We're running out of IP addresses
Get ready for the next-generation
Internet
If you haven’t heard about IPv6 yet, often
referred to as the next-generation Internet, it’s time to start
tuning in. According to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF),
we’ll run out of possible IP addresses soon if we don’t switch from
IPv4 to a new protocol. What does this all mean and how will it
affect you in your job?
The Internet won't grind to a halt when we run out of IPv4
addresses. But it will cease to grow because we won’t be able to
connect any new devices to the Internet if they have no IP address
available. Based on our current rate of Internet expansion, experts
believe the number of IPv4 addresses will be depleted in mid-2011.
With this deadline so near at hand, it’s time to take action
now.
IPv6 was developed to replace IPv4 to increase the number of
available IP addresses. This is great news, but there is still much
work to be done to get ready for the next-generation Internet.
Here’s how IPv6 works and what you need to do to prepare.
What is IP?
Internet Protocol (IP) is the set of digital communication codes
that underlies the Internet infrastructure. It allows the flow of
packets of data between any pair of points on the network.
What is an IP address?
An IP address is a numerical label assigned to any device connected
to the Internet. These could be smart phones, computers,
televisions, and so on. The address essentially acts as a
“destination” for the input or output of data packets, similar to a
telephone number.
The addresses are assigned by governments, large businesses and
Internet Service Providers (ISPs). IP addresses can be dynamic or
static. ISPs most often assign dynamic addresses for devices to use
for the duration of an Internet session. At the end of the session,
the address is put back into the pool. ISPs assign static addresses
to Web servers that need a permanent address, such as your company
mail server.
What is IPv4?
IP version 4 (IPv4) was originally described in 1981 in the IETF's
RFC791 document. It uses 32-bit numbers, which means there are just
over four billion possible combinations of unique addresses. The
sheer growth of the Internet means that the pool of available
addresses is fast dwindling. At the time of writing, the
real-time IPv4 Exhaustion
Counter is predicting that the IPv4 addresses will be used
up in June 2011.
What is IPv6 and why is it superior to IPv4?
IP version 6 (IPv6) was described in IETF RFC2460 in 1998 and was
designed to replace IPv4. It supports a 128-bit address space.
Basically, it allows IP addresses to include more digits, allowing
for more possible unique combinations. Because each additional bit
doubles the size of the address space, an extra 96 bits increases
the theoretical size of the address space by many trillions of
times.
The Number Resource Organization has a great analogy: If IPv4 addresses are
represented by the size of a golf ball, than IPv6 would be
approaching the size of the sun. The NRO assures us that IPv6 won't
run out—not in our lifetime anyway. "Even assuming a uniform global
Internet that is a million times denser than that of today’s most
advanced economy, IPv6, if properly managed, will be able to
provide the required addresses."
Here are some other reasons why IPv6 is superior:
More addresses: ISPs would be able to assign
substantial blocks of addresses to individual users. "This will
allow IPv6-enabled devices including appliances, sensors and
objects to be deployed easily and cheaply in the large numbers that
are expected in coming years," according to the NRO.
More security: Authentication, security encryption
and data integrity safeguards are inherent in the IPv6 protocol.
With IPv6, data protection moves to the network layer where
individual devices and applications can be protected
directly.
Reduced complexity: Automatic configuration
features can make getting onto your network as easy as plugging a
cable into a computer. A “link local” IP address enables immediate
communication with directly connected hosts, printers or other
devices.
Enhanced mobility: The IP address allows computers
and other devices to have a static interface ID. The interface ID
doesn't change as the device moves from one location to the next.
Mobile IPv6 users can move from network to network while keeping
the same unique IP address.
What IPv6 means to you in your job
ISPs are beginning to adopt IPv6 and vendors are building IPv6
support into their products. Older equipment that supports IPv4
will be slowly phased out. Planning your move to IPv6 now and
investing into IPv6 equipment will help to ensure that your
business continues to run smoothly.
You can learn from the U.S. federal government, which is leading
the way to IPv6 adoption. In 2005, it mandated that all federal
agencies be IPv6-capable by June 2008. Since then, the government
has asked that every federal CIO integrate IPv6 into their agency's
enterprise architecture. By the end of 2012, agencies are required
to run native IPv6 on their Web, e-mail, ISP and DNS servers and
services.
Experts believe that the government's push for IPv6 will result in
more and better IPv6 offerings from vendors, which is good news for
all enterprises.