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IPv6 'vital for the future of the internet'
IT News |
06/06/2012
Websites, internet service providers and IT manufacturers are being urged to switch over to the next-generation of internet protocol as soon as possible.
Speaking on World IPv6 Launch Day, the Internet Society explained the importance of upgrading from the current IPv4 protocol, which is fast running out of unique addresses.
The last blocks of the 4.3 billion IP addresses enabled by IPv4 were assigned to the Regional Internet Registries in February 2011, and already there is no remaining space to be distributed in the Asia Pacific region.
IPv4 address space is also expected to run out in Europe this year, in the US in 2013, and in Latin America and Africa in 2014.
The new protocol, IPv6, offers more than 340 trillion, trillion, trillion addresses, providing an almost infinite number of combinations for people wishing to use the net.
According to the Internet Society, IPv6 is necessary to allow its continued growth around the world, particularly as more people access the web from mobile devices.
The organisation is aiming to ensure the internet remains open and accessible for everyone, including the five billion people who are currently offline.
"The support of IPv6 from these thousands of organisations delivers a critical message to the world: IPv6 is not just a 'nice to have'; it is ready for business today and will very soon be a 'must have'," said Leslie Daigle, chief internet technology officer at the Internet Society.
"We believe that the commitment of these companies to deploy IPv6 will ensure that they remain industry leaders."
She said that any company wishing to be effective in the new internet should do the same.
Many major websites are permanently enabling IPv6 from today, while broadband providers will launch the protocol across "a significant portion" of their current and all new residential wireline subscribers.
Home networking equipment manufacturers are set to enable IPv6 by default through their range of home router products, the Internet Society stated.
Posted by Stephen Wilkinson
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