Internet for a new generation
Information Professional · 2004
The Internet is running out of room - and the problem cannot be solved by simply adding more servers, wires and basestations. Instead, it lies with the number of addresses that the Internet protocol (IP) can supply its current form, version 4 (IPv4). The vision of one IP address for each individual does not seem to play under today technology. Another wrinkle is the regional allocation of IP address space. Second, the Internet Engineering task force (IETF) has come up with a more long-term solution, IP version 6 (IPv6). This has a 128bit address space, providing some 340sexilion addressable hosts. In commercial terms, IPv6 opens up possibilities for all forms of networking, be it wired or wireless and person-to-person, person-to-machine or machine-to machine.