NodeConnect

IPv4 has been dealing with burnout since 2011. Yet we work it to the ground by finding workarounds. Why? The Internet as we know it still runs on it. IPv6 is not as pervasive or widely accepted as IPv4 and often requires adding new infrastructure or reworking what is already in place. So far, the alternatives have extended the use of IPv4 beyond its intended design.  How have we continued to stretch IPv4? If you are studying networking, building a home lab, or managing large-scale networks, these techniques should ring a bell. This post will revisit four current IPv4 workarounds.  Workaround #1 - Private IP Addresses Instead of every server, device, and client getting their own public IP address and taking up space, private IP addresses provide reusable address spaces for local networks. These addresses are not directly accessible via the Internet. Routers will drop external traffic trying to directly access them.  To the outside world, only public IP addresses are...

 It is time for IPv6. Not just for our network infrastructure, but for this series. The IPv4 section has come to an end, and now it is time for a deep dive into IPv6. More than ever, it is time to consider systems that can handle heavier workloads, more devices, and fewer address limitations - AI agents, IoT devices, edge computing. This post will examine why we need IPv6 and why it is an important network solution.   Why do we need IPv6? We need more space. IPv6 literally increases the address space exponentially. The IPv6 address space is 2 128 total addresses, 3.4 followed by 38 zeroes. Technology is no longer limited to servers, office computers, and mobile devices. Today's systems integrate AI infrastructure, edge computing, IoT devices, cloud networking, virtual machines, and more. Simply, more devices mean more space.  We need more scalability. As more devices connect to systems, administrators need to consider not only the number but the distribution. System...