IPV4 vs IPV6

As a network engineer its very difficult to predict the probable time when all the internet traffic will migrate to Internet protocol version 6(IPV6) . IPV6 offers more advantages than IPV4 in terms of IP address offered, processing delay at each node and host of various features which were not possible in IPV4. But its any ones wild guess to pinpoint a cut off date when all the corporate and home users will migrate to devices supporting IPV6. In the mean time network devices manufactures support IPV4, till end customers replace their network devices supporting full fledged IPV6 features.


The main motive behind introducing new version is to primarily increase the unique address range from 32 bit (i.e. 255:255:255:255 can accommodate up to 4,294,967,296 unique addresses ) to 128 bit (i.e. 255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255:255 which can accommodate 2 power 128 unique addresses) thereby provides a opportunity to assign unique address for each Network devices available on the planet for many more years to come.

The next significant advantage of IPV6 over IPV4 is simpler packet header of fixed length with out any check sum or options fields which reduces the delay for each network node (i.e Routers, Gateway devices, etc.) to process the packet. Thus the processing overload for verifying and recalculating check sum and searching for variable options field were completely avoided. Since each devices can be assigned an unique address NAT operations in routers and gateway devices is not required. Fragmentation and Options were moved to extension header to increase routing speed indicated by next header field.

IPSec Protocol based encryption is mandatory in IPV6 to enhance security, which is optional in IPV4. Newer technologies like multi-casting, video streaming, traffic management can be supported and made operational easily using IPV6.

The cost required to migrate all the network devices from IPV4 to IPV6 will be difficult to estimate unless we get a clear picture of patronage from corporate and individual customers. Many government and multinational organizations were slowly migrating to IPV6, to experiment and utilize the advantages of real time deployment benefits in congested and overcrowded Network traffic. Chinese government has taken a proactive step to use IPV6 for all network traffic for the upcoming Beijing Olympics in 2008, which would provide a test bed for testing robustness and security of IPV6.