As we all know, the main network Protocol used today is IPv4, which is called Internet Protocol Version 4. It is used to assign an IP address to each network and each host. IP address is a 32-bit binary number, which has 2^32 addresses, which seems like a lot. But the upcoming 5 g era, mobile phones, smart and intelligent watch bracelet, routers and other devices will occupy an IP address, and even TV, smart refrigerator, intelligent washing machine, air conditioning, intelligent furniture lock can access to the Internet, also needs its own IP address, and worry that IPv4 address will run out, not enough.

4.3 billion IPv4 addresses are exhausted

Yet IPv4 addresses are running out sooner than we thought! As recently as yesterday, November 26, all IPv4 addresses were allocated, which means there are no more IPv4 addresses available for allocation to ISPs and other large network infrastructure providers.

The European Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC), which is responsible for Internet resource allocation in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia, announced that its last reserve pool of IPv4 address space was completely exhausted on 25 November UTC + 1 15:35, in an email:

In theory, running out of IPv4 addresses means that no new devices can connect to the Internet. The situation can be mitigated in the following ways:

  • ISP reuses and reclaims unused IPv4 addresses.
  • Network address translation technology
  • Transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6

IPv6, now

In fact, as can be seen from the above three methods, methods 1 and 2 can only alleviate the current dilemma, but cannot completely solve the problem, so the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 becomes an urgent matter. How much advantage does IPv6 have over IPv4?

IPv6 provides an IP address for each grain of sand

IPv4 uses 32-bit address length, which can provide us with 2^32 about 4.3 billion addresses, while IPv6 uses 128-bit address length, which provides us with 2^128 addresses, which can be said to be unlimited. Conservative estimation of IPv6’s actual addresses that can be allocated. There are still more than 1,000 addresses allocated per square metre of the earth, and it’s no joke to have an IP address for every grain of sand in the world.

Faster transmission speed

IPv6 uses a fixed header. Instead of carrying a long stack of data like IPv4, a short header improves the efficiency of forwarding network data. In addition, IPv6 has a smaller routing table and stronger aggregation capability, which ensures a shorter path for data forwarding and greatly improves the forwarding efficiency. IPv6 also eliminates most address conflicts common in IPv4 and provides more simplified connections and communications for devices.

The transmission is more secure

IPv4 has never been considered secure, and while more and more websites are turning on SSL, there are still a large number of websites that don’t use HTTPS, but IPv6 is built on security from start to end, authenticating and encrypting data at the network layer and verifying IP packets. Provides client-to-server data security to prevent data hijacking.

Compared with IPv4, IPv6 is more mobile-friendly. It enhances the mobile features, security features, and routing features of mobile terminals, and reduces the difficulty and investment of network deployment. IPv6 adds automatic configuration and reconfiguration technologies, namely, plug and play, to automatically add, delete, update IP addresses and other information, improving IPv6 management.

Network support, no configuration required

IPv6 is so good, but it is difficult to upgrade IPv6. Because IPv6 and IPv4 are completely incompatible protocols (compatible in a few specific scenarios), if you want to upgrade from IPv4 to IPv6, you need to support IPv6 for both application clients, server applications, routers, and so on. The cost of upgrading this is huge.

At this time, it is time to tell everyone a good news! The whole network now supports IPv6, and does not need to configure, surprise not surprise

In 2016, Youpaiyun began to invest in the construction of IPv6 to provide customers with intelligent IPv6 services. By 2019, Youpaiyun has completed the deployment of IPv6 resources in the whole network, and has become the leading cloud service provider supporting IPv6 in the whole network in China. And Youpaiyun IPv6 is open by default, you only need to use CDN accelerated one-click configuration, there is no need to configure IPv6 source site, and there is no need to provide a special IPv6 domain name, just need to add the enterprise domain name CNAME to Youpaiyun.

Recommended reading:

IPv6, upgrade without operation?

Why is HTTPS more secure than HTTP