Every device linked to the Internet needs a unique number to enable it to connect with the rest of the devices on the network. These numbers, or Internet protocol (IP) addresses, are critical for the operation of the Internet.
Many devices connected to the Internet today run on Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). However, due to the extraordinary growth of the Internet over the past decade we're now running out of available IPv4 addresses.
With this in mind, the technical community developed the next-generation of IP addresses, IPv6, in the mid-1990s. The many trillions of IPv6 addresses available will be enough to ensure that the growth and development of the Internet can continue.
Today, however, we face a major challenge – as IPv4 addresses run out, it is up to everyone in the Internet community to play their part in the global adoption of IPv6.
Why do you need to know? Because IPv4 and IPv6 do not talk directly to each other. This means that if your content and services are only available over IPv4 a potential customer using IPv6 will not be able to access your website. To combat this problem, all organisations in both the public and private sector need to deploy IPv6 and run it alongside IPv4 (known as dual stacking) for the foreseeable future.
In order to continue to offer your customers the same level of service, you need to prioritise IPv6 deployment now. Ask yourself: