HP Networking

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By Kai Chang, HP Networking Global Product Manager

These days, instead of checking the paper for news and where to eat and play, I have been using my smartphone instead. And I’m not alone.

With the explosion of worldwide Internet users and Internet-connected devices including smartphones and tablets, businesses are engaging new tools such as social media, e-commerce, web-based promotions and advertisements to communicate and sell to customers. What makes this communication possible is the same Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) that is used to connect PCs to the Internet. IPv4 is integrated in all network devices starting from the end points (e.g., laptops, smartphones), carrier’s equipment, to switches and routers in your premises. Most of these devices are required to have at least one IPv4 address.

Are we running out of Internet addresses?

Recently, you might have seen articles about the depletion of IPv4 address. In fact, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) had assigned the last block of public IPv4 addresses to the Regional Internet Registries back in February of this year. Does this mean that no more people or devices can be connected to the Internet? 

Fortunately, no. There are still available public IPv4 numbers that the carriers and corporations can provide to their customers. We also have network technologies to assign private addresses that allow basic Internet connections. Then there is IPv6—a new version of Internet protocol that vastly increases the number of addresses.

More about IPv6 deployment, capabilities

In addition to more addresses, IPv6 offers enhanced capabilities in areas such as configuration, quality of service, security, and mobility. Although it became standard in the mid1990s, IPv6 deployment has been limited until recently to mostly research organizations and a few Internet service providers. In the last few years however, federal governments, carriers and large corporations have been increasingly planning for IPv6 deployment.

Good news for smaller businesses: IPv4 device support not suddenly vanishing

As IPv6 is being deployed, a large installed base of IPv4 devices will be around for years to come. Carriers and Internet service providers understand this fact and they have been designing their network to support both IPv4 and IPv6. For small to medium-sized businesses that use service providers to host their web presence and connect to the Internet, this means that the IPv4 network equipment that you have been using or planning to purchase for your premises will still work perfectly.

Plan your move to IPv6

For some of you who manage your own web server or might want to start experimenting, you can start by upgrading to network devices that support IPv6. HP has been enabling IPv6 in our products since 2000. Today, HP Networking offers many models of switches and routers that have basic to advance IPv6 capabilities such as the 2520, 2910, 5400, 5500 Series of switches and the MSR routers.

Read more on the topic

>>Blog: Has the arrival of IPv4 doomsday changed anything?  

>>Blog: IPv6 acceptance: Should you consider IPv4-style solutions?  

>> Learn more about HP Networking products and solutions for the Instant-On Enterprise