Getting started with network programming has never been easier (3): What is IPv6? Comic-style graphics, one can understand!

This article was shared by Xiaozaojun. Copywriter: Xiaozaojun, cartoon: Yang Yang, from Xianzao Classroom, with a few changes. The link to the original text is at the end of the article.

1 Introduction

Network programming ability is a basic skill for instant messaging technology developers, and computer network is the theoretical foundation of network programming. Therefore, a deep and accurate understanding of computer network knowledge can obviously consolidate the practical quality of your instant messaging application.

The style of this article continues the two series of "Introduction to Network Programming for Lazy People" and "Introduction to Brain Stupid Network Programming" in the community. There is no more theoretical stacking, and it is popular and does not lose its connotation. It is very suitable for those who want to learn computer network knowledge easily and happily. Network programming enthusiasts read it, hoping to bring you a different perspective of network knowledge entry.

This article will use concise and vivid text, coupled with light and humorous comics, to help you quickly establish an intuitive understanding of IPv6 technology from scratch, which is very suitable for beginners to read.

study Exchange:

• Introductory article on mobile IM development: "One entry is enough for beginners: developing mobile IM from scratch"

• Open source IM framework source code: https://github.com/JackJiang2011/MobileIMSDK

  (This article is simultaneously published at: http://www.52im.net/thread-3868-1-1.html )

2. Series of articles

This article is the 3rd in the series:

"Introduction to network programming has never been easier (1): If you were to design a network, what would you do? 》
"Introduction to network programming has never been easier (2): If you were to design the TCP protocol, what would you do? 》
"Introduction to Network Programming has never been easier (3): What is IPv6? Comic-style graphics, one can understand! "(This article)

This article is an easy introduction to IPv6, I hope you like it.

• Recommended reading: Another article by the author of this article is also excellent: Introduction to Network Programming for Lazy People (11): Understand what IPv6 is in one article, and read it together if you are interested.

3. Technical background

With the continuous construction and popularization of mobile networks, we have accelerated our pace into the era of the Internet of Everything.

Our entire internet network is undergoing tremendous changes. The dramatic increase in the number of network connections and traffic poses unprecedented challenges to the carrying and transmission capacity of the network.

In addition to speed and bandwidth, the implementation of 5G in vertical industries also requires the network to provide flexible and differentiated customized service capabilities.

That is to say, in the face of different industry application scenarios, the network needs to be able to provide packaged services, support different QoS (Quality of Service, quality of service), and support end-to-end slicing.

4. IP protocol

As we all know, the Internet, which we are now inseparable from, was first born in the 1960s. Its core foundation is the famous IP protocol (Internet Protocol, Internet Protocol, see "Technology Past: The TCP/IP Protocol that Changed the World (Precious and More Pictures, Be Careful with Mobile Phones)").

If there is no IP protocol, and based on its IP address, we can't watch dramas, shop online, eat chicken, and chat on WeChat.

To put it bluntly, the Internet is a set of "express delivery system". The IP address is your courier address, and the IP protocol is the "workflow and system" of the courier company.

All the information we need to transmit, including text, pictures, audio, video, etc., needs to be packaged into "express parcels" one by one, and then transported by the express system to the final destination.

5. The first and second generation "express delivery system": IPv4

After the birth of the Internet, the v4 version of the IP protocol, also known as IPv4, has been used for a long time.

We can understand it as the first-generation express delivery system, which laid a solid foundation for the early development of the Internet.

Later, with the rapid development and expansion of the Internet, many problems were exposed in the original IPv4 system, and some technical upgrades and improvements were made. In particular, the introduction of MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching, Multi-Protocol Label Switching) technology has upgraded this express delivery system to the second generation.

In recent years, because of the network challenges we mentioned earlier, it has far exceeded the capabilities of the second-generation express delivery system.

6. The third-generation "express delivery system": IPv6

As a result, IPv6 and IPv6+, as the third-generation express delivery system, officially debuted.

IPv6 is the v6 version of the IP protocol. IPv6+ is an upgraded and enhanced version of IPv6.

Specifically, IPv6+ is based on IPv6 and realizes more innovations.

These innovations include not only protocol innovations represented by protocols such as IPv6 segment routing, network slicing, flow detection, new multicast, and application-aware networks, but also network intelligence such as network analysis, automatic tuning, and network self-healing. Technology innovation represented.

With these innovations, IPv6+ is more suitable for industry users and can more strongly support the digital transformation and development of the industry.

Next, let's take a closer look at what changes and upgrades IPv6+ has brought.

7. IPv6 Advantage 1: Significant increase in IP addresses

First, the most well-known advantage of IPv6 is the massive increase in IP addresses. Specifically, the number of IPv6 addresses is 2 times the 96th power of IPv4 (see Section 6 of "Understanding What is IPv6" for details).

Let's just say, with IPv6, even giving every grain of sand on the planet an IP address would be more than enough.

