IPv6 – The Next Generation Internet

What is IPv6?

It stands for Internet Protocol version 6(IPv6), the next generation Internet. Today the IP networks run the version 4 (IPv4) of the Internet and was designed and implemented in the late 1970’s.

The following table summarized the proposed change in IPv6, comparing with IPv4.

	IPv4	IPv6
Address Space	Limited à       32 bit address format  à       4.3B addresses	Unlimited à       128 bit address format à       340 trillion, trillion, trillion addresses
Manageability	Complicated (NAT) /Unstable à       lower performance à       less robust à       less secure à       less manageable	Simple/Stable à       higher performance à       more robust à       more secure à       more manageable
Features and Service	Limitations   à Significant barrier to innovation and growth	Clean design for Quality of Service   and anyone can provide services

IPv6 is designed to solve many current IPv4 problems with regard to address depletion, security, autoconfiguration, extensibility, and more. Its use will also expand the capabilities of the Internet to enable a variety of valuable and exciting scenarios, including peer-to-peer and mobile applications.

What’s the motivation to this change?

One big benefit of the IPv6 is to solve the problem of shortage of IP addresses. The network size is estimated doubling of size every 9 months. Internet traffic is growing at 400%/year. IPv4’s 4.3 B sounds a lot, but actually it isn’t. It’s estimated in 5-10 years, the current IP address will run out.

In the current Internet based on v4, the US controls 74% of 4 billion IP addresses. Canada is in the same category, so there is immediate shortage felt.  But the picture is a little different overseas. For example, the amount that China got is only equal to a campus of the University of California.

Because we use a device called Network Address Translation (NAT), it may be broken.  IPv6 is an improvement largely because the use of the IP Security Protocol (IPsec) is  mandatory  for  IPv6  but  optional for IPv4.

Worldwide growth trend needs more IPs because we got more devices every year. There’s more than one computer at home, and they need to network with all other devices. Wireless devices, such as cell phones are demanding more network capacity.

What’s so bad about NAT?

Network Address Translation (NAT) is a service or piece of device that converts a private IP address to a public address. The purpose is to allow multiple users to share a single public IP address.
This is like life inside a castle. To leave the castle, you must talk to the guard and get their permission. It has a number of limitations.

Is the world ready?

The development for IPv6 started in 1991. The core of IPv6 was standardized from 1995 to 1998. IPv6 technology has now reached its maturity. The standard has been tested and real world application has started to emerge.

Wide range support has been obtained from all the major operating systems, router venders and wireless infrastructure providers, such as Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Telus.

Why do I care, as a general manager?
Because it has significant impact!

	Positive	Negative
To Businesses	1.    Efficiency gains from low operating cost and ease of IT management. 2.    Improved security 3.    High reliability for productivity 4.    New way of doing business may emerge such as remote maintenance 5.    Improved world economy that  developing nations will have a better economic environment	1.    New hardware/software investment 2.    New generation skills required at organization level 3.    Lack of IPv6 trained professionals 4. IPv4 eventual extinction will  force some equipments to be useless
To Individuals	1.    Always-on provides ease of operation and connectivity  2.    The usage is homogenous that it will have same usage everywhere 3.    You can find, id and control any device, appliance	1.    Education cost (Minimal) 2.    Inconvenience of juggling IPv4 & IPv6 devices

IPv6, Untapped Potential

IPv6 is more than just addresses. It is a breakthrough platform will trigger some as yet unidentified killer apps which will change our lives and way of doing business.

We can see new customer categories that were not available or identified before. Picture that all appliance have an IP address. From your PDA, you can shut down my stove at your home.

With IPv6, new and innovated services become possible. We now have GPS system in our cars, but what about monitoring your car engine? If parts have an IP address, you can check your car status without opening the hood. Another example is that many new ways of doing business can come out from the health care sector. A doctor can use his handheld to exam a patient x-ray when he’s golfing, and send the prescription back.

By capitalizing on IPv6’s improved security, QoS options, mobility, autoconfiguration, and peer-to-peer capability, providers can create a powerful suite of next-generation Internet services and stimulate new revenues.