Kibibits per day (Kib/day) to Gigabits per hour (Gb/hour) conversion

What is kibibits per day?

Kibibits per day is a unit used to measure data transfer rates, especially in the context of digital information. Let's break down its components and understand its significance.

Understanding Kibibits per Day

Kibibits per day (Kibit/day) is a unit of data transfer rate. It represents the number of kibibits (KiB) transferred or processed in a single day. It is commonly used to express lower data transfer rates.

How it is Formed

The term "Kibibits per day" is derived from:

• Kibi: A binary prefix standing for $2^{10} = 1024$.
• Bit: The fundamental unit of information in computing.
• Per day: The unit of time.

Therefore, 1 Kibibit/day is equal to 1024 bits transferred in a day.

Base 2 vs. Base 10

Kibibits (KiB) are a binary unit, meaning they are based on powers of 2. This is in contrast to decimal units like kilobits (kb), which are based on powers of 10.

• Kibibit (KiB): 1 KiB = $2^{10}$ bits = 1024 bits
• Kilobit (kb): 1 kb = $10^3$ bits = 1000 bits

When discussing Kibibits per day, it's important to understand that it refers to the binary unit. So, 1 Kibibit per day means 1024 bits transferred each day. When the data are measured in base 10, the unit of measurement is generally expressed as kilobits per day (kbps).

Real-World Examples

While Kibibits per day is not a commonly used unit for high-speed data transfers, it can be relevant in contexts with very low bandwidth or where daily data limits are imposed. Here are some hypothetical examples:

• IoT Devices: Certain low-power IoT (Internet of Things) devices may have data transfer limits in the range of Kibibits per day for sensor data uploads. Imagine a remote weather station that sends a few readings each day.
• Satellite Communication: In some older or very constrained satellite communication systems, a user might have a data allowance expressed in Kibibits per day.
• Legacy Systems: Older embedded systems or legacy communication protocols might have very limited data transfer rates, measured in Kibibits per day. For example, very old modem connections could be in this range.
• Data Logging: A scientific instrument logging minimal data to extend battery life in a remote location could be limited to Kibibits per day.

Conversion

To convert Kibibits per day to other units:

• To bits per second (bps):

  $$\text{bps} = \frac{\text{Kibit/day} \times 1024}{24 \times 60 \times 60}$$

  Example: 1 Kibit/day $\approx$ 0.0118 bps

Notable Associations

Claude Shannon is often regarded as the "father of information theory". While he didn't specifically work with "kibibits" (which are relatively modern terms), his work laid the foundation for understanding and quantifying data transfer rates, bandwidth, and information capacity. His work led to understanding the theoretical limits of sending digital data.

What is Gigabits per hour?

Gigabits per hour (Gbps) is a unit used to measure the rate at which data is transferred. It's commonly used to express bandwidth, network speeds, and data throughput over a period of one hour. It represents the number of gigabits (billions of bits) of data that can be transmitted or processed in an hour.

Understanding Gigabits

A bit is the fundamental unit of information in computing. A gigabit is a multiple of bits:

• 1 bit (b)
• 1 kilobit (kb) = $10^3$ bits
• 1 megabit (Mb) = $10^6$ bits
• 1 gigabit (Gb) = $10^9$ bits

Therefore, 1 Gigabit is equal to one billion bits.

Forming Gigabits per Hour (Gbps)

Gigabits per hour is formed by dividing the amount of data transferred (in gigabits) by the time taken for the transfer (in hours).

$$\text{Gigabits per hour} = \frac{\text{Gigabits}}{\text{Hour}}$$

Base 10 vs. Base 2

In computing, data units can be interpreted in two ways: base 10 (decimal) and base 2 (binary). This difference can be important to note depending on the context. Base 10 (Decimal):

In decimal or SI, prefixes like "giga" are powers of 10.

1 Gigabit (Gb) = $10^9$ bits (1,000,000,000 bits)

Base 2 (Binary):

In binary, prefixes are powers of 2.

1 Gibibit (Gibt) = $2^{30}$ bits (1,073,741,824 bits)

The distinction between Gbps (base 10) and Gibps (base 2) is relevant when accuracy is crucial, such as in scientific or technical specifications. However, for most practical purposes, Gbps is commonly used.

Real-World Examples

• Internet Speed: A very high-speed internet connection might offer 1 Gbps, meaning one can download 1 Gigabit of data in 1 hour, theoretically if sustained. However, due to overheads and other network limitations, this often translates to lower real-world throughput.
• Data Center Transfers: Data centers transferring large databases or backups might operate at speeds measured in Gbps. A server transferring 100 Gigabits of data will take 100 hours at 1 Gbps.
• Network Backbones: The backbone networks that form the internet's infrastructure often support data transfer rates in the terabits per second (Tbps) range. Since 1 terabit is 1000 gigabits, these networks move thousands of gigabits per second (or millions of gigabits per hour).
• Video Streaming: Streaming platforms like Netflix require certain Gbps speeds to stream high-quality video.
  • SD Quality: Requires 3 Gbps
  • HD Quality: Requires 5 Gbps
  • Ultra HD Quality: Requires 25 Gbps

Relevant Laws or Figures

While there isn't a specific "law" directly associated with Gigabits per hour, Claude Shannon's work on Information Theory, particularly the Shannon-Hartley theorem, is relevant. This theorem defines the maximum rate at which information can be transmitted over a communications channel of a specified bandwidth in the presence of noise. Although it doesn't directly use the term "Gigabits per hour," it provides the theoretical limits on data transfer rates, which are fundamental to understanding bandwidth and throughput.

For more details you can read more in detail at Shannon-Hartley theorem.