When the Internet runs out of space?

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

An article in Knowledge @Australian School for Business discusses the fact that the present Internet addresses system, known as IPv4, will have literally used up its 4.2 billion addresses soon:

APNIC, the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre, is the registry that issues Internet addresses for the booming Asia-Pacific region, and is expected to be the first to run out. Registries in other regions may last just a few months longer.

The article’s writers describe the new address system, IPv6, and its 340 billion billion billion addresses, as the system that will save the Internet from the end of capacity. It recommends that companies start developing their IPv6 systems before it’s too late to add to IPv4. It does, however, caution that the IPv6 system will be incompatible with the IPv4 system, creating–what else?–two IP systems running concurrently, and forcing businesses and consumers to straddle the worlds of both IP systems, new and old, at least for a good while. You thought the Browser wars were a pain.

Actually, browser users probably won’t have to worry: Most ISPs are either planning on rolling out IPv6, or have already experimented with it. ISP customers may see no difference whatsoever with their web access. But if you produce a web site, you might want to see what your ISP or IT staff is doing about IPv6, and whether you’ll need to take any steps on your site to accommodate it.

And how does this affect ebooks, you ask? Well, since every item that connects to the Internet needs its own IP address–including your ebook reading device or cellphone–the switch to the IPv6 system is supposed to allow for unprecedented communications between your many devices and the Internet, including some connections you may not have thought of… but clearly somebody did.

In Japan, for instance, some of the taxis have IPv6 addresses in their windscreen wipers. When taxies turn on their wipers, the cab company knows and can send lots of cabs to the area because it’s raining. “There are so many opportunities for other sorts of business and what you can do in terms of communication,” says (executive director of the Internet Society of Australia, Holly) Raiche.

The suggestion here is that ebook reading devices and cellphones, for example, may be able to contact a book outlet when it knows you’ve finished a book, or looked up an author or phrase, in order to sell you a new book. Doesn’t sound too bad. But it also suggests that device might be able to contact the outlet (or… bum bum bummm… someone else) if you copy that ebook and give it to someone else, or post it online. Hey, at least that would solve the DRM problem…

Of course, these same organizations are talking about using those 340 billion billion billion IP addresses and giving them to every item on a store shelf, every electronic device in your home (even light bulbs and cables), every public piece of infrastructure, adding them to every device on your desk (“Attention: You are out of staples. I have ordered a box for you.”), etc, etc. If they do that, how long before we need an IPv8 system and another few billion billion billion billion billion billion addresses?

Bottom line, we should expect ground-breaking changes in our electronic devices… at some point. Maybe soon. Maybe not. Bookmark this spot.

[GeoffC]

book-marked accordingly ...

[DixieGal]

It's been done. There is no limit. Reference I. Asimov's early Univac series for details.

[DiapDealer]

They've been threatening IPv6 for about 10 years now. I'll worry about it in another decade.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

They've been threatening IPv6 for about 10 years now. I'll worry about it in another decade.

Another bit from the article:

(Graham Low, a professor in information systems at the Australian School of Business) surmises that most people who were aware of the eventual need to make the switch have thought "why do it unless you have to?" "But we don't have a choice now," Low cautions. "The Internet wasn't designed for the number of users it currently has, so we have to go (to IPv6)."

So we may not have another decade to lose!

But you're right, it's another case of "we'll switch when we have to," and so far, no one has had to. When they do have to, assume the transition will be rushed and messy as hell, and a lot of people will be angered and frustrated by the process... especially, I'd expect, the consumers.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

An article in Knowledge @Australian School for Business discusses the fact that the present Internet addresses system, known as IPv4, will have literally used up its 4.2 billion addresses soon:

[snip]

Of course, these same organizations are talking about using those 340 billion billion billion IP addresses and giving them to every item on a store shelf, every electronic device in your home (even light bulbs and cables), every public piece of infrastructure, adding them to every device on your desk (“Attention: You are out of staples. I have ordered a box for you.”), etc, etc. If they do that, how long before we need an IPv8 system and another few billion billion billion billion billion billion addresses?

Bottom line, we should expect ground-breaking changes in our electronic devices… at some point. Maybe soon. Maybe not. Bookmark this spot.

This, I don't like at all. I would hate to get notifications that my milk is gone or I should buy new tires. Thats just going a little to far. Keep your IvP6 out of my fricking house.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

This, I don't like at all. I would hate to get notifications that my milk is gone or I should buy new tires. Thats just going a little to far. Keep your IvP6 out of my fricking house.

yeah, i think it's overkill. though it is another business opportunity for opportunists as well as another way of gathering information :P

[EowynCarter]

IPv6 addresses in their windscreen wipers

That sentence make no sense at all. More like : the car have an Internet connexion using iPV6. It could still send info using ipV6.
These uses can already exist with ipv4 and local network....

If they do that, how long before we need an IPv8 system and another few billion billion billion billion billion billion addresses?

Good question.

