File Transfer Timer
Calculate real-world data migration time, including protocol overhead. Plan your maintenance windows with realistic expectations.
Transfer Details
Adjust for network conditions, latency, and overhead
Transfer Time
15m 33s
Estimated transfer time
Note: Actual times may vary based on disk I/O speed, network congestion, latency, and number of files.
How to Use
- 1Enter the file or data size you need to transfer
- 2Specify your connection speed (line rate)
- 3Select the transfer protocol to apply overhead
- 4Adjust efficiency slider for real-world conditions
Why Transfers Take Longer
- Protocol overhead: Headers, acknowledgments, retransmissions
- Latency: High RTT significantly impacts TCP throughput
- Congestion: Shared links reduce available bandwidth
- Disk I/O: Storage speed can bottleneck transfers
- Small files: Per-file overhead adds up quickly
Quick Reference
1 GB @ 100 Mbps
~1.5 min
1 GB @ 1 Gbps
~10 sec
1 TB @ 1 Gbps
~2.5 hours
1 TB @ 10 Gbps
~15 min
Protocol Overhead Reference
| Protocol | Efficiency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raw TCP/IP | 95-97% | Headers only |
| FTP | 90-95% | Low overhead |
| HTTPS | 85-92% | TLS overhead |
| rsync | 80-90% | Checksumming overhead |
| SMB/CIFS | 70-85% | Higher latency impact |
Tip: For large data migrations, consider using dedicated transfer tools like Aspera or GridFTP that optimize for high-latency, high-bandwidth links.
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