Chapter 4: Preparing for the Advent of IPv6
In This Chapter
Grasping the basic IPv6 address structure
Collapsing, identifying, and assigning addresses
Integrating with IPv4 and IPv6 networks
The first question you may ask about Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is, “What is wrong with IPv4? Why do we need a new type of IP addressing structure?” Well, the answer is really a testament as to the popularity of the Internet. IPv4 has been around since the late 1970s when most computers were mainframes and minicomputers. Minicomputers tended to have a couple of network connections, but most devices — such as terminals and printers — were connected to it via serial connections. The expectation of the time was that if all the computers in the world started using TCP/IP, there would still be millions of addresses left available.
Well, who knew that 40 years later, not only would there be at least one computer in every household, but multiple computing devices that needed their own addresses, too. For example, my house has a media server, three media server front ends, five computers, three smartphones (with Wi-Fi), three iPods (with Wi-Fi), a Nintendo Wii, and a Microsoft Xbox, bringing ...
