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AIT Data Cartridge
Usage Inhibition Standard
If the AIT data cartridge you are using suffers from one of the conditions below, replace it.
• The AIT data cartridge received a strong shock (when falling, for example) and is
damaged. Cartridges damaged this way may be broken or warped, their tape covers
may no longer open and close properly, which may prevent you from ejecting them
from the drive.
• The recording surface is contaminated with liquid (such as soft drinks, coffee, or tea),
detergent, metallic particles, or cigarette ash.
Important
If you insert an AIT data cartridge in such a condition into the Built-In AIT, the read/write head
or the drive itself may be damaged or contaminated, causing a machine failure.
Also, if you insert a new AIT data cartridge into the Built-In AIT whose head is contaminated or
scratched and you do not know about it, the AIT data cartridge may be contaminated or
damaged. In this way, damage is expanding.
Service Life
The service life of the AIT data cartridge varies greatly depending on temperature and
humidity in the operating/storage environment, dust and dirt, and head abrasion condition.
If you use the cartridge once a day, we recommend that you replace it once a year. If you do
not use the data cartridge everyday, we recommend that you replace it once every two
years. If errors occur frequently, replace the AIT data cartridge.
You can judge its service life in the following sequence.
• Assign a management number to a new AIT data cartridge. Enter the number in the AIT
data cartridge label.
• Create the AIT data cartridge management book. Record the date when each AIT data
cartridge is used and estimate how many years and how often each cartridge is used.
• Examine the AIT data cartridge management book and index label regularly. Discard
the cartridges having low reliability, for example, those which generate write/read
errors.
The tape magnetic layer is composed of chemicals and it becomes deteriorated as the time
elapses.
Although the tape service life, which is determined by this deterioration, varies greatly
depending on the tape storage environment (humidity, temperature), the tape is generally
serviceable for about 3 years since you purchase it.
