{"id":13549,"date":"2020-06-08T13:01:42","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T17:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostdime.com\/blog\/?p=13549"},"modified":"2020-06-08T13:06:12","modified_gmt":"2020-06-08T17:06:12","slug":"switch-to-ipv6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostdime.com\/blog\/switch-to-ipv6\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Now is the Time to Switch to IPv6"},"content":{"rendered":"

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What is IPv6?<\/h2>\n

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Here’s a quick lesson on the history and function of IP addresses. Skip to the next section on Current Adoption Rate if you have basic knowledge about IP addresses. <\/p>\n

An IP address, or Internet Protocol address, allows billions of computers, televisions, cell phones, websites, and all other IoT devices connected online to interconnect amongst each other using an address. Think of it like a mailing address that’s required to send someone a letter. An IP address governs online communication by identifying both initiating devices and various Internet destinations, thereby making two-way communication possible. <\/p>\n

Currently, IP addresses are in the middle of a decades long transitional phase from the old system in IPv4 to the next generation protocol in IPv6. We can use telephone companies running out of numbers to give customers as an example. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, which allows for 4.3 billion unique addresses at a maximum. This seemed fine decades ago, but it’s no longer feasible with the incredible amount of devices that connect to the Internet every day. <\/p>\n

In contrast, IPv6 is made up of 128 bits, which equates to a mind-boggling 340 trillion trillion possible addresses. This change will ensure the Internet can continue its current growth rate indefinitely for all sorts of devices.
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What is IPv6’s Current Adoption Rate?<\/h2>\n

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Despite the fact that we ran out of IPv4 addresses officially last year, adoption and transition over to IPv6 is still slow. About 30% of the Alexa Top 1000 websites are currently reachable over IPv6. Google shows roughly the same 30% number; here’s the 10 year graph of users that access Google over IPv6 as of June 8, 2020:<\/p>\n

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At the front lines of IPv6 deployment have been carrier networks and ISPs. National mobile networks especially have very high levels of IPv6 deployment (Verizon: 84%, Sprint: 70%, T-Mobile: 93%, AT&T: 57%). <\/p>\n

According to the State of IPv6 deployment by Internet Society<\/a>, IPv6 has emerged from the \u201cInnovators\u201d and \u201cEarly Adoption\u201d stages of deployment, and is now in the \u201cEarly Majority\u201d phase.
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The Benefits of IPv6<\/h2>\n

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Obviously the most crucial and timely benefit of IPv6 is the abundance of address space. But let’s look beyond that for why else IPv6 is superior:<\/p>\n