Transition of IPv4 to IPv6 :Issues and Challenges
I recently attended a workshop on Transition of IPv4 to IPv6 organised by UK IPv6 Council at Imperial College, London. There were representatives of leading universities, telecommunication companies, industry as well as the tech solution providers. The crux of discussion was that Internet Protocol version 4 is not capable to handle the situation due to sudden spurt of internet devices, so we have no choice but to bring the devices on IPv6 which provides bigger space. Oh, my blog is not for highly qualified techies it is for an alert and discerning common person, so I feel it appropriate to start with basics than talk about the important issues discussed in the workshop.
What are Internet Protocol Versions ?
There are currently two version of Internet Protocol (IP) in vogue : IPv4 and a new version called IPv6. IPv6 is an evolutionary upgrade to the Internet Protocol. IPv6 infact coexists with the older IPv4 at the moment.
What is IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)?
IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) is the fourth revision of the Internet Protocol (IP) used to to identify devices on a network through an addressing system. The Internet Protocol is designed for use in interconnected systems of packet-switched computer communication networks.
IPv4 is the most widely deployed Internet protocol used to connect devices to the Internet. It uses a 32-bit address scheme allowing for a total of 2^32 addresses (just over 4 billion addresses). With the unprecedented growth of the Internet it is expected that the number of unused IPv4 addresses will eventually run out because every device -- including computers, smartphones and game consoles -- that connects to the Internet requires an address.
The switch to IPv6 has also become less urgent as network address translation (NAT) has become better understood and implemented. Everybody hates NAT, in business, it creates a lot of problems. The companies do a lot of VoIP business, and they face lots of problems caused by NAT. But they have to just get on with it. Developers have got together to find fixes, and they've improved the router software, so people can carry on using NAT. All the big online gaming companies too have realized that consumers are going to be behind NAT – so they've found workarounds for the problems that NAT can create, so people can continue using IPv4 rather than IPv6. The same principle applies when it comes to the internet giants. All the big platforms have had IPv6 for a while. Facebook, and Google, all the people who monetize the internet, they're all on IPv6, but from a commercial point of view, Google's not going to turn off IPv4. It would just upset their advertisers, and their business.
But we have to understand very clearly that IPv4 can't last forever. hile the exhaustion of addresses may have been postponed by NAT, it's still coming. The problem is real that IPv4 addresses are close to exhaustion.It's not a myth. Someone has tried to set up an IPv4 machine in China, and... it doesn't exist. It comes with IPv6 only. Even if you just want to expand into certain markets, like if you need a cluster of servers for many Asian companies like JIO in India they use IPv6.
It's partly for that reason that multiple networking specialists are already planning a big IPv6 push that could transform the internet.
It was Internet Society who took a lead to give a boost to IPv6. On June 8, 2011, the Society, in conjunction with several large companies and organizations, held World IPv6 Day , a global 24 hour test of IPv6. On June 6, 2012, the Society, in conjunction with many large companies and organizations, held World IPv6 Launch Day , a global permanent deployment of IPv6., a global 24 hour test of IPv6. But why it has taken until now for the technology giants to embrace IPv6 though it is available from ? One reason is that it's taken time for IPv6 to become properly embedded into the infrastructure of the internet. The industry has been waiting for the technology to mature, because it's not something you can set up for yourself, You need DNS for IPv6, you need support from your firewall, and from your ISP. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle – and now it's starting to take shape. The corners are ready, and we're almost filling in the middle.
And, with IPv6 fully built into modern operating systems and networking hardware, the transition is almost effortless.
There is a stigma, an excessive worry about reconfiguration, But there aren't a lot of expensive costs involved in making your network IPv6 compliant. There are many companies who can network changed to IPv6 in just two to three days. The only thing one had to buy the right devices and add a couple of IPv6 services to its network. That is all. Windows works perfectly, a linux installations works perfectly. Everything just fall into place.
First thing First -What is Internet Protocol (IP) ?
IP (short for Internet Protocol) specifies the technical format of packets and the addressing scheme for computers to communicate over a network. Most networks combine IP with a higher-level protocol called Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which establishes a virtual connection between a destination and a source.
IP can be compared to the postal system. You may even call it postal system between various devices like desktops, laptops, smartphones. It allows you to address a package and drop it in the system, but there's no direct link between you and the recipient. It is TCP/IP that establishes a connection between two parties or in technical language hosts so that they can send messages, images, songs, videos back and forth for a period of time.
IP (short for Internet Protocol) specifies the technical format of packets and the addressing scheme for computers to communicate over a network. Most networks combine IP with a higher-level protocol called Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which establishes a virtual connection between a destination and a source.
IP can be compared to the postal system. You may even call it postal system between various devices like desktops, laptops, smartphones. It allows you to address a package and drop it in the system, but there's no direct link between you and the recipient. It is TCP/IP that establishes a connection between two parties or in technical language hosts so that they can send messages, images, songs, videos back and forth for a period of time.
What are Internet Protocol Versions ?
