Thanks to Ann Higgins for sending me the latest from Gov Tech…
According to the OECD, we’re running out of IP addresses. Apparently, 85 percent of all available Internet addresses are already in use by May 2008, experts predict that at this rate addresses will run out by 2011.
The Internet Protocol (IP) specifies how communications take place between one device and another through an addressing system. Through careful management those addresses have lasted and long time – but there is a new addressing system ready to go that would provide a magnitude more addresses – IP6.
So why aren’t we upgrading already? Well, because there are costs associated with the transition to IP6. Those costs should be recouped in the long term, but that’s long term (and we don’t seem to embrace long term) and are dependent on a critical mass moving to IP6. Also, IP6 doesn’t talk to IP4 (the current addressing system).
The paper suggests that governments take the following steps towards improving the addressing situation:
- Working with the private sector and other stakeholders to increase education and awareness and reduce bottlenecks
- Demonstrating government commitment to adoption of IPv6
- Pursuing international co-operation and monitoring IPv6 deployment