"The address space thing - IPv4 is a bit constrained but IPv6 is a good example of how not to design a protocol. Its got too much of what we don't need (address space -- downloaders beware) and it breaks the cardinal rule of networking with its (source) routing methodology. Its also very inefficient when running TCP."

What are you talking about? Give examples. IPv6 routing is much more efficient as there's no checksums to compute. No FUD please. Give examples.

ROFLMAO! "So IPv6 really is future proof forever." Srsly? If they were not so wasteful with how they're allocating addresses then it *might* of been future proof. However, as they decided the MINIMUM network size is 64 bits, this limits us to a max of 2^64 networks. If you have more then 1 network, then minimum address size is 80 bits (a 48 bit netmask). Have a point-to-point tunnel? There goes ~18,446,744,073,700,000,000 address, all for 2 machines! Have 2 networks (say 1 public and 1 private)? There go 1.21e+24 addresses, no matter how many machines or addresses are actually used. Also, don't forget to subtract the 4.4e+36 addresses that cannot be used because they are reserved for special purposes!

(BTW, a 128-bit address means there are 2^128 or 3.4e+38 unique addresses, not 8.5e+37)

IPv6 uses 128 bit addresses which allows for a little over 85000000000000000000000000000000000000 unique addresses. That's comparable to the number of atoms in the solar system. So IPv6 really is future proof forever.

The DHS looking into grid threats comes from an academic paper prepared by a Chinese researcher (see current New Scientist). As for the Smart Grid -- billions of meters all capable of real time charging for power, that's a Marketing executive's wet dream but a nightmare in waiting for the consumer ("night and weekend electrons"). The address space thing - IPv4 is a bit constrained but IPv6 is a good example of how not to design a protocol. Its got too much of what we don't need (address space -- downloaders beware) and it breaks the cardinal rule of networking with its (source) routing methodology. Its also very inefficient when running TCP. It sells -- the Chinese like it -- but I prefer the old school myself.

"Who would ever need more then 640k of ram?"

May have lots of IP address with IPV6, but with excess comes over use. Got lots, so lets give everything it's own.... Oops, need more

Perhaps the rest of us would prefer to put the entire US behind a large Linksys router at 198.133.219.1

"...and is therefore future proof..." = fail. Nothing is future proof.

Oh yeah, I remember that. We were going to run out of IPV4 addresses 4 or 5 years ago, and we were all going to be switched over to IPV6 now.

IPV6 = Fail.

I'd think that setting up the grid ON the network would make it more vulnerable than the way it is now. Uh oh, DDOSed power lines!