There are currently two version of Internet Protocol (IP) in vogue : IPv4 and a new version called IPv6. IPv6 is an evolutionary upgrade to the Internet Protocol. IPv6 infact coexists with the older IPv4 at the moment.
What is IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)?
IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) is the fourth revision of the Internet Protocol (IP) used to to identify devices on a network through an addressing system. The Internet Protocol is designed for use in interconnected systems of packet-switched computer communication networks.
IPv4 is the most widely deployed Internet protocol used to connect devices to the Internet. It uses a 32-bit address scheme allowing for a total of 2^32 addresses (just over 4 billion addresses). With the unprecedented growth of the Internet it is expected that the number of unused IPv4 addresses will eventually run out because every device -- including computers, smartphones and game consoles -- that connects to the Internet requires an address.
How IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is different ?
A new Internet addressing system Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is being deployed to fulfill the need for more Internet addresses.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is also called IPng (Internet Protocol next generation) and it is the newest version of the Internet Protocol (IP) reviewed in the IETF standards committees to replace the existing version of IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4).
IPv6 is the successor to Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4). It was designed as an evolutionary upgrade to the Internet Protocol and will, in fact, coexist with the older IPv4 for some time. IPv6 is designed to allow the Internet to grow steadily, both in terms of the number of hosts connected and the total amount of data traffic transmitted.
IPv6 is often referred to as the "next generation" Internet standard and has been under development now since the mid-1990s. IPv6 was born out of concern that the demand for IP addresses would exceed the available supply.
A new Internet addressing system Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is being deployed to fulfill the need for more Internet addresses.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is also called IPng (Internet Protocol next generation) and it is the newest version of the Internet Protocol (IP) reviewed in the IETF standards committees to replace the existing version of IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4).
IPv6 is the successor to Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4). It was designed as an evolutionary upgrade to the Internet Protocol and will, in fact, coexist with the older IPv4 for some time. IPv6 is designed to allow the Internet to grow steadily, both in terms of the number of hosts connected and the total amount of data traffic transmitted.
IPv6 is often referred to as the "next generation" Internet standard and has been under development now since the mid-1990s. IPv6 was born out of concern that the demand for IP addresses would exceed the available supply.
The Real Advantage of IPv6
While increasing the pool of addresses is one of the most often-talked about advantage of this protocol, there are other important technological changes in IPv6 that will improve the networking eco-system:
In IPv6 addresses are 128-bit IP address written in hexadecimal and separated by colons. An example IPv6 address could be written like this:
While increasing the pool of addresses is one of the most often-talked about advantage of this protocol, there are other important technological changes in IPv6 that will improve the networking eco-system:
- No more NAT (Network Address Translation)
- Auto-configuration
- No more private address collisions
- Better multicast routing
- Simpler header format
- Simplified, more efficient routing
- True quality of service (QoS), also called "flow labeling"
- Built-in authentication and privacy support
- Flexible options and extensions
- Easier administration (say good-bye to DHCP)
- The Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6 Addresses
In IPv6 addresses are 128-bit IP address written in hexadecimal and separated by colons. An example IPv6 address could be written like this:
3ffe:1900:4545:3:200:f8ff:fe21:67cf.
To address this issue, it's best to start by reminding ourselves what's so good about IPv6 in the first place. The big benefit is that it's designed to never run out of addresses. IPv4 supports a theoretical maximum of 4,294,967,296 unique addresses, which probably seemed unimaginably huge in the days when a handful of computers might serve an entire university. But these days, when even watches, televisions, refrigerator, lightbulbs can be connected to the internet, it's not enough. IPv6 uses a much, much larger address space: it's theoretically capable of supporting 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique devices – which ought to last us for the next few years.
Since every device in the universe can have its own unique address, IPv6 makes it easier to do things such as accessing your home PC while you're out – without the hassle of port forwarding and router configuration. It can also benefit performance when you want your connection to be as fast and direct as possible.
To address this issue, it's best to start by reminding ourselves what's so good about IPv6 in the first place. The big benefit is that it's designed to never run out of addresses. IPv4 supports a theoretical maximum of 4,294,967,296 unique addresses, which probably seemed unimaginably huge in the days when a handful of computers might serve an entire university. But these days, when even watches, televisions, refrigerator, lightbulbs can be connected to the internet, it's not enough. IPv6 uses a much, much larger address space: it's theoretically capable of supporting 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique devices – which ought to last us for the next few years.
Since every device in the universe can have its own unique address, IPv6 makes it easier to do things such as accessing your home PC while you're out – without the hassle of port forwarding and router configuration. It can also benefit performance when you want your connection to be as fast and direct as possible.
Working Around IPv4
On the first look, IPv6 seems a superior technology. So the big question is why hasn't it taken off?
On the first look, IPv6 seems a superior technology. So the big question is why hasn't it taken off?
In a lot of ways, IPv6 makes things easier from a network engineer's point of view. But from the end user's point of view, there's no one big reason why people need it.Everything works with IPv4 right now, so businesses would rather stick with that, companies providing transition solution started charging for IPv4 addresses, as have other ISPs out there, but businesses ask 'we would rather just pay for that than do anything about IPv6'.
