Today in this Virtual World, the World Wide Web (WWW) is getting overcrowded, which is why it is lacking space. But an upgrade which shifts the Web or the addressing system to a new protocol is an ultimate solution for this.
Technology wise Migration to a newer Web Address is by dual stacking the current network while making space for more addresses which requires hardware and manpower expenditure by ISPs. It may be slow to migrate from IPv4 to the new protocol but is inescapable.
The launch of IPv6 took place on June 6, 2012.
Upgrading to a newer protocol does not have any changing impact on the way one type in the Web address in browser and the way one navigates the Web. The number of IP addresses has expanded from 4.3 billion to 300 undecillion (thrice the exponential of trillion) with the advent of this new Internet addressing system (128-bit instead of 32-bit).
IPv6 support for their customers were made public during the launch of World IPv6 and here majority of the stakeholders participated across globe in the Internet market. IPv6 is being provided with out of the box Hardware wise support from majority of the networking. According to the calculations today, it is hardly 1% of the total internet which runs on IPv6. But in India it is the nil % which runs IPv6 because the service providers did not shift to IPv6 coz of which it is impossible to navigate the Web.
IPv4 running from over 3 decades is a standard which preceded the new IPv6. The computing devices coz of these standards are able to interact with each other regardless of their type, geographic location or mode.
During the early eighties, there was a tremendous growth in population resulting in an increased seeker to log on to the World Wide Web but earlier IPv4 was allowed only for a certain unique Ip addresses. By now, we all know that IP addresses are important because they help in identifying your device and in moving information to or from your device.
NUMBERS
Ipv6 has prepared itself to face various challenges and has learnt from the experience of IPv4 which is a no frills protocol.
IPv6 being roomier includes several other benefits like inbuilt security protocols (IPSec) in its network layers, efficient routing, better speed, and also it is adaptable & expandable. Security protocol encrypts data packets and constantly monitors traffic which provides higher level of protection to continuous Internet Traffic.
Test whether you are ready for IPv6.
MIGRATION NEEDS
It requires anIPv6 complaint hardware to this new protocol. Devices are to be made IPv6 complaint. To make adoption possible, it needs to set up an Operating system, Router, & Modem and even Websites. Dual stack IP address (both systems can co-exist) is a simple technological solution for this migration indeed the former solution is much more preferred.
IPv6 deployment faces a technical problem that this protocol is not backward compatible, that is, the devices which reads and recognizes IPv4 addresses cannot read the one written in a new protocol. This is the reason why Internet service provider does not generally go for IPv6. But because of the shortage of IP addresses for the device, the migration is inescapable.
Just the deployment of translating devices will do which is indeed a bit expensive, but it does not require an entire overtake.
India has 35 million IPv4 addresses against the user base of 360 million which is why it could be clearly stated that IPv6 adoption is critical in India. As the technology is becoming more and more accessible, millions are seeking to log on to the internet. Internet penetration levels are now estimated at 10 to 12%.
IP addresses are not just restricted to the computing devices such as desktops, laptops or tablets but also devices like television or electronic equipments which in the next decade will log on to ‘smart homes’. All of these devices will need an IP address to connect with the network, but left with no option they will have to work with this address system.
Indian Government on the world IPv6 launch day announced that it will migrate all its websites to IPv6 by December 2012. Recently there are 27 websites which have completely migrated to a dual stack platform. This transition has been described as “complex, mammoth and a long-term exercise”.
This opens the possibility of apps. across sectors like data centres, smart grids, IPTV, & Rural health care mgt. The Department of Telecommunication held workshops for state agencies, public sector units and State governments on migration of IPv6 from at least a year now.
The taskforce has been setup by the government to monitor the shift and had also released a roadmap for stakeholders to complete the migration.
COST ISSUES
Technology wise Migration to a newer Web Address is by dual stacking the current network to allow the existing IPv4 to continue while making space for more addresses which requires hardware and manpower expenditure by ISPs.
Tarun Dua, Chief Technology Officer at E2E Networks Private Ltd., says that “to ensure quick migration, the government will have to tweak policies to include a sophisticated market-friendly approach or even provide an initial government impetus to players by using the universal service obligation fund”. He suggests, it may be another creative solution by allowing up trading of IPv4 addresses to offer a commercial incentive for ISPs & non ISPs in the market to make the transition.