diff --git a/ceilometer/agent.py b/ceilometer/agent.py
index bc215fb83..cc1588b20 100644
--- a/ceilometer/agent.py
+++ b/ceilometer/agent.py
@@ -93,5 +93,6 @@ class AgentManager(object):
                                       self.interval_task,
                                       task=task)
 
-    def interval_task(self, task):
+    @staticmethod
+    def interval_task(task):
         task.poll_and_publish()
diff --git a/ceilometer/collector/service.py b/ceilometer/collector/service.py
index ddbbe8659..900c49a1b 100644
--- a/ceilometer/collector/service.py
+++ b/ceilometer/collector/service.py
@@ -54,18 +54,12 @@ cfg.CONF.register_opts(OPTS, group="collector")
 LOG = log.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def get_storage_connection(conf):
-    storage.register_opts(conf)
-    storage_engine = storage.get_engine(conf)
-    return storage_engine.get_connection(conf)
-
-
 class UDPCollectorService(os_service.Service):
     """UDP listener for the collector service."""
 
     def __init__(self):
         super(UDPCollectorService, self).__init__()
-        self.storage_conn = get_storage_connection(cfg.CONF)
+        self.storage_conn = storage.get_connection(cfg.CONF)
 
     def start(self):
         """Bind the UDP socket and handle incoming data."""
@@ -113,7 +107,7 @@ class CollectorService(rpc_service.Service):
 
     def __init__(self, host, topic, manager=None):
         super(CollectorService, self).__init__(host, topic, manager)
-        self.storage_conn = get_storage_connection(cfg.CONF)
+        self.storage_conn = storage.get_connection(cfg.CONF)
 
     def start(self):
         super(CollectorService, self).start()
diff --git a/ceilometer/plugin.py b/ceilometer/plugin.py
index c0021c840..8e0267019 100644
--- a/ceilometer/plugin.py
+++ b/ceilometer/plugin.py
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ class PluginBase(object):
     """Base class for all plugins.
     """
 
-    def is_enabled(self):
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_enabled():
         """Return boolean indicating whether this plugin should
         be enabled and used by the caller.
         """
@@ -47,9 +48,6 @@ class NotificationBase(PluginBase):
 
     __metaclass__ = abc.ABCMeta
 
-    def is_enabled(self):
-        return True
-
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def get_event_types(self):
         """Return a sequence of strings defining the event types to be
diff --git a/ceilometer/service.py b/ceilometer/service.py
index 85e268a32..65d67fa0d 100644
--- a/ceilometer/service.py
+++ b/ceilometer/service.py
@@ -69,12 +69,6 @@ CLI_OPTIONS = [
 cfg.CONF.register_cli_opts(CLI_OPTIONS, group="service_credentials")
 
 
-def _sanitize_cmd_line(argv):
-    """Remove non-nova CLI options from argv."""
-    cli_opt_names = ['--%s' % o.name for o in CLI_OPTIONS]
-    return [a for a in argv if a in cli_opt_names]
-
-
 def prepare_service(argv=None):
     eventlet.monkey_patch()
     gettextutils.install('ceilometer')
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/impl_hbase.py b/ceilometer/storage/impl_hbase.py
index d59b0c04a..1a76c68af 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/impl_hbase.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/impl_hbase.py
@@ -621,7 +621,8 @@ class MTable(object):
         for k in sorted(rows):
             yield k, rows[k]
 
-    def SingleColumnValueFilter(self, args, rows):
+    @staticmethod
+    def SingleColumnValueFilter(args, rows):
         """This method is called from scan() when 'SingleColumnValueFilter'
         is found in the 'filter' argument
         """
@@ -659,7 +660,6 @@ class MConnection(object):
 
     def open(self):
         LOG.debug("Opening in-memory HBase connection")
-        return
 
     def create_table(self, n, families={}):
         if n in self.tables:
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/impl_log.py b/ceilometer/storage/impl_log.py
index bd88617f4..418b0f6af 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/impl_log.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/impl_log.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, conf):
-        return
+        pass
 
     def upgrade(self, version=None):
         pass
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/impl_mongodb.py b/ceilometer/storage/impl_mongodb.py
index 38f040dea..8b965a5b3 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/impl_mongodb.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/impl_mongodb.py
@@ -248,7 +248,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
                 ('source', pymongo.ASCENDING),
             ], name='meter_idx')
 