The switch to IPv6 has also become less urgent as network address translation (NAT) has become better understood and implemented. Everybody hates NAT, in business, it creates a lot of problems. The companies do a lot of VoIP business, and they face lots of problems caused by NAT. But they have to just get on with it. Developers have got together to find fixes, and they've improved the router software, so people can carry on using NAT. All the big online gaming companies too have realized that consumers are going to be behind NAT – so they've found workarounds for the problems that NAT can create, so people can continue using IPv4 rather than IPv6. The same principle applies when it comes to the internet giants. All the big platforms have had IPv6 for a while. Facebook, and Google, all the people who monetize the internet, they're all on IPv6, but from a commercial point of view, Google's not going to turn off IPv4. It would just upset their advertisers, and their business.
But we have to understand very clearly that IPv4 can't last forever. hile the exhaustion of addresses may have been postponed by NAT, it's still coming. The problem is real that IPv4 addresses are close to exhaustion.It's not a myth. Someone has tried to set up an IPv4 machine in China, and... it doesn't exist. It comes with IPv6 only. Even if you just want to expand into certain markets, like if you need a cluster of servers for many Asian companies like JIO in India they use IPv6.
It's partly for that reason that multiple networking specialists are already planning a big IPv6 push that could transform the internet.
It was Internet Society who took a lead to give a boost to IPv6. On June 8, 2011, the Society, in conjunction with several large companies and organizations, held World IPv6 Day , a global 24 hour test of IPv6. On June 6, 2012, the Society, in conjunction with many large companies and organizations, held World IPv6 Launch Day , a global permanent deployment of IPv6., a global 24 hour test of IPv6. But why it has taken until now for the technology giants to embrace IPv6 though it is available from ? One reason is that it's taken time for IPv6 to become properly embedded into the infrastructure of the internet. The industry has been waiting for the technology to mature, because it's not something you can set up for yourself, You need DNS for IPv6, you need support from your firewall, and from your ISP. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle – and now it's starting to take shape. The corners are ready, and we're almost filling in the middle.
And, with IPv6 fully built into modern operating systems and networking hardware, the transition is almost effortless.
There is a stigma, an excessive worry about reconfiguration, But there aren't a lot of expensive costs involved in making your network IPv6 compliant. There are many companies who can network changed to IPv6 in just two to three days. The only thing one had to buy the right devices and add a couple of IPv6 services to its network. That is all. Windows works perfectly, a linux installations works perfectly. Everything just fall into place.
Are the Security concerns genuine ?
Home users in particular may be anxious about switching to IPv6 and losing the firewall-type protection afforded by NAT. But there's no need to panic an IPv6-enabled router should still provide basic firewall functions to prevent outsiders from getting onto your home network – while making it much easier for you to allow access to certain services running on specific clients.
The key is simply to ensure that your defences are tuned to IPv6. As soon as you enable IPv6, every device on the network gets an IPv6 address, so unless you configure your firewall to recognize that, there's a danger that it'll just allow everything in and out."
And if you're concerned about the privacy implications of broadcasting a unique IPv6 address everywhere you go, you'll be reassured to know that almost all IPv6-compatible operating systems – including Windows and MacOS – present a randomised, constantly changing IPv6 address to the outside world, so your address can't be used to track your behaviour.
In short, now the obstacles to IPv6 adoption have all but evaporated, and there's good reason to believe that this time – for real – it's actually about to take off. And the good news is, it's not going to be a huge upheaval. Rather, it's going to be a comparatively quick and easy job that, once complete, should simplify all sorts of administration and remote-access tasks, and improve the performance of online apps and services. Plus, of course, it should finally put to bed any worries about running out of addresses – for the next decade, at least.
Home users in particular may be anxious about switching to IPv6 and losing the firewall-type protection afforded by NAT. But there's no need to panic an IPv6-enabled router should still provide basic firewall functions to prevent outsiders from getting onto your home network – while making it much easier for you to allow access to certain services running on specific clients.
The key is simply to ensure that your defences are tuned to IPv6. As soon as you enable IPv6, every device on the network gets an IPv6 address, so unless you configure your firewall to recognize that, there's a danger that it'll just allow everything in and out."
And if you're concerned about the privacy implications of broadcasting a unique IPv6 address everywhere you go, you'll be reassured to know that almost all IPv6-compatible operating systems – including Windows and MacOS – present a randomised, constantly changing IPv6 address to the outside world, so your address can't be used to track your behaviour.
In short, now the obstacles to IPv6 adoption have all but evaporated, and there's good reason to believe that this time – for real – it's actually about to take off. And the good news is, it's not going to be a huge upheaval. Rather, it's going to be a comparatively quick and easy job that, once complete, should simplify all sorts of administration and remote-access tasks, and improve the performance of online apps and services. Plus, of course, it should finally put to bed any worries about running out of addresses – for the next decade, at least.
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