IPv6 arrives on Root DNS

AFTER YEARS of waiting, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has finally got around to adding an IPv6 nameserver address to the Internet's DNS root server system.

The move will allow longer IP addresses, better security and improvements for routing and network configuration.

Initially IPv6 support will be seen on Japan's (.JP) and Korea's (.KR) country codes. France will be next.

IP 4 has been in use for more than 30 years and can't cope very well with requirements for address space, mobility and security in peer-to-peer networking.

IPv6, supports a 128-bit address space, instead of IPv4's 32-bit. It also means that more devices to be able to get their own address as the Internet continues to grow. It also expands into new types of devices that can be assigned with IP addresses. µ

See Also
OECD releases report on top level domain names