Challenges Presented by Implementing IPv6 concurrently with IPv4 Term Paper

Challenges Presented by Implementing IPv6 concurrently with IPv4 - Term Paper Example There was a problem of the eminent exhaustion of IPv4 space, complexities of configuration and the different security issues that were associated with IPv4. To overcome the above challenges presented by IPv4, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) developed Internet Protocol version six (IPv6). This uses a 128 address space ad would support different unique addresses to the tune of trillions. It was envisaged that IPv6 would eliminate the security issues associated with IPv4 and also present new features and opportunities for the internet community. This paper discusses the challenges of implementation of Ipv6 concurrently with IPv4. Development of IPv6 The rapid decline in the number of available IP addresses is not surprising. This is based on the fact that new devices are being connected to the internet. Some of these devices are not even computers but are integrated with microcomputers to help them connect to the internet. Such devices include security systems, television set s and cameras among others. With this development, it was expected that IPv6 would be implemented fast enough to help in overcoming the challenges that were presented by IPv4. However, there has been some considerable slowness in implanting IPv6 across networks with different deadlines set for its implementation coming and going. The slowness in implementation is not attributed to any hardware or software issue. This is because most of the current computer hardware and software are compatible with IPv6 (DeNardis 131). Reasons for IPv6 One of the main reasons advanced for the need of IPv6 addresses is that it supports dynamic routing and end to end computing. Dynamic routing is different from static routing from the sense that in static routing, permanent IP addresses are assigned to devices on a network while in a dynamic routing, IP addresses are assigned based on need. This means that dynamic routing that is supported by IPv6 uses fewer IP addresses. Another reason for IPv6 is its mandatory support for IPSec; this is the security protocol deployed for internet applications. IPSec can also be used by IPv4. Furthermore, the fact that IPv6 supports back to back connectivity, it allows for rerouting of information to determine the source of traffic. This is a feature that IPv6 has that has improved its security by eliminating attacks and simplifies the process of IP identification (Zhang 565). IPv6 is also easy to implement and use. This is due to the fact that it can easily configure itself and connect easily to the network. This makes the job very easy for network administrators as they do not have to waste much time configuring the networks. IPv6 has an additional feature that increases its robust nature while eliminating the complexities of routing. This is due to the feature that reduces the number of routes (Zhang 567). Challenges presented by implementing IPv6 concurrently with IPv4 One of the challenges that may be experienced in such implementation is s ecurity. Even though IPv6 has better security features, security is a problem because of the complexity of implementing such a system. The security challenges include preventing attackers who have more experience than the information technology department of an organization during the initial stages of concurrent implementation of IPv6 and IPv4. Security exists also I the context of the difficulty in ascertaining unauthorized access on the existing IPv4