There had been articles on the net saying that IPv6 is the newest version (right now we’re using IPv4) for TCP/IP. And the last time I heard of it was when I attended Software Freedom Day at Up Diliman last September.
What is IPv4 anyway? Why does the future of Internet relies on it?
IPv4 is Internet Protocol version 4 having 32 bits of IP addresses and supporting 2 raised to 32 unique addresses. But, these addresses will be all used up in the near future, near meaning around 2 years based on calculations of IP addresses usage. When that time comes, the Internet will stop growing. It will not malfunction, it just won’t grow anymore. Therefore reaching the limit of world wide web.
Of course, IT professionals can’t let that happen. That’s why IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is being developed since mid 1990′s. IPv6 has 128 bits and supports 2 raised to 128 unique addresses.
What conerns me the most is compatibility between these two versions. I haven’t seen a website with v6 being accessed by v4 assigned computers. What more when IPv6 transition is rolled out worldwide. I’m curious on how it will take place. But I do hope that our local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be ready when it happens.
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