Is it time to switch to IPv6?

IP addresses are running out - when do businesses need to move to the new system and what are the advantages of switching over?

By Petra Jones, 12 Nov 2009 at 12:54

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Multicasting, or sending data packets to multiple recipients, is also supported by IPv6, which is handy for videoconferencing and streaming video to other business users. While IPv4 also supports multicast, it’s optional and not every router or host currently supports it. IPv6 also has an anycast mode for sending information to the nearest member of a group of recipients.

There are other differences too. IPv4 treats all packets of information the same whereas IPv6 implements quality-of-service (QOS) by classifying packets using traffic class and flow label fields – essentially this means data flows can be prioritised and requests for special handling can be made. Finally, IPv6 is more customisable than IPv4.

It’s possible to create extension headers that add more functionality so with any luck we won’t be facing the same need for migration in the future.

Timescale for action

When will the supply of IP addresses actually run out? Estimates vary, but most suggest that the Internet Assisted Numbers Authority’s (IANA) unallocated addresses will be exhausted sometime between 2011 and mid-2012.

The European Commission feels a “significant step” should be taken as early as 2010. RIPE’s site estimates that 88 per cent of IP addresses are already used up.

Certainly the business world doesn’t seem on course currently to meet the European Commission’s IPv6 target adoption rate of 25 per cent by next year.

Despite the EC’s calls for Governments to lead the way in switching over to IPv6, to which the Internet Society has added its voice, the UK government has yet to intervene, although it has recently released specs for IPv6 compliance required for government network procurements.

Advice on switching over

Of course, despite the obvious benefits of IPv6, switching over is likely to mean costs for business in retraining staff, enhancing routers and deploying IPv6-enabled versions of applications.

Probably the biggest issue for businesses is integration. IPv4 addresses and IPv6 addresses can’t communicate directly with each other but they are likely to co-exist together for a long transitional period.

The most common technique for integration is likely to be using a tunnel broker tool capable of providing IPv6 functionality via IPv4 infrastructure on the web.

The first step for businesses thinking of taking the plunge to IPv6 is to find out whether their computers and devices have IPv6 support - a full list is here.

If you are thinking of migrating over to IPv6, consider drawing up a migration plan. There are plenty of sites on the web to help you including IPv6.com, as well as ones from Cisco and Lumeta.

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Phased SwitchOver

Many Consumers will not understand the complexities of this technology, however a significant number of IPv4 addresses might be released if at least in the short term, all ISP's were compelled to provide an IPv4 to IPv6 address translation similar to NAT for Consumers and small Businesses. There is no reason why all business could not be provided this mapping service either. This would be little more than taking a IPv6 address and mapping each customer's IPv4 address into it. Consumers and other End Users can be guided through the complexities of moving individual PC's to IPv6 at a more leasurely pace. Cable and ADSL Firewall Routers would require some form of upgrade or may need replacement where an enduser shares a connection between multiple PC's.

By Hitman101 on Tuesday Nov 17