-    def upgrade(self, version=None):
+    @staticmethod
+    def upgrade(version=None):
         pass
 
     def clear(self):
@@ -260,7 +261,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
         else:
             self.conn.drop_database(self.db)
 
-    def _parse_connection_url(self, url):
+    @staticmethod
+    def _parse_connection_url(url):
         opts = {}
         result = urlparse.urlparse(url)
         opts['dbtype'] = result.scheme
@@ -556,14 +558,16 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
         """
         self.db.alarm.remove({'alarm_id': alarm_id})
 
-    def record_events(self, events):
+    @staticmethod
+    def record_events(events):
         """Write the events.
 
         :param events: a list of model.Event objects.
         """
         raise NotImplementedError('Events not implemented.')
 
-    def get_events(self, event_filter):
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_events(event_filter):
         """Return an iterable of model.Event objects.
 
         :param event_filter: EventFilter instance
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py b/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
index 91c1e04c3..8087cce63 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
         for table in reversed(Base.metadata.sorted_tables):
             engine.execute(table.delete())
 
-    def record_metering_data(self, data):
+    @staticmethod
+    def record_metering_data(data):
         """Write the data to the backend storage system.
 
         :param data: a dictionary such as returned by
@@ -212,7 +213,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
             meter.message_id = data['message_id']
             session.flush()
 
-    def get_users(self, source=None):
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_users(source=None):
         """Return an iterable of user id strings.
 
         :param source: Optional source filter.
@@ -223,7 +225,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
             query = query.filter(User.sources.any(id=source))
         return (x[0] for x in query.all())
 
-    def get_projects(self, source=None):
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_projects(source=None):
         """Return an iterable of project id strings.
 
         :param source: Optional source filter.
@@ -234,7 +237,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
             query = query.filter(Project.sources.any(id=source))
         return (x[0] for x in query.all())
 
-    def get_resources(self, user=None, project=None, source=None,
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_resources(user=None, project=None, source=None,
                       start_timestamp=None, end_timestamp=None,
                       metaquery={}, resource=None):
         """Return an iterable of api_models.Resource instances
@@ -281,7 +285,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
                 ],
             )
 
-    def get_meters(self, user=None, project=None, resource=None, source=None,
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_meters(user=None, project=None, resource=None, source=None,
                    metaquery={}):
         """Return an iterable of api_models.Meter instances
 
@@ -322,7 +327,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
                     user_id=resource.user_id,
                 )
 
-    def get_samples(self, sample_filter, limit=None):
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_samples(sample_filter, limit=None):
         """Return an iterable of api_models.Samples.
 
         :param sample_filter: Filter.
@@ -361,7 +367,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
                 message_signature=s.message_signature,
             )
 
-    def _make_volume_query(self, sample_filter, counter_volume_func):
+    @staticmethod
+    def _make_volume_query(sample_filter, counter_volume_func):
         """Returns complex Meter counter_volume query for max and sum."""
         session = sqlalchemy_session.get_session()
         subq = session.query(Meter.id)
@@ -371,7 +378,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
         mainq = mainq.join(Meter).group_by(Resource.id)
         return mainq.filter(Meter.id.in_(subq))
 
-    def _make_stats_query(self, sample_filter):
+    @staticmethod
+    def _make_stats_query(sample_filter):
         session = sqlalchemy_session.get_session()
         query = session.query(
             func.min(Meter.timestamp).label('tsmin'),
@@ -440,7 +448,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
                     period_end=period_end,
                 )
 
-    def _row_to_alarm_model(self, row):
+    @staticmethod
+    def _row_to_alarm_model(row):
         return api_models.Alarm(alarm_id=row.id,
                                 enabled=row.enabled,
                                 name=row.name,
@@ -462,7 +471,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
                                 row.insufficient_data_actions,
                                 matching_metadata=row.matching_metadata)
 
-    def _alarm_model_to_row(self, alarm, row=None):
+    @staticmethod
+    def _alarm_model_to_row(alarm, row=None):
         if row is None:
             row = Alarm(id=str(uuid.uuid1()))
         row.update(alarm.as_dict())
@@ -511,7 +521,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
             session.flush()
         return self._row_to_alarm_model(alarm_row)
 