[grumpy3b]

great the roll of Charmin and the GF's female products will each have an IP address. Oh, joy, can't wait until it's all hooked into Amazon and arrives via JIT purchasing. Can you see it, stranded on the throne when out of nowhere there is a knock at the door from the UPS guy with your new supply yet there you are "stranded, sittin' on the toilet bowl, what do you do as a man, when you can't find a roll?" (sung to the tune of the TV show Branded).

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

This, I don't like at all. I would hate to get notifications that my milk is gone or I should buy new tires. Thats just going a little to far. Keep your IvP6 out of my fricking house.

Ah, but the first time you come back from the store, and you didn't get milk because your fridge didn't tell you you were out, you'll be angrier still!

Seriously, I've been hearing this for a long time, too, and I can't imagine any organization or group of organizations managing to set up such a system that actually works for things like keeping track of household items and goods in realtime. I think that bit is pure pie-in-the-sky.

OTOH, more limited systems like the windshield wipers and tyres--uh, tires, that I can buy. In fact, from a pure safety standpoint, I'd like to see vehicles develop such systems, because it should make it easier to keep them tuned and topped-off. (And if you've ever gone into a skid, because you didn't realize how bald your tires were, you might appreciate some advance warning next time.) But there would probably be trade-offs, such as those systems communicating when you're driving too fast or running red lights and stop signs.

This will either make the world more connected, or create a huge market for IP jamming devices...

[DiapDealer]

Actually, IPv6 wouldn't be required to have all appliances in your house be internet-ized. Just like now (IPv4), only one real IP address is required when you have a NAT capable router between the internet and your private IP-based toiletry network.

The reason we haven't reached critical mass yet is because the number of devices that have internet access, isn't in a one-to-one ratio with the number of IP addresses available.

[RainingLemur]

When the internet runs out of space.......we riot.

And then move on about our day as the internets gets more space.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Ah, but the first time you come back from the store, and you didn't get milk because your fridge didn't tell you you were out, you'll be angrier still!

Seriously, I've been hearing this for a long time, too, and I can't imagine any organization or group of organizations managing to set up such a system that actually works for things like keeping track of household items and goods in realtime. I think that bit is pure pie-in-the-sky.

OTOH, more limited systems like the windshield wipers and tyres--uh, tires, that I can buy. In fact, from a pure safety standpoint, I'd like to see vehicles develop such systems, because it should make it easier to keep them tuned and topped-off. (And if you've ever gone into a skid, because you didn't realize how bald your tires were, you might appreciate some advance warning next time.) But there would probably be trade-offs, such as those systems communicating when you're driving too fast or running red lights and stop signs.

This will either make the world more connected, or create a huge market for IP jamming devices...

I think that regular car maintenance is what keeps you from running on bald tires...not some jackass who decided it would be great marketing to stick a reminder in my tires so that they get hopefully get more money.

And 17 days after all the private items in your life are IvP6'd, you'll get an email like the one I got yesterday apologizing that their system has been hacked and all your personal information was stolen. They will be sure that it will only be your real name, phone number, address, email, shopping habits, social security number, blood type, # of children, education level, and the number of books you read last year. Of course, they are not sure how much information the hackers will have taken so it will all be a crap shoot.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I think that regular car maintenance is what keeps you from running on bald tires...not some jackass who decided it would be great marketing to stick a reminder in my tires so that they get hopefully get more money.

In an ideal world, of course, that's all it takes. In the real world, you have your tires checked, you realize they're not bald yet, but they've probably got about another 1000 miles on them, so you say, "Sure, I can keep track and get 'em then, because my money's tight now." Then life gets busy, you don't notice that you've passed 1000 miles, then you're heading for a red light on a downhill road on a rainy day and you don't seem to be actually stopping...

Things like this can happen, and they do, all the time, to all kinds of people. (Yes, the above example happened to me.) If you're so contentious that you never miss an appointment, always get your car checked at precise intervals, always have the money to get the things you need when you're told you need them... that's great. But for the record, you happen to be in the minority!

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

And 17 days after all the private items in your life are IvP6'd, you'll get an email like the one I got yesterday apologizing that their system has been hacked and all your personal information was stolen.

Sorry for your hack episode. As you indicated... you can get those today. That's a security issue that needs to be addressed, to be sure; but it's a different issue.

[grumpy3b]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I think that regular car maintenance is what keeps you from running on bald tires...not some jackass who decided it would be great marketing to stick a reminder in my tires so that they get hopefully get more money.

And 17 days after all the private items in your life are IvP6'd, you'll get an email like the one I got yesterday apologizing that their system has been hacked and all your personal information was stolen. They will be sure that it will only be your real name, phone number, address, email, shopping habits, social security number, blood type, # of children, education level, and the number of books you read last year. Of course, they are not sure how much information the hackers will have taken so it will all be a crap shoot.

as an aside, most all tires sold today have RFID chips in them. But they say the chips of merely for inventory control. Sure, yup that's what the chips are for.