Network Provisioning: FAQ

The predecessor to IPv6 is IPv4, the fourth version in the development of the Internet Protocol (IP) Internet.

What about IPv5?

IPv4, or Internet Protocol Version 4, is a connectionless protocol for use on packet-switched networks. It uses 32-bit (four-byte) addresses, which limits the address space to 4294967296 (232) addresses. Since the early 1980s, Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) has been the primary method for transferring data between computers and across networks. Yet even in the 1990s, organizations like the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) foresaw the eventual exhaustion of IPv4 address space. In response to the anticipated depletion of IPv4 addresses and the continued expansion of the always-on Internet, the IETF developed Internet Protocol Version 6, or IPv6.

IPv6 stands for Internet Protocol version 6. In commercial deployment since 2006, IPv6 has significantly greater address capacity than its predecessor, with more than 340 undecillion IP addresses available to accommodate growing worldwide demand. To give an idea of how many addresses are available- an undecillion is a 1 followed by 36 zeros. It’s a big number.

Guess what – you might already be using IPv6 without even knowing! In fact, Verizon is quickly approaching a 70% IPv6 deployment rate, AT&T has surpassed 50%, and Comcast has surpassed 40%.

Not really – for these protocols to co-exist, you use an approach called “dual stacking” – where you are running an IPv6 network and an IPv4 network in parallel. There are methods to achieve similar functionality like 4to6/6to4 tunneling, etc.

The reality is that it makes things more complicated. Coupled with the “dynamic” networks that are being driven by virtualization and container based networking, things are going to get more interesting and API driven. IPv6 brings about a new way of “managing” IP space. Generally, IPv4 network management tools use a combination of manual configuration delegation with other methods like NAT and CGN to extend the use of RFC1918 space.

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is an identifier for a computer or device on a TCP / IP network. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination. Within an isolated network, you can assign IP addresses at random as long as each one is unique. However, connecting a private network to the Internet requires using registered IP addresses (called Internet addresses) to avoid duplicates.

Each router which assigns IP addresses has a “pool” of IP addresses that it keeps track of. When a device needs an IP address, the router automatically assigns it and ensures there are no duplicates. This process is called dynamic IP address management, and uses a network protocol called Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). 6connect offers ProVision DHCP Manager through ProVision, which is a flexible platform that doesn’t require replacing your current infrastructure. ProVision’s DHCP platform provides an easy to use GUI, powerful back end tracking, and auditing to ensure compliance; all of which are important for network managers who are dealing with the proliferation of mobile devices and increasing security requirements.