Download Title: ISPs ignore IP timebomb

Source: www.networksnews.co.uk (01-04-2003)
Title: ISPs ignore IP time bomb
Author: By Martin Courtney
Hitachi Internetworking was very concerned and upset that ISPs are storing up
problems by ignoring IPv6. An increase in users signing up for broadband connections
will force service providers to upgrade to the IPv6 Internet addressing protocol in the
next few years according to many sources.
Currently very few ISPs, have seen the need for the extra IP addresses that IPv6
allows them to provide and looking as if they are going to continue to rely on IPv4 and
the DHCP to handle broadband users for as long as possible.
According to the vice president and general manager of Hitachi Internetworking,
he believes that service providers cannot ignore the need to upgrade to dual-stack
IPv4/IPv6-enabled routers to handle more always-on broadband connections, mobile
users and new services and applications.
With implementing IPv6 it can provide billions unique, fixed IP addresses that
service providers could assign to their subscribers, as well as improved data security,
quality of service and management functions. He said, “Service providers could do the
simple, short-lived thing, which is to duplicate and extend their existing IPv4-based
services. But in a year or two they will run out of addresses and either have to throw that
equipment away or spend a lot of money on forklift upgrades.”
Firms are currently using NAT to provide multiple internal network users with Internet
access via a single IP address, a method that may also be employed by broadband users
installing DSL routers in the home.
I think this article is something to think about. Everyone seems to be afraid of
taking the initiative to upgrade to Ipv6. ISPs seems comfortable in using NATs but
hopefully in due time IPv6 will be fully deployed and become the official standard.
Companies should be more aware of the disadvantages of using NATS. For example, it
violates the bounds of the network layers; it only works with TCP/UDP so in this it set
limitations because machine may use different protocols. Also it allows duplicate IP
addresses with violates the "principle" of the Internet since each machine is suppose to
have a unique address.