Saved calculators
Saved calculators
Conversion

Bytes to EB converter

Share calculator

Add our free calculator to your website

Please enter a valid URL. Only HTTPS URLs are supported.
Use as default values for the embed calculator what is currently in input fields of the calculator on the page.
Input border focus color, switchbox checked color, select item hover color etc.
Please agree to the Terms of Use.
Preview

Save calculator

What is a byte?

A byte is the fundamental unit of digital information storage, representing 8 bits. Each bit is a binary digit (0 or 1), so a byte can encode 256 possible values (from 00000000 to 11111111 in binary). Bytes are used to measure file sizes, memory capacity, and data transfer rates. Common multiples include kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), and gigabytes (GB).

What is an exabyte (EB)?

An exabyte (EB) is a unit of digital storage in the International System of Units (SI). It follows a base-10 system, where:

1 EB=1018 bytes=1,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes.1\ \text{EB} = 10^{18}\ \text{bytes} = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000\ \text{bytes}.

Exabytes quantify massive data volumes, such as global internet traffic or cloud storage infrastructure.

What is an exbibyte (EiB)?

An exbibyte (EiB) belongs to the binary system standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It uses base-2 prefixes:

1 EiB=260 bytes=1,152,921,504,606,846,976 bytes.1\ \text{EiB} = 2^{60}\ \text{bytes} = 1,152,921,504,606,846,976\ \text{bytes}.

EiBs are common in computing contexts like RAM or hard drive capacities, where binary addressing is natural.

SI system vs. binary system: key differences

SI (Decimal) System

  • Base: 10.
  • Units: Kilobyte (KB), megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB), terabyte (TB), petabyte (PB), exabyte (EB).
  • Prefixes: Align with metric system conventions (e.g., “kilo” = 1,000).

Binary (IEC) System

  • Base: 2.
  • Units: Kibibyte (KiB), mebibyte (MiB), gibibyte (GiB), tebibyte (TiB), pebibyte (PiB), exbibyte (EiB).
  • Prefixes: Combine metric prefixes with “bi” (short for “binary”).

Why two systems? Storage manufacturers often use SI units (e.g., “1 TB = 1,000 GB”) for simplicity, while operating systems report sizes in binary units (e.g., “1 TiB = 1,024 GiB”). This discrepancy can cause confusion, especially for larger units like EB and EiB.

Formula for conversion

Bytes to exabytes (SI)

Exabytes (EB)=Bytes1018\text{Exabytes (EB)} = \frac{\text{Bytes}}{10^{18}}

Bytes to exbibytes (IEC)

Exbibytes (EiB)=Bytes260\text{Exbibytes (EiB)} = \frac{\text{Bytes}}{2^{60}}

Examples of conversions

Example 1: Converting 5 quintillion bytes to EB and EiB

  • Given: 5×10185 \times 10^{18} bytes.
  • To EB (SI):
5×10181018=5 EB.\frac{5 \times 10^{18}}{10^{18}} = 5\ \text{EB}.
  • To EiB (IEC):
5×1018260≈5×10181.1529215×1018≈4.336 EiB.\frac{5 \times 10^{18}}{2^{60}} \approx \frac{5 \times 10^{18}}{1.1529215 \times 10^{18}} \approx 4.336\ \text{EiB}.

Example 2: Data center storage

A data center holds 9.223372036854775808×10189.223372036854775808 \times 10^{18} bytes.

  • To EiB (IEC):
9.223372036854775808×1018260=8 EiB.\frac{9.223372036854775808 \times 10^{18}}{2^{60}} = 8\ \text{EiB}.
  • To EB (SI):
9.223372036854775808×10181018≈9.223 EB.\frac{9.223372036854775808 \times 10^{18}}{10^{18}} \approx 9.223\ \text{EB}.

Historical context: the evolution of data units

  • 1956: IBM introduced the first hard drive, storing 5 MB (5 million bytes).
  • 1980s: Personal computers used floppy disks (1.44 MB).
  • 1998: IEC standardized binary prefixes (KiB, MiB, etc.) to resolve SI/binary confusion.
  • 2020s: Global data generation exceeds 2.5 EB daily.

Practical applications of data conversion

  1. Cloud storage: Providers like AWS or Google Cloud bill in TB or PB, but internal systems may use TiB or PiB.
  2. Scientific research: CERN’s Large Hadron Collider generates ~1 EB of data annually.
  3. Video streaming: Netflix’s catalog exceeds 3 EB of data, requiring precise storage management.

Notes on data unit conversions

  1. Precision loss: Converting between SI and binary units introduces small errors (e.g., 1 EiB≈1.1529 EB1\ \text{EiB} \approx 1.1529\ \text{EB}).
  2. Marketing vs. reality: A “16 TB” hard drive holds ~14.55 TiB, as manufacturers use SI units.
  3. Software tools: Use calculators like the Bytes to EB Converter to automate conversions.

Frequently asked questions

How many exbibytes are in 10 exabytes?

First, convert exabytes to bytes:

10 EB=10×1018=1019 bytes.10\ \text{EB} = 10 \times 10^{18} = 10^{19}\ \text{bytes}.

Then convert bytes to exbibytes:

1019260≈10191.1529215×1018≈8.673 EiB.\frac{10^{19}}{2^{60}} \approx \frac{10^{19}}{1.1529215 \times 10^{18}} \approx 8.673\ \text{EiB}.

Why do operating systems show less storage than advertised?

A “1 TB” drive is 1×10121 \times 10^{12} bytes in SI units. In binary:

1×1012240≈0.9095 TiB.\frac{1 \times 10^{12}}{2^{40}} \approx 0.9095\ \text{TiB}.

The OS reports ~931 GiB, creating a perceived “loss.”

What is larger: 1 EB or 1 EiB?

Since 1 EiB=2601\ \text{EiB} = 2^{60} bytes and 1 EB=10181\ \text{EB} = 10^{18} bytes:

1 EiB≈1.1529 EB.1\ \text{EiB} \approx 1.1529\ \text{EB}.

Thus, 1 EiB is ~15.29% larger than 1 EB.

How much data does the internet handle daily?

As of 2023, global internet traffic is ~1.2 EB per day. In EiB:

1.2×1018260≈1.04 EiB.\frac{1.2 \times 10^{18}}{2^{60}} \approx 1.04\ \text{EiB}.

How to convert 2.5 EiB to bytes?

Multiply by 2602^{60}:

2.5×260=2.5×1,152,921,504,606,846,976≈2.882×1018 bytes.2.5 \times 2^{60} = 2.5 \times 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 \approx 2.882 \times 10^{18}\ \text{bytes}.

Similar calculators

Privacy policy Terms of use

Report a bug