-    def delete_alarm(self, alarm_id):
+    @staticmethod
+    def delete_alarm(alarm_id):
         """Delete a alarm
 
         :param alarm_id: ID of the alarm to delete
@@ -521,7 +532,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
             session.query(Alarm).filter(Alarm.id == alarm_id).delete()
             session.flush()
 
-    def _get_unique(self, session, key):
+    @staticmethod
+    def _get_unique(session, key):
         return session.query(UniqueName).filter(UniqueName.key == key).first()
 
     def _get_or_create_unique_name(self, key, session=None):
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/db.py b/ceilometer/tests/db.py
index 2e62ab7ee..c8d819174 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/db.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/db.py
@@ -26,17 +26,7 @@ from ceilometer import storage
 from ceilometer.tests import base as test_base
 
 
-class BaseException(Exception):
-    """A base exception for avoiding false positives."""
-
-
 class TestBase(test_base.TestCase):
-
-    # Default tests use mongodb://__test__ (MIM)
-    # TODO(jd) remove it, so we're sure we run test on the backend we want,
-    # not this default one by mistake
-    database_connection = 'mongodb://__test__'
-
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestBase, self).setUp()
         cfg.CONF.set_override('connection', self.database_connection,
diff --git a/ceilometer/utils.py b/ceilometer/utils.py
index c50017844..bf87c1441 100644
--- a/ceilometer/utils.py
+++ b/ceilometer/utils.py
@@ -23,31 +23,10 @@
 import calendar
 import datetime
 import decimal
-import os
 
 from ceilometer.openstack.common import timeutils
 
 
-def read_cached_file(filename, cache_info, reload_func=None):
-    """Read from a file if it has been modified.
-
-    :param cache_info: dictionary to hold opaque cache.
-    :param reload_func: optional function to be called with data when
-                        file is reloaded due to a modification.
-
-    :returns: data from file
-
-    """
-    mtime = os.path.getmtime(filename)
-    if not cache_info or mtime != cache_info.get('mtime'):
-        with open(filename) as fap:
-            cache_info['data'] = fap.read()
-        cache_info['mtime'] = mtime
-        if reload_func:
-            reload_func(cache_info['data'])
-    return cache_info['data']
-
-
 def recursive_keypairs(d):
     """Generator that produces sequence of keypairs for nested dictionaries.
     """
diff --git a/tests/api/v2/base.py b/tests/api/v2/base.py
index 0eaeca4bd..7ea43eaa0 100644
--- a/tests/api/v2/base.py
+++ b/tests/api/v2/base.py
@@ -21,4 +21,6 @@ from ceilometer.tests import api
 
 class FunctionalTest(api.FunctionalTest):
 
+    database_connection = 'mongodb://__test__'
+
     PATH_PREFIX = '/v2'
diff --git a/tests/central/test_manager.py b/tests/central/test_manager.py
index 7143a1b39..e0c314473 100644
--- a/tests/central/test_manager.py
+++ b/tests/central/test_manager.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ from tests import agentbase
 def test_load_plugins():
     mgr = manager.AgentManager()
     assert list(mgr.pollster_manager), 'Failed to load any plugins'
-    return
 
 
 class TestRunTasks(agentbase.BaseAgentManagerTestCase):
diff --git a/tests/compute/test_manager.py b/tests/compute/test_manager.py
index 314a149b7..ca2e2f54a 100644
--- a/tests/compute/test_manager.py
+++ b/tests/compute/test_manager.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ from tests import agentbase
 def test_load_plugins():
     mgr = manager.AgentManager()
     assert list(mgr.pollster_manager), 'Failed to load any plugins'
-    return
 
 
 class TestRunTasks(agentbase.BaseAgentManagerTestCase):
diff --git a/tests/test_tools_notificationclient.py b/tests/test_tools_notificationclient.py
index 4eda0a7d4..a164698a7 100644
--- a/tests/test_tools_notificationclient.py
+++ b/tests/test_tools_notificationclient.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ def test_send_messages():
     mox.Replay(conn)
     notificationclient.send_messages(conn, 'notifications.info', input)
     mox.Verify(conn)
-    return
 
 
 def test_record_messages():
@@ -37,4 +36,3 @@ def test_record_messages():
     mox.Replay(conn)
     notificationclient.record_messages(conn, 'notifications.info', StringIO())
     mox.Verify(conn)
-    return