The next version of the Internet Protocol, which provides a 128-bit standard to transmit data, is getting a jump-start for adoption with its endorsement by the Department of Defense.

The DOD is requiring all contractors involved in its Global Information Grid program to support the new Internet Protocol version 6 as of October 1, 2003. IPv6 is expected to replace the current 32-bit IP version 4 (IPv4) for nearly all Internet traffic by 2008. The replacement is necessary because the number of available of IP addresses is dwindling, say the standard's developers.

Read more: PC World.

Wasn't IP version 6 meant to be introduced this year - or last year ? Anway, although I am sure that this is coming, I would not hold my breath.

As far as IP v 4 addresses running out, that's nothing new and we've even had technologies like variable length subnet masking introduced years ago to try and combat this.

However, if they are indeed serious this time, I would be more than happy.

Heh, it was promised 6 years ago that IPv6 was "just around the corner"...

We actually aren't running out of adress space; the US took 70% or so of all A adresses, the Europe around 20% and Asia and Australia got the rest, so that's where the problem lies...

So the first countries to get IPv6 will be India China and Japan... It will probably be a few years before the US and Europe really needs IPv6...

But I'm not too happy about it, assigning computers hexadecimal IP numbers will be a real headace compared to the simple decimal numering system we use today...

Remembering an IP adress to a specific computer in the future will be near impossible...

This would be an example:
21CD:0053:0000:0000:03AD:003F:AF37:8D62

Compare that adress to todays system and you will quite quickly realize why it will become a hazzle for us humans... The computers will like em though ;-)

An adress we use today would look like this: 12.96.164.87

Yeah, if people had had some sense, and hadn't handed out class A addresses like they were sweets....

Still, with the number of internet connected devices that we will likely come to rely on during the 21st century, I think that we do need IPv6. I just can't see it materialising overnight.

I can imagine google choking on that lot :=).

Doesn't IPV6 also require hardware upgrades as well? Not for the end user though I mean (So long as the OS supports it).

Yes, at least switches need IPv6 compatibility. I'm not sure if normal hubs do, I don't think so.

I am not sure - I would have to investigate this. I would imagine that as far as network cards go, they just need new drivers and a new NDIS wrapper, which are all handled with software.

Devices such as switches or routers, which have tiny operating systems on them that exist in flash memory, and so forth, would require some kind of upgrade. I am sure that cisco switches and routers could probably be updated with something that resembles a BIOS upgrade, but don't quote me on that.