Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Exabyte ?
- An exabyte is composed of multiple bytes, which are used to store digital information and represent data size. Each byte consists of 8 bits, with a bit being the smallest unit of data that can be either ‘0’ or ‘1’. The abbreviation ‘EB’ is commonly used to denote an exabyte and it’s often referred to as Ebyte for short.
- To break it down further, bytes are the fundamental units of digital storage within an exabyte. Each byte is comprised of 8 individual bits, which are binary digits representing either a 1 or a 0.
- In accordance with the International System of Units (SI), “exa” signifies a multiplication by the sixth power of 1000 or (1018).
- Put simply, 1 exabyte (EB) equals 1018 bytes, which is equivalent to 1 sextillion bytes or 1 quintillion petabytes. To provide some perspective on these massive numbers, we have created an infographic for reference.
- When we use the term “exabyte,” the prefix “exa” indicates multiplying by the sixth power of 1000.An exabyte can be represented by the following values;
- 1018 bytes
- 10006 bytes
- 1000 petabytes
- 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 quintillion) Bytes
- 1 billion gigabytes
- 1 million terabytes
- 1,000,000 terabytes
- Furthermore, it’s worth noting that 1000 exabytes (EB) is equivalent to 1 zettabyte (ZB). Exabytes are a unit of measurement slightly smaller than exbibytes. Exbibytes consist of 260 bytes.
- The purpose of using exabytes as a unit is to measure the total capacity of multiple storage networks or quantify the amount of data transferred over the internet within a specific time frame.
- Types of exabyte
- Imagine a gigantic library filled with an endless number of books, each containing valuable information. This library is like a massive shelf that enables people to easily access stories and knowledge whenever they desire.
- Now picture a superhero with extraordinary abilities who can remember and organize every single detail of a bustling city. This superhero’s memory is like an immense storage system, capable of holding all the essential information about the city, including its buildings, residents and everything in between.
- This approach allows children to grasp the concept of storing vast amounts of data in a way that feels relatable and captivating.
- History of the conflicting definitions
- Modern computer memory follows a binary architecture, which means that defining memory units based on powers of 2 is the most practical approach. The use of the metric prefix “kilo” to represent binary multiples emerged as a convenient choice because 1,024 is approximately equal to 1,000. This definition was commonly used during the early years of personal computing. For instance, products like the Tandon 5¼ inch DD floppy format, which could hold 368,640 bytes, were often advertised as “360 KB” following the convention of using 1,024 bytes. However, it’s important to note that this convention was not universally adopted.The Shugart SA 400 floppy disk, which was 5 ¼ inches in size, had an unformatted capacity of 109,375 bytes. It was marketed as “110 Kbyte” using the 1000 convention. Similarly, the DEC RX01 floppy disk (8 inch) from 1975 could hold 256,256 formatted bytes and was advertised as “256k”. Some disks were promoted using a combination of both conventions. For example, the 3½ inch HD disks were advertised as “1.44 MB,” but their actual capacity was 1,440 KiB, which is equivalent to approximately 1.47 MB or 1.41 MiB.
- In an effort to resolve this ambiguity, the Interdivisional Committee on Nomenclature and Symbols of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) proposed binary prefixes for powers of 1024 in 1995. These included kibi (kilobinary), mebi (megabinary), gibi (gigabinary), among others.
- To address the confusion arising from multiple usages and definitions, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) adopted the IUPAC’s proposed prefixes in December 1998. This allowed for clear indication of powers of 1024 without any ambiguity. Therefore, one kibibyte (1 KiB) equals exactly 1024 bytes; one mebibyte (1 MiB) equals precisely
- 1,048,576 bytes; and so on.
- In a different context in 1999, Donald Knuth suggested referring to a kibibyte as a “large kilobyte” (KKB).
- Use of Exabyte
- Super Storage; Computers rely on exabytes of storage capacity to securely store an immense volume of crucial information, including countless pictures and videos.
- Big Backup; This massive storage capability ensures the safety and preservation of all our valuable possessions, much like how we safeguard our cherished toys inside a sturdy, spacious container.
- Lots of Learning; Thanks to their ability to accommodate exabytes, computers have the capacity to house a vast wealth of knowledge, encompassing captivating stories, fascinating facts and even the entertaining games that bring us joy.
- Understanding the role of exabytes in computer storage allows us to appreciate how they contribute to storing and preserving the multitude of incredible experiences we enjoy through our computers!
- Conclusion
- Additional FAQ
- 1.What is a real life example of an exabyte?
- Instances of Data Volumes
- Unit Amount Example
- Exabytes (EB) 1,000 Petabytes Around one fifth of all the words spoken by humanity
- Zettabytes (ZB) 1,000 Exabytes The same amount of information as the grains of sand on all the beaches in the world
- Yottabytes (YB) 1,000 Zettabytes The equivalent information found in 7,000 human bodies at the atomic level
- 2.What do petabytes and exabytes mean?
- A petabyte represents a measure of memory or data storage capacity equal to 2 raised to the power of 50 bytes. There are 1,024 terabytes (TB) in a petabyte and approximately 1,024 PB make up one exabyte.
- 3.What is the abbreviation for exabyte?
- The abbreviation for exabyte is EB in both the metric system (equal to 1 quintillion bytes) and the binary system (equal to 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 bytes). Some groups have suggested using “exbibyte” as a unit representing precisely 1,152,921,504,606A petabyte is the equivalent of 1,000 terabytes and comes before the exabyte in terms of measuring memory. A petabyte is equal to 10^15 or 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes and is commonly abbreviated as “PB”. It’s important to note that a petabyte is smaller than a pebibyte, which consists of precisely 1,125,899,906,842,624 (2^50) bytes.
Introduction
Hey there, curious folks! Today, let’s dive deep into the captivating realm of “exabyte” in computer fundamentals! Imagine an exabyte as a massive digital treasure chest that can hold an incredible volume of information. Think of it like a magical storage space capable of storing all your favorite movies, music, countless pictures and important documents. It’s like having an enchanted vault that can preserve almost everything you can imagine! Join us on this exciting journey as we unveil the wonders of the exabyte in the world of computers!
What is Exabyte ?
An exabyte is composed of multiple bytes, which are used to store digital information and represent data size. Each byte consists of 8 bits, with a bit being the smallest unit of data that can be either ‘0’ or ‘1’. The abbreviation ‘EB’ is commonly used to denote an exabyte and it’s often referred to as Ebyte for short.
