Wednesday 8th June 2011 is World IPv6 Day and the Institutional Repository will be taking part.
What is IPv6?
Computers on the Internet commonly communicate using Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). IPv4 can handle about 4 billion devices, which back in the early 1980’s seemed like a lot. These days it is common for people to have a computer, laptop and mobile phone all wanting to be connected to the internet which makes 4 billion look very small.
If we want to connect our toasters, fridges, cars, etc. to the Internet we need to move over to using a new version Internet Protocol, version 6 (IPv6). Which can handle about 3.4*1038 devices
How quick do we need to move to IPv6?
IPv6 has been specifically designed so that it can coexist with IPv4, so we can take out time and progressively move over the IPv6.
What is IPv6 day?
On June 8th organisations with IPv6 connections are encouraged to make their Internet services available over IPv6 as well as IPv4. This has a number of benefits, from enabling network operators to test their IPv6 networks to helping push existing IPv4 content to be supplied over IPv6 as well.
The required work has taken place to the Institutional Repository to enable it to communicate over IPv6 as well as IPv4.
What impact will it have on me?
It shouldn’t have a noticeable impact, if you only have an IPv4 connection to the Internet then your computer will use IPv4 to access the Institutional Repository. If you have an IPv6 connection to the internet then your computer will use IPv6 to connect.