TKK | Tietoverkkolaboratorio | Opetus
It's clear to everyone that IP is making a tremendous impact on all aspects of the networking industry. But much of the future promise in IP is focused around providing IP services that provide a differentiated Quality of Service (QoS). Having an IP network that can guarantee different qualities of service to different applications is the enabler for many voice, video and mission-critical applications. It is also the magic bullet that will enable network service providers to make money from IP services.
Yet, as demand for Internet connectivity increases, it is clear that the Internet is plagued with performance limitations. Built for ad hoc participation, the Internet is broadly accessible but difficult for Internet Service Providers (ISP) to segment for managed services and applications that require specific quality of service capabilities.
The next generation of telecom networks and services will be based on Internet Protocol (IP). One must start planning now to benefit from the opportunities of IP. The trend towards IP is becoming unstoppable. Already the basis of many corporate networks, IP will soon be at the centre of the core telecom network.
Improvements in router speed, increasing switch functionality, protocol developments, and new bandwidth under construction are all making the case for IP more convincing. Services that integrate the Web, voice and Intranets through a common IP access will soon be possible. Operators will be able to rationalise traffic into a single integrated network, reduce costs, optimise the network for the ever-increasing volume of data, and prepare the way for the next generation of converged services.
Next Generation IP Networks and Services, provides clear advice on winning IP service strategies. It identifies the opportunities for integrated service development, and explains migration paths to an IP architecture.
IPv6 is a typical representative of the next generation IP. IPv6 is short for "Internet Protocol Version 6". IPv6 is the "next generation" protocol designed by the IETF (The Internet Engineering Task Force) to replace the current version Internet Protocol, IP Version 4 ("IPv4").
Most of today's internet uses IPv4, which is now nearly twenty years old. IPv4 has been remarkably resilient in spite of its age, but it is beginning to have problems. Most importantly, there is a growing shortage of IPv4 addresses, which are needed by all new machines added to the Internet.
IPv6 fixes a number of problems in IPv4, such as the limited number of available IPv4 addresses. It also adds many improvements to IPv4 in areas such as routing and network autoconfiguration. IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, with the two coexisting for a number of years during a transition period.
0.1 Introduction
1.0 Internet
2.0 Services
3.0 Advantages and Disadvantages
Antti Hätinen (AH)
Li Yaohui (LY)
Martti Mela (MM)