International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)

ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-9, September 2014

Assessment of the importance of Transiting from

IPV4 to IPV6 in Nigeria
Ihekweaba Ogechi, Nweke Chisom B.
represents the crowning objective for IP-address-hungry
Abstract Internet protocol is a set of technical rules that organizations. The main reason for a new version of the
defines how computers communicate over a network. It is a Internet Protocol was to increase the address space; IPv6 was
network-layer protocol that contains addressing information designed with a 128 bit address scheme, enough to label every
and some control information to enable packet routing through
molecule on the surface of the earth with a unique address.
a network. Transition from Internet Protocol Version Six
(IPV4) to Internet Protocol Version Six (IPV6) has become
IPv6 support scalability, multimedia transmissions, unlimited
unavoidable in the process of internet development because of addresses, flexibility, robustness, enhanced security, better
many reasons. IPV6 is the next-generation internet protocol, support for QoS, higher performance, built-in multicasting,
intended as the follow-on to IPV4. It supports unlimited enhanced mobility etc [3].
addresses, flexibility, robustness, enhanced security, better
support for Quality of Service (QoS), higher performance,
built-in multicasting, enhanced mobility etc. This paper assesses II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
the importance of transiting from internet protocol version four
(IPV4) to internet protocol version six (IPV6).
At the end of the 1960's there was a great demand in various
US universities and research centers for a network that should
Index TermsIPV4, IPV6 permit nationwide utilization of existing computer resources.
In addition to that there was the desire for data exchange.
Also, there was the interest in practical experiences, design,
I. INTRODUCTION implementation, the use of network techniques in general and
packet switching in particular. So the Advanced Research
Some years ago, the only kind of traffic that existed on the Project Agency, an US government organization, started
internet was that of emails or file transfers. In the early 1990s, developing a net called ARPANET [4]. From 1972 the
it became evident that if the Internet will continue to grow at Advanced Research Project Agency dealt with research
the rate it was growing, the IPv4 address space would be projects of military interests and ARPANET were renamed
exhausted in few years time. Thus, work began on a new DARPA. The first proposal was made in 1968. The contract
Internet Protocol, namely IPv6. To replace Internet Protocol was won in December 1968 by the company Bolt, Breakneck
Version Four (IPv4), a latest edition of the protocol is and Newman (BBN). The demands for file transfer, remote
introduced and it is called Internet Protocol Version Six login and email were on top of the list for NCP (Network
(IPV6)[1]. Control Protocol, the predecessor of TCP/IP). The first use of
Presently IPv4 Internet is facing a sequence of tribulations ARPANET was in 1971[5]. In 1973, a project was started,
including address exhaustion, routing scalability, broken developing new lower layer protocols because the existing
end-to-end property etc. IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers layers had become functionally inadequate. In 1974, Cerf and
Authority) had run out of global IPv4 address pool in Feb Kahn specified the following goals for the lower layer
2011, while simulations show that within 3 years all the RIRs protocols, Independence from underlying network techniques
(Regional Internet Registries) will drain their IPv4 address and from the architecture of the host, Universal connectivity
space [2]. Thus, the incessant demands for new IP address throughout the network, End-to-end acknowledgments, and
portion. IPv4 uses 32 binary bits to create a single unique Standardized application protocols. In 1994, the Internet
address on the network. An IPv4 address is expressed by four Engineering Task Force initiated development of the IPv6
numbers separated by dots. Each number is the decimal suite of protocols, which were designed to replace IPv4. The
(base-10) representation for an eight-digit binary (base-2) IETF published the IPv6 standard in 1995.
number, also called an octet. IPv6 uses 128 binary bits to Unlike IPv4, which has 32-bit addresses, IPv6 has 128-bit
create a single unique address on the network. An IPv6 addresses. Thus, the new protocol increases the number of
address is expressed by eight groups of hexadecimal available IP addresses to 2128 (about 3.4 x 1038) from IPv4s
(base-16) numbers separated by colons.IPv4 has a 20 byte 232 (about 4.3 billion). IPv6 also offers other benefits. For
header while IPv6 has 40 byte header. IPv6 provides a example, the protocol specifies a new, simplified packet
number of advanced features, and the massive increase in format designed to minimize header processing by routers. In
address space capacity is indisputably unique to IPv6 and addition, support for the IP Security standard is mandatory in
IPv6 but optional in IPv4. Another advantage is that IPv6
hosts can auto-configure when connected to an IPv6 network.
Manuscript received September 23, 2014.
And the protocols large address space enables multiple levels
Ihekweaba Ogechi, Department of Computer Engineering Michael
Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state, Nigeria of hierarchy and greater flexibility in addressing and routing.
Nweke Chisom B., Department of Computer Engineering Michael
Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state, Nigeria

390 www.erpublication.org
 Assessment of the importance of Transiting from IPV4 to IPV6 in Nigeria

III. INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 4 (IPV4)

Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the fourth version of the

Internet Protocol (IP) and it is the first version of the protocol
to be widely deployed. It uses a 32 bit addressing and allows
for 4,294,967,296 unique addresses [6]. It was the first that
was widely used in modern TCP/IP. It provides the basic
datagram delivery capabilities upon which all of TCP/IP
functions and has proven its quality in use over a period of
more than two decades. Figure1 shows a typical IPv4 Internet
Edge Network

Figure2. An IPv6 transition environment

IV. LIMITATIONS OF IPV4

The limitations of IPv4 include:

A. Address prefix allocation

Because of the way that IPv4 address prefixes have been and
are currently allocated, Internet backbone routers are
routinely required to maintain unreasonably large routing
tables of over 85,000 specified routes.

