People have been touting IPv6 as the best way to solve the shortage of IPv4 addresses to allow for further internet expansion. It may be the next phase in the gradual development of the internet, but full IPv6 implementation is a mirage rather than a reality. As a solution, IPv6 needs meticulous planning and investment to be fully functioning.
May 10, 2013, was the estimated date for this version of IP to get fully adopted. The adoption of IPv6 addresses has gone up to 30% over the last few years. However, costly network infrastructure, end-user technological incompatibility and lack of advantages for early IPv6 adopters contribute much to the evolutional delay. Here, we will discuss insights about those factors and how they affect the industry.
Not Enough Affordability
Being capable of supporting IPv6 needs broad bare-metal infrastructure and other infrastructural resources. Not every telecommunication company and internet provider can invest in those resources. Therefore, the pace of IPv6 development depends largely on major players in the market. However, small and medium-scale enterprises not being part of the equation, means the internet industry is devoid of a major portion of companies that could aid in accelerating the process of implementing IPv6 technology.
Establishing a new infrastructure necessitates a considerable investment, which may appear to be bigger considering the effects of COVID-19 on several companies. This plays a part in the reduced speed of the implementation process. Further, almost every legacy application is not made to work on IPv6; updating it to be compliant with IPv6 would increase the costs further.
Limited funding hinders the process of IPv4 to IPv6 transition, but the companies that cannot pay for the transition require solutions that are ready for a commercial introduction to keep scaling. It is possible to address the issue through a strategy where you lease IP addresses, because it allows renting out unutilized IPv4s, offering a timelier solution and enabling the transition.
No Direct Advantage For An Early Adopter
The transition comes with two stages, comprising the process of adopting dual-stack solutions, which involve using both IP versions simultaneously, and that of a complete transition to IPv6. However, up to the time that almost the entirety of the industry adopts the so-called dual-stack setting, it is impossible to move to IPv6. The technology has long been in existence, and several early adopters still await other industry players to be part of the process.
Does your organization have enough resources for the transition? Can it keep its network stable? If so, it would be great to implement the simultaneous use of the two protocols to facilitate gradual migration. If your company has enough IPv4 addresses, however, it need not adopt IPv6.
