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Vista
Just received some bad news.
As you know, the IP v.4 is running out of numbers for the Internet. It was originally thought that 4 billion combinations of nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn would be amply sufficient, but this did not envision net-based thingamajigs, such as embedded devices and so on. About 10 years ago, a new system, called IP v. 6 was dreamt up to give every man, woman and child something like the possibility of an octillion IP numbers. Eventually, each piece of hardware (including mobile phones, printers, washing machines etc.) will have its hard-wired IP number.
The major systems used by ISPs and telecomms companies, such as made by Cisco, Siemens etc.) have been v. 6-compliant for the last 3-5 years, so the changeover from v.4 to v. 6 should be smooth, once the few remaining security issues have been resolved, and a seamless changeover will be due to start in summer 2008. I anticipate that large multinationals will be the first to change, so that each workstation in a WAN will be allocated its own IP number and the company's central server's DNS will do the routing within the company. This will make admin very much easier. The other advantage is that the overloaded nodes in the USA will be largely relieved of the traffic density as routing will be more direct because, effectively, each computer will be seen as its own server, even if it isn't one. This will even out the traffic throughout the world and Japanese and European nodes will be more solicited. Result: less loss of speed.
The crunch: There is only one version of Windows that is IP v.6-compatible. Yes, you've guessed it, Vista. This could render XP as archaic as PC-DOS within a couple of years or so, as Bill G rubs his hands as he smiles all the way to the bank.
As you know, the IP v.4 is running out of numbers for the Internet. It was originally thought that 4 billion combinations of nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn would be amply sufficient, but this did not envision net-based thingamajigs, such as embedded devices and so on. About 10 years ago, a new system, called IP v. 6 was dreamt up to give every man, woman and child something like the possibility of an octillion IP numbers. Eventually, each piece of hardware (including mobile phones, printers, washing machines etc.) will have its hard-wired IP number.
The major systems used by ISPs and telecomms companies, such as made by Cisco, Siemens etc.) have been v. 6-compliant for the last 3-5 years, so the changeover from v.4 to v. 6 should be smooth, once the few remaining security issues have been resolved, and a seamless changeover will be due to start in summer 2008. I anticipate that large multinationals will be the first to change, so that each workstation in a WAN will be allocated its own IP number and the company's central server's DNS will do the routing within the company. This will make admin very much easier. The other advantage is that the overloaded nodes in the USA will be largely relieved of the traffic density as routing will be more direct because, effectively, each computer will be seen as its own server, even if it isn't one. This will even out the traffic throughout the world and Japanese and European nodes will be more solicited. Result: less loss of speed.
The crunch: There is only one version of Windows that is IP v.6-compatible. Yes, you've guessed it, Vista. This could render XP as archaic as PC-DOS within a couple of years or so, as Bill G rubs his hands as he smiles all the way to the bank.
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