Motivation for IPv6
In 1994, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) began work on a new version of IP. The motivation was to ensure that the Internet could still grow at a fast pace while keeping it running, scalable, and stable. One of the means to keep the Internet, as we know it, was to specify a brand-new network layer protocol to replace IP. In 1995, this new protocol received the name IPv6.
NOTE Wonder why IP jumped from the current version, IPv4, to the next one, IPv6, and apparently skipped the intermediate version 5? The answer is that IP version 5 was used by RFC 1190, which was an experimental streaming protocol.
Chances are, IPv6 will replace IPv4 in the coming years. The reasons are as follows: • IPv4 address shortage. With IPv4, only 32 bits exist in an address; this translates into
232 addresses. Alas, not all the address space can be used. Furthermore, with the Internet reaching new territories (such as China, mobile phones, and so on) and with more frequent use of always-on residential hosts (such as asymmetric digital subscriber line [ADSL] or cable-modem PCs), there is a clear shortage of IPv4 addresses.
• Network Address Translation (NAT) shortcomings. NAT is frequently deployed to connect several hosts behind a single public IPv4 address. This setup works fine for client-to-server applications, such as web browsing, e-mail, and so on, but it prevents easy deployment of peer-to-peer protocols, such as Internet telephony or instant messaging. The existing so-called peer-to-peer protocols (including Skype and emule) rely on tricks to cope with NAT. (For example, IETF is working on proposals like Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol [STUN] and Interactive Connectivity Establishment [ICE].)
Microsoft Windows Vista has IPv6 enabled by default. Moreover, Linux distributions have had IPv6 installed for years; the same applies to Mac OS/X. Also, all routers and other network devices support IPv6 nowadays. So, the migration to IPv6 will probably happen sooner rather than later.
Continue reading here: What Does IPv6 Change
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