Systems and methods of media management, such as management of media to and from a media storage library, including removable media

1. A method for generating an identifier for identifying a removable storage device, the method comprising:

automatically identifying one or more characteristics of the removable storage device, wherein the removable storage device does not contain an electronic serial number provided by a manufacturer of the removable storage device or the electronic serial number is not used as a characteristic for the removable storage device;

selecting one or more characteristics for the removable storage device that are substantially unique with respect to multiple other removable storage devices;

automatically generating a substantially unique identifier for the removable storage device based at least in part on the selected characteristics, such that the identifier is substantially unique; and

storing the identifier within the removable storage device such that the removable storage device can be automatically recognized when the removable storage device is detected by a computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a user-provided unique identifier for the removable storage device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises creating a hash including a device model identifier and a seed value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises identifying the owner of the removable storage device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises identifying a department associated with the removable storage device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises at least in part identifying a MAC address of a computing device used to generate the identifier for the removable storage device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises at least in part identifying a computing device on which the removable storage device was first accessed.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises at least in part identifying a time at which the removable storage device was first used.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises at least in part identifying the location and number of bad blocks on the removable storage device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an identifier comprises at least in part identifying deactivated semiconductor memory subcomponents of the removable storage device.

11. A system for identifying a removable storage device, the system comprising:

a characteristic identification component configured to identify one or more characteristics of the removable storage device, wherein the removable storage device does not contain an electronic serial number when manufactured or does contain an electronic serial number, but wherein the electronic serial number is not used as a characteristic for the removable storage device;

a characteristic selection component configured to select characteristics, of which one or more are substantially unique for the removable storage device;

an identifier generation component configured to generate a substantially unique identifier for the removable storage device based at least in part on the selected characteristics, such that the identifier is substantially unique,

wherein the identifier for the removable storage device is not a digital picture of the removable storage device, and

wherein the identifier for the removable storage device is not fixed to packaging of the removable storage device; and

an identifier association component configured to store the identifier within the removable storage device such that the removable storage device can be automatically recognized when the removable storage device is coupled to a computing device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the identifier generation component identifies at least a location and number of bad memory blocks or segments on the removable storage device to generate the substantially unique identifier.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the identifier generation component identifies defective or replaced semiconductor memory subcomponents of the removable storage device to generate an identifier.

14. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to generate an identifier for identifying a removable storage device, by a method comprising:

automatically identifying one or more characteristics of the removable storage device, wherein the removable storage device does not contain an electronic serial number when it leaves a manufacturer, or does contain an electronic serial number, but wherein the electronic serial number is not used as an identifier for the removable storage device;

selecting one or more characteristics for the removable storage device;

automatically generating an identifier for the removable storage device based at least in part on the selected characteristics, such that the identifier is substantially unique; and

storing the identifier within the removable storage device such that the removable storage device can be automatically recognized when the removable storage device is detected by a computing device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the removable storage device is a universal serial bus (USB) disk drive, and wherein associating the identifier with the removable storage device comprises storing the generated identifier on the removable storage device.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the removable storage device is a magnetic disk drive, and wherein the identifying comprises identifying bad sectors or portions on the magnetic disk drive.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the removable storage device is a semiconductor memory drive, and wherein the identifying comprises identifying bad memory cells, enabled redundant memory cells, or both.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein generating the identifier for the removable storage device includes performing a hashing function.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein generating the identifier for the removable storage device includes algorithmically combining one or more identified locations or addresses of defects of the device with known data to generate the identifier.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein generating the identifier for the removable storage device comprises determining the capacity of the removable storage device.

21. A tangible, removable computer-readable storage device for use with a computing device, the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device comprising:

one or more physical characteristics of the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device; and

an identifier stored within the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device, wherein the identifier is based at least in part on the one or more physical characteristics of the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device,

wherein the identifier is substantially unique,

wherein the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device can be automatically recognized when the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device is electronically coupled to the computing device, and,

wherein the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device does not contain an electronic serial number when manufactured, or does contain an electronic serial number but the electronic serial number is not used as the identifier for the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device.

22. The tangible, removable computer-readable storage device of claim 21 wherein the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device includes a magnetic disk drive, and wherein the one or more physical characteristics include one or more bad sectors or portions on a magnetic disk.

23. The tangible, removable computer-readable storage device of claim 21 wherein the tangible, removable computer-readable storage device includes a semiconductor memory device, and wherein the one or more physical characteristics include one or more bad memory cells, enabled redundant memory cells, or both.