B. Data security
Private communication over a public medium like the Internet
requires encryption services that protect the data being sent
Figure1: IPv4 Internet Edge Network
from being viewed or modified in transit. Although an add-on
standard now exists for providing security for IPv4 packets
(known as Internet Protocol Security or IPsec)
A. INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6 (IPV6)
C. Insufficient IP address space
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) stands for Internet Protocol
version 6 and also known as Ipng (IP next generation). It is the
With only 32-bit capacity, IPv4 addresses have become
second version of the Internet Protocol to be used generally
relatively scarce, forcing some organizations to use Network
across the virtual world. IPv6 is developed as the
Address Translation (NAT) to map multiple private addresses
next-generation network layer protocol, overcoming the
to a single public IP address. While NAT promotes
problems in IPv4. Its 128-bit address format significantly
conservation of the public address space, it does not support
enlarges the address space and will satisfy the address
standards-based network layer security or the correct
demands for a fairly long time. The length of the address also
mapping of all higher layer protocols and can create problems
makes prefix aggregation fairly flexible, and subsequently
when connecting two organizations that use the same private
achieves global addressing and routing in a hierarchical
address space. The continued expansion of
pattern. Forwarding efficiency is improved by simplifying the
Internet-connected devices and appliances continues to put
protocol header, as well as moving fragmentation to end
greater and greater stress on the public IPv4 address space [6].
hosts. In IPv6, flow label based QoS can be supported;
stateless auto-configuration is invented to support Plug and
Play feature. Besides, IPv6 has better mobility and security D. Quality of Service (QoS)
supports than IPv4 [7]. In general, IPv6 is a redesign of IPv4. While standards for QoS exist for IPv4, no identification of
It solves the problems in IPv4 and provides better IP service. packet flow for QoS handling by routers is present within the
It has been widely believed that IPv6 is the most mature and IPv4 header. Instead, real-time traffic support relies on the
feasible solution for the next-generation Internet. Figure 2 IPv4 Type of Service (ToS) field and the identification of the
shows an IPv6 transition environment payload, typically using a UDP or TCP port. However, the
IPv4 ToS field has limited functionality and payload

391 www.erpublication.org
 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-9, September 2014
identification using a TCP and UDP port is not possible when vi. Security Capabilities
the IPv4 packet payload is encrypted. IPv6 includes features that support authentication and
privacy.
E. Complexity of configuration
vii. The IPv6 Packet Format
Most current IPv4 implementations must be either manually The IPv6 datagram begins with a base header, which is
configured or use a stateful address configuration protocol followed by zero or more extension headers, followed by
such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). With data. The only header required is that of the IPv6 header. This
more computers and devices using IP, there is a need for a is of fixed size with a length of 40 octets compared to 20
Simpler and more automatic configuration of addresses and octets for the mandatory portion of the IPv4 header.
other configuration settings that do not rely on the
administration of a DHCP infrastructure.

4.1. THE NEW FEATURES IN IPV6 4.2. PROPOSED TRANSITION MECHANISMS FROM
The new features in IPv6 can be grouped into the following IPV4TO IPV6 IN NIGERIA
categories:
i. Address Size The primary benefit of the transition comes from increased
IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses instead of the 32-bit addresses of resources, not from radical protocol changes, as sometimes
IPv4. This is an increase of address space by a factor of 2. The claimed. The original design goals of the new protocol were
address space provided by also very specific about enabling a smooth transition over the
IPv6 is large enough to accommodate continued growth of the years and facilitating a long-term coexistence of IPv4 and
Internet for many decades. There are enough addresses IPv6.
supported by IPv6 to provide an order of 6 * 10 23 unique Organizations with existing IPv4 networks needing to
addresses per square meter of the surface of the earth. implement IPv6 face challenges in impacts, planning the
transition and executing the migration to IPv6. Given the
common organizational reliance on external communications
for attracting new customers via the Internet, supporting
ii. Improved Options Mechanism dedicated partner links, home-based employees and providing
IPv6 options are placed in separate optional headers that are Internet access for email, web browsing, etc., an overall plan
located between the IPv6 header and the transport layer should be compiled documenting the current environment,
header. Most of these optional headers are not examined or end users and the planned steps to IPv6 deployment.
processed by any router on the packets path. This simplifies Below are mechanisms to be employed while transiting from
and speeds up router processing of IPv6 packets compared to IPv4 to IPv6.
IPv4 packets.
A. Dual Stack
iii. Address Auto-configuration Since IPv6 is a conservative extension of IPv4, it is
This capability provides for dynamic assignment of IPv6 moderately simple to write a network stack that supports both
addresses via stateful or stateless address auto configuration. IPv4 and IPv6 while sharing most of the code. Such an
DHCP is termed a stateful address configuration tool because implementation is called a dual stack. Most current
it maintains static tables that determine which addresses are implementations of IPv6 provide a dual stack. Figure 3
assigned to a new or moved station. A version of DHCP has depicts the general protocol layers of a dual stack node.
been developed for IPv6. IPv6 also supports a stateless Figure 3 shows a typical Dual-stacked Network
address auto-configuration service that does not require a
manually configured server.
Stateless auto-configuration makes it possible for devices to
configure their own addresses with the help of a local IPv6
router. Typically the device combines its
48-bit MAC address with a network prefix it learns from a
neighboring router.

