Introduction

"IPv6 is a new version of the data network protocol on which the Internet is based. Its basic specifications were developed by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) during the 90s. The main motivation behind IPv6 development and deployment was to expand the address space available on the Internet in order to allow the connection of billions of new devices (PDAs, mobile phones, etc.), new users and “always on” technologies (xDSL, cable television, Ethernet to the home, fiber to the home, power line communications, etc.).

The existing protocol, IPv4, only has 32 bits addresses, thus allowing in theory a space of 2³² (approximately four billion)unique globally addressable network interfaces. By contrast, IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses and can therefore address 2¹²⁸ network interfaces
(340.282.366.920.938.463.463.374.607.431.768.211.456)."

Jordi Palet

"Because IPv6 is a new protocol, it is not compatible with IPv4. For this reason IPv6 has been designed considering a long period of transition during which both protocols will coexist. It is difficult to state exactly how long both protocols will continue to be used and when IPv4 will cease to be utilized, as this depends on many factors, both technical as well as commercial. We could say that it is the market and competition that will set this schedule.

In any case, it will be a smooth transition that has to be transparent from the point of view of the users, who step by step will begin to perceive improvements in existing applications and the appearance of new applications that would not be possible with IPv4.

From a technical point of view, we can say that the transition can be completed in practice without the help of ISPs, bearing in mind that since 2001 operating systems are already IPv6-ready and include automatic transition mechanisms. However, this transition will be more efficient if ISPs become involved as soon as possible. Additionally, in the long run, this will facilitate to ISPs chances for offering new services and applications, provide better quality of service to their customers, and possibly even reduce some of their costs (for example, those associated with the automatic transition performed by operating systems)."

Jordi Palet

"It is anticipated that the pool of unutilized IPv4 addresses will be depleted approximately at the end of 2009. This would imply that the Internet would not be able to continue to grow as easily as it has been growing and that it would become more difficult to incorporate new users, devices, services, applications and generally speaking, the innovation in Internet. In addition, it would also increase software development costs and, therefore, the costs associated with the use of the Internet for new services and applications.

The deployment of IPv6 is essential to avoid reaching this situation, and it is the only solution to IPv4 exhaustion that we can qualify as practically permanent."

Jordi Palet