Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv6)

Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the primary protocol used for communication over the Internet. It was initially developed and released in 1981 as an experimental protocol, but eventually became the standard protocol for Internet communication in 1983. IPv4 suffers from a limited address space of 4.3 billion unique addresses, which has created a number of issues for large networks.

IPv4 is a connectionless, datagram-based protocol made up of 32 bits. It consists of a header and a payload, which together form the basis for Internet communication. The header includes indicators to show the source and destination of the data, as well as other information about how the data is being handled. The payload, or data section, is where the actual information being transmitted is contained. IPv4 has been designed to provide connectionless delivery, meaning it does not guarantee that data will reach its desired destination.

To address the issues related to IPv4’s limited address space, a newer version of the Internet Protocol, IPv6, was developed and released in 1998. IPv6 supports an address space that is 128 bits, providing a significantly expanded range of available addresses and removing the need for address translation techniques. IPv6 has several other benefits as well, such as the introduction of quality-of-service features and the ability to automatically configure network settings.

IPv6 is currently the most widely used protocol for communication over the Internet, with most modern networks using this version. It is designed to be backward compatible with earlier versions of the Internet Protocol, allowing for easy implementation of the new protocol in existing systems. Despite the benefits of IPv6, some legacy systems and applications may not support it, and may require compatibility measures.

Overall, IPv6 is an important advancement in the Internet Protocol, providing a greater range of addresses, improved features, and more reliable performance.