As new devices connect to the Internet at an insane rate, the demand for IPs increases drastically. IPv4 (internet protocol version 4) can not satisfy this huge demand. This is due to its limited number of combinations.
This is where IPv6 comes in – the latest protocol offering a solution to the IP crisis. But what makes IPv6 different from its predecessor, IPv4? How can we use it to make communication faster, smoother, and more secure?
What are IPv4 and IPv6?
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the replacement protocol for IPv4, the Internet’s current protocol and the one that almost all devices and networks use. IPv4 uses 32-bit addressing, giving about 4 billion unique addresses, and IPv6 uses 128-bit addressing, giving 340 undecillion unique addresses.
IPv6 is backward compatible with IPv4, meaning most IPv4 devices will be able to connect to IPv6 networks, and IPv6 devices will be able to connect to IPv4 networks.
An IPv4 example: 192.168.100.122
An IPv6 example: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
In this example, the IPv6 address is made up of eight 16-bit blocks separated by colons. Each block is represented by a four-digit hexadecimal number, so the entire address is 128 bits long.
IPv6 addresses allow for many more unique addresses than IPv4 addresses, which only use 32 bits. IPv6 also includes a number of other features and improvements, such as improved security and support for multicasting.
Best Practice to Migrate to IPv6
- Determine your current IPv4 infrastructure: Identify and document all IPv4 addressing information, routing information, and infrastructure components, including network devices such as routers, switches, and firewalls.
- Evaluate IPv6 readiness of your infrastructure: Check network hardware, operating systems, and applications to determine their IPv6 compatibility.
- Create an IPv6 addressing plan: Develop an IPv6 addressing plan and assign IPv6 addresses to all devices and systems.
- Configure IPv6: Configure IPv6 on all network devices, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
- Test IPv6 connectivity: Test and verify IPv6 connectivity across your network, including internal and external connections.
- Enable dual-stack configuration: Enable dual-stack configuration on all network devices to allow both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic to coexist.
- Update DNS records: Update DNS records to include IPv6 addresses along with IPv4 addresses.
- Train staff: Train staff on IPv6 addressing and configuration, troubleshooting, and maintaining IPv6 networks.
- Roll out IPv6: Gradually roll out IPv6 to smaller networks and systems before moving to larger deployments.
- Monitor and optimize IPv6: Continuously monitor and optimize IPv6 performance to ensure a smooth transition and optimal network performance.
Wrapping up
Understanding the differences between IPv4 and IPv6 is important in today’s world where more and more devices are being connected to the internet. IPv4 addresses are limited in number and can lead to issues such as address exhaustion, while IPv6 addresses offer a much larger pool of unique addresses.
Additionally, IPv6 includes several other improvements over IPv4, such as improved security and support for multicasting. While IPv6 adoption has been slow, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses and individuals to understand and make the transition to this newer protocol in order to ensure a more secure and efficient internet.
Reference
IPv6 – Wikipedia. Link to resource
