| Every computer on the internet has an IP address. Some of these are fixed, such as the ones for Adam Internet's domain name servers (DNS), but most are dynamic, meaning that each time you connect to Adam the system will assign you an IP address, and each time it will probably be a different one. They are 32-bit numbers, for example one of the Adam Internet DNS addresses is 203.2.124.2. Written in binary, this number is: 1100 1011 0000 0010 0111 1100 0000 0010. There are 8 binary digits in each number, so four of these means it's a 32-bit number. This means that there are 2 to the power of 32, or 4,294,967,296 possible IP addresses. But doesn't that mean we're going to run out of IP numbers eventually? Actually we are already running out, and with the exponential growth of the Internet, not only are there more and more computers being connected, but other devices as well. Already home automation has been implemented in Bill Gates' house, and technology is advancing so rapidly that in a few years we'll be able to log into our house from work before we leave and make sure that when we get home the house will be warm and the kettle boiled. There is also talk about providing 500-channel TV and video-on-demand, making every TV set another internet device. This kind of technology means that each device will need to have an IP address, just like a computer.
Enter IPv6. Replacing the current 4-number IP addresses (IPv4), IPv6 will add another two numbers to the address, making it a 128-bit number. That's 2 to the power of 128 possible IP addresses, enough for one for each square millimetre of space on Earth. IPv6 will begin to show itself very soon, and there will be a transition period where both protocols will be active.
|
