Bigger Bytes: Looking Beyond the Gigabyte
May 8th, 2005 | Filed under Tips.If you thought you knew enough about computers and could challenge any byte sizes, think again. How much do you know about data sizes … your hard disc is 60 Gigabytes, the supercomputer analyzed 2 terabytes of data in a short time … but what is beyond that?
- 1000 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte
- 1000 Kilobytes = 1 Megabyte
- 1000 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte
- 1000 Gigabytes = 1 Terabyte
- 1000 Terabytes = 1 Petabyte
- 1000 Petabytes = 1 Exabyte
- 1000 Exabytes = 1 Zettabyte
- 1000 Zettabyte = 1 Zottabyte
- 1000 Zottabyte = 1 Brontobyte - that is a 1 followed by 27 zeroes
Compiled by Jim at Expert Answer Centre
Update: Now on a more accurate note…
In decimal systems, kilo stands for 1,000, but in binary systems, a kilo is 1,024 (2 to the 10th power). Technically, therefore, a kilobyte is 1,024 bytes, but it is often used loosely as a synonym for 1,000 bytes.
So ideally and more accurately, it should be like
1,024 Byte = 1 Kilobyte (KB)
1,024 Kilobyte (KB) = 1 Megabyte (MB)
1,073,741,824 Bytes = 1 Gigabyte (GB)
1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 Megabyte (MB)
So every 1024 bytes, makes one kilobyte. But for all practical purposes and for simplicity we are going to round to 1000 so that we can do the math in our heads.
In computer literature, kilobyte is usually abbreviated as K or Kb. To distinguish between a decimal K (1,000) and a binary K (1,024), the IEEE has suggested following the convention of using a small k for a decimal kilo and a capital K for a binary kilo, but this convention is by no means strictly followed.
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Comments
Peter Konnecke | 7/05/05 #
If you follow the common practice of using say Kb=kilobyte Mb=Megabyte … etc … what happens when you get to a Zettabyte (Zb) and then a Zottabyte … is that also a Zb ??
Anil | 8/05/05 #
You are totally wrong
1024 bytes = 1 Kilo Bytes
1024 Kilo Bytes = 1 Mega Bytes
…..So on
http://anildigital.blogspot.com
Quick Online Tips | 8/05/05 #
Thanks for your comment Anil. Indeed your data is more accurate. I have updated the post.
Colin Rowley | 9/05/05 #
According to Wikipedia, “yottabyte” comes after “zettabyte,” not “Zottabyte.” Thus, we can still abbreviate without confusion:
- Zettabyte (ZB)
- Yottabyte (YB)
Princess | 8/05/06 #
Is a megabyte bigger than a gigabyte?
Please reply.
majid aziz | 12/10/06 #
what comes after exabyte(EB)?yottabyte or zettabyte(ZB)?…..i need to know
Gra | 6/08/07 #
Actually Anil, the article is correct based on the fact that a consistent measurement increment has been clearly stated and used throughout the article.
However the Zottabyte should be a Yottabyte (yotta is derived from the Greek iota) as pointed out by Colin.
Once upon a time you would have been correct, Anil, however due to confusions, that became common during the early to mid ’90s in particular, between 1000 and 1024 it is now necessary to state a base derivative (i.e. 1000 bytes = 1 Kilobyte).
According to current accepted definitions of storage capacity the measurements in the article could be classified as the Metric storage measurements and what Anil are stated are binary measurements of a Kibibyte and a Mebibyte.
There can be a massive difference at the higher storage densities and those who deal with storage devices professionally have a habit of ensuring that definition of the base measurement (Kilobyte = 1000 or 1024 bytes) is provided before entering into negotiations/design/contracts/etc.
I’m just waiting for some bright spark to invent the Googolbyte 1000^100 bytes (or Googlebyte if a smart marketroid earns their pay for the month)…
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