimized to reduce resource usage and extend network lifetime. The system includes a query proxy on each sensor node, which interacts with the routing and application layers. The query optimizer generates an efficient query plan based on the catalog and query specification, enabling in-network processing that reduces energy consumption and improves network lifetime. The paper discusses the architecture of a sensor data management system, the properties of sensor networks, and the challenges in in-network query processing. It also outlines open research problems, including aggregation, query languages, query optimization, catalog management, and multi-query optimization. The paper highlights the importance of adapting existing techniques from distributed and heterogeneous database systems for sensor networks, while addressing the unique challenges of sensor networks, such as limited power, communication constraints, and data uncertainty. The Cougar project aims to develop a prototype for sensor data management, focusing on in-network aggregation, query processing integration with routing, and a probabilistic data model for sensor data. The paper concludes that the database community has the expertise to address the challenges of sensor network tasking and data management.The Cougar approach introduces a method for tasking sensor networks through declarative queries, enabling efficient in-network query processing. Sensor networks consist of numerous sensor nodes with limited resources, including power, computation, and memory. Traditional approaches rely on centralized systems, which are inefficient due to high communication costs and limited battery life. The Cougar approach allows users to issue declarative queries, which are optimized to reduce resource usage and extend network lifetime. The system includes a query proxy on each sensor node, which interacts with the routing and application layers. The query optimizer generates an efficient query plan based on the catalog and query specification, enabling in-network processing that reduces energy consumption and improves network lifetime. The paper discusses the architecture of a sensor data management system, the properties of sensor networks, and the challenges in in-network query processing. It also outlines open research problems, including aggregation, query languages, query optimization, catalog management, and multi-query optimization. The paper highlights the importance of adapting existing techniques from distributed and heterogeneous database systems for sensor networks, while addressing the unique challenges of sensor networks, such as limited power, communication constraints, and data uncertainty. The Cougar project aims to develop a prototype for sensor data management, focusing on in-network aggregation, query processing integration with routing, and a probabilistic data model for sensor data. The paper concludes that the database community has the expertise to address the challenges of sensor network tasking and data management.