IPv4 (Internet Technology Version 4) is a data communication protocol that is used to transmit data across networks. In contrast to other comparable technologies, this one uses a connectionless protocol and packet switching layer networks such as Ethernet. This kind of link may be used manually or automatically. The kind of network you plan to use will aid in selecting the optimal configuration.
Despite the seemingly endless possibilities that this technology would bring to today’s fast-paced, highly digitalized society, the worldwide Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) assigned the last portions of IPv4 address space to five particular regional internet registries in February 2011.
Following the action, industry analysts cautioned that all potential unique IPv4 addresses on the planet will be given to different internet service providers in the near future. Immediately after IANA’s announcement, the whole globe would be shaken by a crisis that would severely impact internet connectivity due to the anticipated increased demand for IP addresses. As mentioned in a Network World article, the only way to resolve this issue would be to entice everyone to migrate to IPv6.
The surge in demand for these new addresses quickly overloaded the American Registry for Internet Addresses, owing to the proliferation of mobile devices capable of connecting to the internet and the development of the Internet of Things. As mentioned in an article on Team Arin, the ARIN database of IPv4 addresses has reached its capacity.
In September 2015, the final batch of IPv4 addresses from the authorized free pool inventory were released. Since then, the backlog of unprocessed requests has been growing daily. The amount of IPv6 request traffic has risen substantially since the news of the IPv4 free pool depletion, mainly from end-user companies and internet service providers.
Additionally, as anticipated after the depletion of the IPv4 pool, the number of reported IPv4 transfer requests has gradually risen. What the majority of people are unaware of is that significant work is being performed in the background that will result in an even greater rise in transfer request volume.
IPv6 is intended to avert this scenario by enabling more people and equipment to connect freely on the internet by generating IP addresses with larger numbers. This is because IPv4 is only 32 bits long, allowing for a maximum of 4.3 billion unique addresses to be created.
However, IPv6 is 128 bits long, allowing for the creation of roughly 340 trillion IP addresses. According to an article on Fish Tech, 82.6 percent of all IP addresses in the United States were IPv4 in 2016. This is expected to change as more individuals and businesses from all over the world adopt IPv6.