Comment: The Internet and networking has operated since 1968 under 16 bit IP Addressing. The IEEE consortium has issued Request for Comments, RFCs for 128 addressing schema. Newer devices are coming fully equipped to support 128 bits IP addressing schemes. Bottom line up front, too many devices operate entirely on the older 16 bit addressing and cannot be upgraded to IPv6 without replacing the entire device. Obsolescence and time are the key to implementing and operating on IPv6. This was part of a discussion in my Master's Program.
Why is IPv6 Taking So Long?
by
JT Bogden
The advent of IPv6 will create a culture in which nearly every device can be placed on the world wide web for various exciting purposes and possibilities. This is in response to the concern why IPv6 is taking so long. Addressing technologies are coupled with topologies and have undergone numerous design attempts as engineers sought ways for packets to locate their destinations. Tokens are an highly ordered approach but slowed networks as they grew in size. Ethernet approaches flooded networks with packets that had to be assigned time-to-live in order to reduce the packet traffic lingering on the networks. Sixteen bit Internet Protocol, IP, addressing has emerged as the dominant protocol used on most networking topologies. The draw back is the limited number of addresses are available as the Internet and networks grow in size and use. IPv6 is based on 128 bit addressing and is said to provide more than enough IP addresses for future demands. Many vendors are reluctant to implement the newer addressing technology. However, implementation may occur without most people being aware of the transition.
MicroSoft’s current official company position, although published sometime ago, remains in effect today. Microsoft has been loading IPv6 in all current operating systems and nearly all the older XP platforms. IPv6 is also in the server product lines as newer generations are released. The purpose for the implementation simultaneous with the older IPv4 is to debug addressing problems and build a sufficient base of machines that can operate in a seamless transition from IPv4 to IPv6. This yields broader scalability and increased devices on those networks when the transition become more mainstream. Microsoft remarks that the transition must be conducted in a responsible manner to prevent costly unproductive missteps (Microsoft, 2008).
The real challenge is not converting the personal computer. Instead, the challenge is implementing IPv6 on the vast array of other computational devices such as cell phones, PDAs, iPods, internet enabled TVs and other web devices. In many cases, the older technology device must simply become obsolete and move out of service over time. There is no time limit on IPv6 implementation and these older devices may persist for years to come. To the common user the transition will have just happened.
Reference:
MicroSoft (12 Feb 2008). Microsoft's Objectives for IP Version 6, Copyright 2009, Retrieved on 01APR09 from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb726949.aspx
Stallings, William. (2009) Business Data Communications, (6th Edition) New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall
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