The HP Q1996A is a cleaning tape specifically for use with AIT (Advanced Intelligent Tape) drives. Specifically, the HP Q1996A has been designed for use with AIT-1, AIT-2 and AIT-3 tape drives and autoloaders. This Q1996A HP cleaning tape can be used for up to 70 cleanings. To keep your AIT drive running at peak performance, you will need to use a cleaning cartridge specifically designed for AIT drives, like the HP Q1996A, to clean the read and write heads of your AIT drive. This will enable you to maintain the efficiency and ensure that your AIT drive lasts as long as it was meant to. Recommended use for cleaning cartridges such as the Q1996A is when the cleaning lamp/light/LED is on.