EB to TB converter

What is an EB to TB converter?

An EB to TB converter is a specialized tool that translates between two units of digital information storage: exabytes (EB) and terabytes (TB). This conversion is essential in data storage, cloud computing, and enterprise IT environments where massive datasets are common. The converter handles conversions within two distinct measurement systems: the SI (decimal) system used by storage manufacturers and the binary (IEC) system used by operating systems. Understanding both systems prevents miscalculations when working with large-scale data storage solutions.

Data storage measurement systems

SI (decimal) system

The International System of Units (SI) uses base-10 calculations where:

• 1 kilobyte (kB) = 10³ bytes = 1,000 bytes
• 1 megabyte (MB) = 10⁶ bytes = 1,000,000 bytes
• 1 gigabyte (GB) = 10⁹ bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes
• 1 terabyte (TB) = 10¹² bytes = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes
• 1 petabyte (PB) = 10¹⁵ bytes = 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
• 1 exabyte (EB) = 10¹⁸ bytes = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes

Binary (IEC) system

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard uses base-2 calculations where:

• 1 kibibyte (KiB) = 2¹⁰ bytes = 1,024 bytes
• 1 mebibyte (MiB) = 2²⁰ bytes = 1,048,576 bytes
• 1 gibibyte (GiB) = 2³⁰ bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes
• 1 tebibyte (TiB) = 2⁴⁰ bytes = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes
• 1 pebibyte (PiB) = 2⁵⁰ bytes = 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes
• 1 exbibyte (EiB) = 2⁶⁰ bytes = 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 bytes

Conversion formulas

SI system conversion

$\text{TB} = \text{EB} \times 1{,}000{,}000$ This formula works because 1 EB = 10¹⁸ bytes and 1 TB = 10¹² bytes, so: $\frac{10^{18}}{10^{12}} = 10^{6} = 1{,}000{,}000$

Binary system conversion

$\text{TiB} = \text{EiB} \times 1{,}024$ This formula works because 1 EiB = 2⁶⁰ bytes and 1 TiB = 2⁴⁰ bytes, so: $\frac{2^{60}}{2^{40}} = 2^{20} = 1{,}048{,}576 \div 1{,}024 = 1{,}024$

Cross-system conversions

To convert between SI and binary systems: $\text{TiB} = \text{EB} \times \frac{10^{18}}{2^{40}}$ $\text{EB} = \text{EiB} \times \frac{2^{60}}{10^{18}}$

Practical conversion examples

Cloud storage scenario

A cloud provider advertises 5 EB of available storage. Using SI units: $5 \text{ EB} \times 1{,}000{,}000 = 5{,}000{,}000 \text{ TB}$ However, when the operating system reads this storage using binary units, it shows: $5 \text{ EB} \times \frac{10^{18}}{2^{40}} = 5 \times 909{,}494{.}70 \approx 4{,}547{,}473{.}50 \text{ TiB}$

Data center migration

A company needs to transfer 2.5 EiB of archived data to new servers. In TiB: $2{.}5 \text{ EiB} \times 1{,}024 = 2{,}560 \text{ TiB}$ To understand the equivalent in SI units for purchasing storage hardware: $2{.}5 \text{ EiB} \times \frac{2^{60}}{10^{18}} = 2{.}5 \times 1{.}1529215 \approx 2{.}882 \text{ EB}$

Historical context of storage measurement

The discrepancy between measurement systems dates back to the 1950s when computer engineers began using 1,024 instead of 1,000 for practical binary-based calculations. This dual system persisted until 1998 when the IEC standardized binary prefixes (kibi, mebi, gibi) to eliminate confusion. Despite this, storage manufacturers continue using decimal units for marketing, while operating systems use binary units for allocation, creating a persistent conversion need.

Practical applications of EB to TB conversion

When designing a storage array for AI training datasets:

• Raw data requirement: 3.8 EB (SI)
• Storage hardware needed: 3,800,000 TB
• Actual usable space in OS: ≈3,456,000 TiB
• Planning must account for 9.5% “loss” due to measurement differences

Factors affecting storage calculations

• File system overhead: NTFS and ext4 add 2-5% metadata
• RAID configurations: Parity data reduces usable space
• Formatting: Block size allocation creates hidden gaps
• Manufacturer specifications: Always use SI units (1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes)

Frequently asked questions

How many TB in a EB?

In the SI (decimal) system: $1 \text{ EB} = 1{,}000{,}000 \text{ TB}$ In practical terms when considering binary units used by operating systems: $1 \text{ EB} = 909{,}494{.}70 \text{ TiB}$

Why does my 1 EB storage array show less capacity?

Storage manufacturers use SI units (1 EB = 10¹⁸ bytes), while operating systems use binary units where 1 EiB = 2⁶⁰ bytes. This creates an apparent 15.3% difference: $\frac{2^{60} - 10^{18}}{10^{18}} \times 100 \approx 15{.}3\%$

How to convert 0.75 EB to TiB?

Use cross-system conversion: $0{.}75 \text{ EB} \times \frac{10^{18}}{2^{40}} = 0{.}75 \times 909{,}494{.}70177 \approx 682{,}121 \text{ TiB}$

Are exabytes used in real-world applications?

Major tech companies regularly manage exabyte-scale data:

• Facebook’s data warehouse exceeds 3 EB
• YouTube processes 1.2 EB monthly
• CERN’s particle physics archive exceeds 0.5 EB annually

What comes after exabyte?

The storage hierarchy continues:

• 1 zettabyte (ZB) = 1,000 EB (SI)
• 1 zebibyte (ZiB) = 1,024 EiB (binary)
• 1 yottabyte (YB) = 1,000 ZB
• 1 yobibyte (YiB) = 1,024 ZiB