Conversion from IPv4 to IPv6 - Essay Example

Institute Conversion from IPv4 to IPv6 Huge rise in number of internet hosts is the basic reason of a deficiency inIP addresses. It will ultimately use the entire available address space. Additionally, the unexpected increase in home based networks has forced the internet protocol to be changed from IPv4 to IPv6. In this scenario, IPv6 is a highly technology based next generation of internet protocol that is developed and selected as the descendant to IPv4. Additionally, IPv6 is an internet layer protocol for carrying out packet based communication and other internet jobs.

It was developed in December 1998 by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). From that time IPv6 is continuously getting popularity in a lot of nations in the world, particularly in Asia where the demand for IP addresses is increasing due to the interest of corporations and individuals (WGU). I have discussed below some of the major advantages and disadvantages of IPv4 and IPv6 technology based platforms: IPv4 can allow approximately 4,294,967,296 network and communication addresses that exceed 4 billion and IP distribution restricts the public IP addresses to a few hundred million.

However, the basic reason of this restriction is, corporations use NAT (Network Address Translator) to assign only one public IP to numerous private network IP addresses (Aftab). IPv4 Security at IP Level: While communicating using public medium there is need to encrypt information and data to apply and maintain security and privacy. However, after a long time we are now able to implement security for IPv4 packets. This security method is acknowledged as internet protocol safety (IPSec). But, this is not mandatory for IPv4 (Aftab).

Internet backbone maintaining huge routing tables: The process of ID allocation is very complicated in IPv4 network and presently routing tables of web based backbone routers maintain more than 87000 routes. Normally, this internet routing arrangement is foundational upon a flat and hierarchical network routing (Aftab). Quality of Service factor in IPv4: At the present, people do not use internet for only surfing and searching information and data. However, they use internet for communication, video, chat, voice, video conferences and online video libraries.

In this scenario, this type of web based communication requires immediate data transfer for quality of service (QoS). Usually, this kind of communication is carried out using User Data-gram Protocol (UDP) or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). In this scenario, IPv4 TOS field is fully functional and also over time, has been modified and upgraded and locally interpreted. As well, payload classification that makes use of a UDP or TCP port is not possible when the IPv4 information and data packet payload is encrypted (Aftab).

This section outlines the possible advantages of IPv6 technology based platforms. As we perceive various issues in IPv4 so we need some new characteristics of IPv6 (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta): The replacement of IPv4 with IPv6 is a very complicated and challenging task for technology stake holders, internet management groups and service providers. So its implementation is very difficult however not unfeasible. Seeing that the numerous advantages of IPv6 over IPv4 we believe that the new technology based application of IPv6 can completely transform the traditional IPv4 communication arrangements.

Moreover, it is the largest upgrade jump from IPv4 32 bit to IPv6 128 bit (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta). IPv6 Header Format: The header of IPv6 is aimed at reducing the header overhead. Additionally, the header of IPv6 is more effectively processed at central routers, which enhances the performance of the communication. Moreover, the size of IPv6 is 4 times larger than IPv4 as well as the size of its header is twice than IPv4 (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta).

IPv6 offers large Addressing Space: This new generation of internet protocol has also offered extra large addressing space, in which source and destination addresses are based on 128 bits. In this scenario, this scheme allows the creation of over 3.4 x 1038 combinations (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta). Addressing and Routing Infrastructure Performance in IPv6: IPv6 is aimed at producing a well-organized and hierarchical routing arrangement that is based on the common place of several stages of internet service providers (ISPs).

In addition, it decreases the load over routing table of backbone routers. As a result, it can offer excellent internet experience (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta). Security Feature: This new generation of internet protocol also supports IPsec (ESP and AH header) and mobility version Mobile IPv6. However, in this scenario, IPSec works with two extension headers and a protocol in order to ensure high level security (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta). Quality of Service (QoS): IPv6 also contains a flow level field in its large size addressing header in order to ensure efficient distribution of packets from source to destination (Aftab), (Hansen), (MightyStudents) and (Lehtovirta).

Huge rise in number of internet hosts is the basic reason of a deficiency in IP addresses. It will ultimately use the entire available address space. Additionally, the unexpected increase in home based networks has forced the internet protocol to be changed from IPv4 to IPv6. This paper has presented some of the main aspects, advantages and disadvantages of transformation from IPv4 to IPv6. Works Cited Aftab, Syed Noman. IPv4 Vs IPv6 (Advantages and Disadvantages). 06 October 2010. 20 July 2011 .

Hansen, Robert. Impacts of IPv4 to IPv6 Conversions. April 01 2008. 20 July 2011 . Lehtovirta, Juha. Transition from IPv4 to IPv6. 2000. 23 July 2011 . MightyStudents. Paper Topic: Conversion from IPv4 to IPv6. 2011. 21 July 2011 . WGU. IPV4 - IPV6 Conversion. 2011. 20 July 2011 .