iv. Increased Addressing Flexibility

IPv6 includes the concept of any cast address, for which a
packet is delivered to just one of a set of nodes. The
scalability of multicast routing is improved by adding a scope
field to multicast addresses.

v. Support for Resource Allocation

Instead of the type of service field in IPv4, IPv6 enables the
labeling of packets belonging to a particular traffic flow for
which the sender requests special handling. This aids in the
support of specialized traffic, such as real-time video.
Figure 3: Dual-stacked Network

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 Assessment of the importance of Transiting from IPV4 to IPV6 in Nigeria

B. Tunneling REFERENCES
In order to reach the IPv6 Internet, an isolated IPv6 host or
network must be able to use the existing IPv4 infrastructure to [1] RIPE NCC, IPv4 - Running Out of Time?, 2003,
carry IPv6 packets. This is done using a technique known as http://www.ripe.net/internetcoordination/
tunneling, which consists of encapsulating IPv6 packets ipv4-exhaustion/archive/ipv4- running-out-of-time
[2] G. Huston, IPv4 Address Report, 2009,
within IPv4, in effect using IPv4 as a link layer for IPv6. http://www.potaroo.net/tools/ipv4/index.html
Figure 4 shows a typical IPv6 over IPv4 Tunneling [3] Jyh-Cheng Chen, O Caro, etal., 2000. QoS Architecture for Future
Wireless IP Networks Twelfth Lasted International Conference on
Parallel and Distributed Computing and Systems. Published In
Website,
Http://Citeseerx.Ist.Psu.Edu/Viewdoc/Summary?Doi=10.1.1.100.80
IPv6 Header TCP/UDP Data 6Http://Citeseerx.Ist.Psu.Edu/Viewdoc/Summary?Doi=10.1.1.100.8
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[4] Chapman, D.B. and Zwicky, E.D. Building Internet Firewall, O Reilly &
Associates, Sebastopol, C.A, 199 5
[5] Internet History Timeline,
www3.baylor.edu/~Sharon_P_Johnson/etg/inthistory.h tm.
[6] Geoff Huston and Grenville Armitage, Projecting future IPv4 router
requirements from trends in dynamic BGP behaviour, in Proc.
ATNAC, Dec 2006.
[7] S. Deering and R. Hinden, RFC 2460. Internet Protocol, Version 6
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AUTHORS
IPv4 Header IPv6 Header TCP/UDP Data Engr. (Mrs) Ogechi Ihekweaba is a lecturer in the
department of Computer Engineering, Michael Okpara
University Of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
She holds a Bachelor degree (B.Eng) in Computer
Science & Engineering, a Masters degree (M.Eng) in
Figure 4: IPv6 over IPv4 Tunneling Computer Engineering and also at the verge of
completing a Doctorate degree (PhD) in Computer Engineering. Her
area of specialization is network security and computational
i. Automatic Tunneling intelligence. She is a COREN registered Engineer and has several
Automatic tunneling refers to a technique where the tunnel publications.
endpoints are automatically determined by the routing
infrastructure. Tunnel endpoints are determined by using a Nweke Chisom B. received his B.Sc. degree in
Computer Science from Michael Okpara University of
well-known IPv4 any cast address on the remote side, and Agriculture, (MOUAU) Umudike, Abia State Nigeria in
embedding IPv4 address information within IPv6 addresses 2012. His research interests are in the fields of Electronics
on the local side. Design and Embedded Systems, Computer Programming,
Microcontroller based System, and Computer
Maintenance etc.
ii. Configured Tunneling
Configured tunneling is a technique where the tunnel
endpoints are configured clearly, either by a human operator
or by an automatic service known as a Tunnel Broker.
Configured tunneling is usually more deterministic and easier
to debug than automatic tunneling, and is therefore
recommended for large, complex networks.

C. Proxying and Translation

When an IPv6-only host needs to access an IPv4-only service
(for example a web server), some form of translation is
necessary. The mainly commonly supported type of
translation is the use of a dual-stack application-layer proxy,
for example a web proxy. Techniques for application-agnostic
translation at the lower layers have also been anticipated.

V. CONCLUSION

IPV6 is the next-generation internet protocol, intended as the

follow-on to IPV4. It supports unlimited addresses,
flexibility, robustness, enhanced security, better support for
QoS, higher performance, built-in multicasting, enhanced
mobility etc. This paper has x-rayed the importance of
Transiting from internet protocol version four (IPV4) to
internet protocol version six (IPV6).

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