What Are The Advantages Of Using IPv6 Over IPv4?

Ipv6 or Internet Protocol version 6 has many different advantages over the older version 4.

The older version was a great design, but the newer version offers features that allow it to keep up with the speed of the Internet and the millions of users.

One of the main advantages is that of security. There are more encryption and authentication options in Ipv6. These ensure that networks are overall much more secure and cannot be hacked into or compromised.

Another advantage is that of a larger address space. This is an improvement of significant bits - 128 versus the 32 bit one from v4. This means that there are more addresses available per person.

There is also better network management and routing efficiency because of the larger subnet space, as well as hierarchical route aggregation.

In the newer version, the processing has been simplified. Ipv6 routers no longer perform fragmentation. Instead, it is the host’s job to perform PMTU discovery of end-to-end fragmentation. The overall packet processing by the routers is more efficient than those in Ipv4.

One of the most significant advantages is that of multicasting. It is no longer difficult for organizations to get a globally routable multicast group assignment.  This ensures multicast solutions, embedding rendezvous point addresses, and the overall ease of deployment to inter-domain solutions.

As the internet grows and more and more users are coming online, a newer version of Internet Protocol was needed to help with the problems that were going to become noticeable with Ipv4. With the release of Ipv6, there are noticeable advantages.

1. Larger Address Space: Address filed in IPv6 is 128 bits long while the address filed of IPv4 is only 32 bits in length. IPv6 offers very large, that is to say has 296 address space as compared to IPv4.
2. Better header format: The header of IPv6 has been designed in a way to speed-up the routing process. In header of IPv6 options are separated from the base header. Options are inserted into base header only when required by the upper-layer data.

3. Provision for extension: IPv6 has been designed in a way that a protocol can be extended easily to meet the requirements of emerging technologies or new applications.
4. Resource Allocation support in IPv6: IPv6 provides a mechanism called Flow Label for resource allocation. Flow label enables source to send request for the special handling of a packet. This mechanism is really helpful in real-time audio and video transmission.
5. Security Features: To ensure confidentiality and packet's integrity encryption and authentication options are included in IPv6.

Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is the next generation Internet protocol standard. Current Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) is used as a standard Internet protocol. IPv4 is a well-designed protocol but lacks features to be used in the fast-growth Internet world.    Following are some of the advantage of IPv6 over IPv4;  1. Larger Address Space: Address filed in IPv6 is 128 bits long while the address filed of IPv4 is only 32 bits in length. IPv6 offers very large, i.e.296 address space as compared to IPv4.  2. Better header format: The header of IPv6 has been designed in a way to speed-up the routing process. In header of IPv6 options are separated from the base header. Options are inserted into base header only when required by the upper-layer data.    3. Provision for extension: IPv6 has been designed in a way that a protocol can be extended easily to meet the requirements of emerging technologies or new applications.  4. Resource Allocation support in IPv6: IPv6 provides a mechanism called Flow Label for resource allocation. Flow label enables source to send request for the special handling of a packet. This mechanism is really helpful in real-time audio and video transmission.  5. Security Features: To ensure confidentiality and packet's integrity encryption and authentication options are included in IPv6.

Under 32 bit address IPv4 system we are limited to a total possible 4.29 billion global address (2^32).  Under a 128 bit address IPv6 system there is a total possible 3.4 x 10^38.  Obviously everyone in the world could easily be assigned their own global IP address.  Real-time peer to peer communication will available to everyone, or true end to end connectivity like the internet was really intended for.  This will lead to technological and economical progress.

Following are some of the advantage of IPv6 over IPv4;  1. Larger Address Space: Address filed in IPv6 is 128 bits long while the address filed of IPv4 is only 32 bits in length. IPv6 offers very large, i.e.296 address space as compared to IPv4.  2. Better header format: The header of IPv6 has been designed in a way to speed-up the routing process. In header of IPv6 options are separated from the base header. Options are inserted into base header only when required by the upper-layer data.    3. Provision for extension: IPv6 has been designed in a way that a protocol can be extended easily to meet the requirements of emerging technologies or new applications.  4. Resource Allocation support in IPv6: IPv6 provides a mechanism called Flow Label for resource allocation. Flow label enables source to send request for the special handling of a packet. This mechanism is really helpful in real-time audio and video transmission.  5. Security Features: To ensure confidentiality and packet's integrity encryption and authentication options are included in IPv6.