Last night, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) introduced a new technology called IPv6 that’s supposed to increase future internet usage. The next-generation internet technology became available for a select group of users on Tuesday evening at 5:00 pm Pacific Standard Time.
According to CNET, there were several big companies that were encouraging the sequel to IPv4. It all kicked off with the World IPv6 Launch, a big event run by Internet Society. Right now it’s still in the introductory phase and the organizers of this event will keep a close eye on the progress.
Right now, Google and Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) are offering IPv6 on Google’s search engine, YouTube, Gmail. Even Bing.com is offering it.
According to Vint Cerf (chief internet evangelist at Google), the internet is running out of room and we need to make more room. The IP address is a unique number that is assigned to each Internet-connected device and that number is what connects the device to the worldwide web. Currently, the IPv4 has enough room for four billion internet protocol addresses but that’s obviously not enough for every human being on the planet. The recommended solution is to add more addresses- this recommended number is 340 trillion times three. That number is what IPv6 can handle while providing a significant amount of room to grow.
The internet is big business and Google wants to make sure they can capitalize on their future.
For the rest of us who want IPV6, we will have to wait a little while longer because most internet service provides and websites still aren’t providing the support for it. If you want to prepare your computers and other internet-enabled devices for the switch, it’s recommended that you run Windows Vista or Mac OS X 10.2 (or later operating systems) or plug in a newer home network router from Cisco’s Netgear or D-Link to your broadband connection. The future of the internet is almost here.
