If you didn’t know, IPv4, the current network layer protocol used on the Internet is due to be replace with a new networking protocol called IPv6. IPv4 is a 32-bit addressing scheme that allows 4,294,967,296 possible unique addresses. IPv6 is a 128-bit addressing scheme that allows much more.
This is the number of possible IPv6 numbers that are possible:
340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456
And here is how to say the number.
340- undecillion
282- decillion
366- nonillion
920- octillion
938- septillion
463- sextillion
463- quintillion
374- quadrillion
607- trillion
431- billion
768- million
211- thousand
456
HOW BIG IS THAT REALLY??!
2^128=340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 = 3.4×10^38
– 50 octillion addresses for each of the 6.5 Billion people on earth
– Every atom in the human body could have IPv6 address
– Windshield wipers on your car may have and IPv6 address (every device can be “pingableâ€)
Pros and Cons of IPv6:
CON
• Lack of migration plan
• Definition of “compliance� (dod)
• Long address (2001:0000:1080:8c88:8:800:200C:417A)
• Security issues
• No tools to check IPv6 packets, so this exploit has no way to be stopped yet
– Windows XP supports IPv6 but the SP2 firewall would not detect rogue data inside ICMPv6 packets
PRO
• ipv6 for everything
• Japan already on top of it
• Help countries like China and India
Here are some other interesting numbers: