Is it depleted tomorrow?What happens if IPv4 disappears?

The story that the IPv4 address will be depleted someday for the full -fledged IPv6 era has been spoken for more than 10 years, but it has finally become a reality.Until now, NAT and other technologies have led to the extension of the IPv4 address, but it will soon reach its limits and have to shift to IPv6.What kind of impacts do we have when the IPv4 address is depleted?

IPv4 address is depleted in front of you

　In 2011, IPv6 may be an emergency task for many network engineers to respond.As of the end of last year, the remaining seven remaining IPv4 address blocks (/8 address blocks) of Iana (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority).In fact, the policy of IANA's address distribution has decided to distribute one block to five lower organizations called RIR (Regional Internet Registry) when the remaining 5 blocks are left.Therefore, the substantial remaining blocks are two blocks.Moreover, since the assignment is performed in two blocks, the exhaustion is determined by one more assignment.The X Day, which is an address depletion in Iana, is expected to be around March 2011, but is likely to be ahead of time.

　What is attracting attention this time is Iana's address stock.In fact, the RIR still has stock, so the user does not suddenly face the lack of address.Nevertheless, according to the APNIC statement to which Japan belongs, the X Day, where the APNIC address stock is depleted, is expected to be around the fourth quarter of 2011.Although there is a little time after Iana's address depletion, it is expected that Japan will not be able to assign a new IPv4 address in 2011.

What is the problem with the IPv4 address depletion?

　Currently, the address block distributed from Iana to RIR is the "/8" block.From RIR to lower tissue, it is distributed in a subdivided form according to demand (figure below).Although the minimum distribution is different for each RIR, the APNIC (ASIA Pacific Network Information Center), which is related to Japan, has the minimum block of "/22".Eventually, NIR (NATIONAL Internet Registry: JPNIC, etc.) and LIR (Local Internet Registry) are distributed from RIR and assign an address block to the end user.

IP address management organization

　Although the IPv4 address depletion is approaching, there is no large campaign as a TV terrestrial digital measure.The fact is that only vague, the sense of crisis of IPv4 address depletion is conveyed.Is it okay to keep it calm?I would like to think about how IPv4 address depletion has an effect on the use of the Internet.

　First of all, just because the IPv4 address is depleted, the fixed IP address (global IPv4 address) assigned to the web server or mail server already used, and the address that is allocated by IPCP or DHCP from ISP suddenly.I want to make sure that it is not unusable.In conclusion, the Internet can be used without any problems as before.

　The effect of the IPv4 address depletion may not be assigned a fixed IP address when a new website is built.If you do not get an IP address in launching a new site, more users will use hosting services.

　For businesses that provide hosting services, there is an advantage that the operating rate per server machine has an advantage, but the handling capacity of hardware is limited.In other words, if the number of users increases, the equipment must be added to maintain the service quality.This is just the point that needs an IP address has moved to another place.

　There is also a concern that the ISP and the user, which provide Internet connection, may have trouble.The current Internet connection is generally "constantly connected" with the spread of cheap broadband lines.Broadband routers installed in companies and private homes will continue to hold the IP address assigned from ISP in the connected environment.This is nothing more than the ISP user is limited to the ISP's IP address.

　As an affected service, the Internet connection of mobile terminals is also large.Even in a mobile environment, IP addresses are the same for connecting to the Internet.Mobile Internet methods include 3G mobile phone data communication services, WiMAX, Wi-Fi spots, etc., and the number of terminal contracts exceeds 100 million units.

　In addition, there is an IP phone where the IP address is used.Many landline telephone services, which have been used for a long time, have shifted to IP phones.In this way, more and more scenes that require IP addresses are increasing.If the IP address is likely to wither, if the ISP has more users than the address stock, the address may eventually be unable to assign an address to the terminal and you may not be able to connect to the Internet (below).

IPv4 address depletion

(The next page, why is IPv6 delayed?)