In the traditional IPv4 express delivery system, the email address is not enough, and the courier often needs to send the express to the doorman or express cabinet, and then deliver it to the user again (in the IPv4 era, this is the NAT routing technology, see "NAT Detailed Explanation-- Detailed Principles, Introduction to P2P", "What is public IP and intranet IP? What the hell is NAT translation?").

Under the IPv6 fast system, each user has his own email address, and the courier can directly deliver the courier to the user.

Obviously, this not only improves the sending and receiving speed of express delivery, but also saves the expenses of doormen or express cabinets, simplifies maintenance, reduces energy consumption, and reduces costs.

In fact, the pressure on the number of IP addresses mainly comes from IoT scenarios. Because the number of things far exceeds the number of people. Moreover, the control of the Internet of Things requires end-to-end direct access. This enables lower latency and more precise control.

8. IPv6 Advantage 2: Upgrade of "Express Packaging"

The second major improvement of IPv6 lies in the upgrade of "express packaging". The structure of IPv6 data packets has become richer, and more content and information can be recorded in it.

Simply put, the carton for express delivery has become more advanced.

In the traditional express delivery system, the packaging is very simple, and we do not know what is inside.

In the IPv6 express delivery system, more labels can be attached to the carton to identify the properties of the goods in the carton, such as heavy goods, fragile items, urgent documents, etc. Based on the label, the system can quickly determine the services required for this express package, such as needing to be expedited, needing to be handled with care, etc.

In this way, the courier company can provide more refined services for different customers according to the information displayed on the package, and adopt differentiated charging standards.

Express companies can also take the high-quality route and provide exclusive express channels to achieve exclusive resources for high-end users.

The precise identification of data packet attributes by IPv6+ can also help operators better grasp the flow trend of data services in the entire network, and better mobilize and allocate resources.

For example, there are many large-granularity video transmission requirements from place A to place B. Then, a dedicated line for large-granularity video services can be established to better meet the transmission needs.

It seems that there is a lot of demand for seafood transportation from place A to place B, so the express company will purchase more cold chain transport vehicles and put them on this route to earn more profits.

9. IPv6 Advantage 3: Upgraded "Navigation Capability"

The transportation path of the traditional express delivery system is relatively fixed and rigid. From the start point to the end point, the transport vehicle passes through each intersection, and the intersection specifies the direction of the next move.

For IPv6+, by combining with SR (Segment Routing, segment routing) technology and SDN (Software Defined Network, software defined network) technology, it has stronger path selection capabilities.

When the express package leaves, it has obtained the best route from the starting point to the destination point from the management center. Every time the route is selected, it is carried out according to the plan, which can avoid congestion and detours.

In other words, IPv6+'s super path orchestration capability can realize one-hop data packets into the cloud, greatly improving efficiency.

10. IPv6 advantage 4: reduce operation and maintenance costs

Because the network management functions are centralized, the configuration intent can be more easily converted into scripts and automatically deployed to each network node.

After the introduction of AI, it is more able to automatically analyze the failure phenomenon and find the cause faster.

It is even said that AI can actively identify potential failure risks in the network in advance based on the learning of the failure model to achieve accident prevention.

Centralized management + AI management greatly reduces the difficulty of network maintenance, improves operation and maintenance efficiency, and reduces maintenance costs.

11. IPv6 advantage 5: more secure

Compared with IPv4, the security defense capability of IPv6+ has been greatly improved, and the integrated defense of cloud, network and security has been truly realized.

In traditional networks, due to the existence of a large number of private networks, it is difficult to trace the source of malicious behavior. That is to say, many bad guys are hiding in the shadows, sending out questionable packages and wreaking havoc on the delivery system.

In the IPv6+ network, the node uses the public network address instead of the private network address, which means that every package transported in the express system has the sender information that is truly traceable. Without the camouflage of a private network, sabotage will be invisible.

The upgraded express packaging (data message structure) also greatly increases the difficulty of malicious forgery and eavesdropping on the package by saboteurs, and enhances the security and privacy of the package.

12. Write at the end

All in all, IPv6+ is a high-speed, efficient, flexible and intelligent advanced "express delivery system".

It can provide differentiated service capabilities that meet the application needs of thousands of industries, adapt to the business carrying needs of different industries, support the digital transformation of various industries, help the consumer Internet upgrade to the industrial Internet, and promote the development of the entire social digital economy.

At present, IPv6 has achieved remarkable results in my country. As of August this year, my country's IPv6 address resource reserves ranked first in the world. The number of active IPv6 users reached 551 million, accounting for 54.52% of all Internet users in my country.

The golden age of IPv6+ has arrived!

13. References

[1] TCP/IP Explained Volume 1 - Chapter 3 IP: Internet Protocol
[2] Introduction to Network Programming for Lazy People (11): Understand what IPv6 is in one article
[3] Detailed explanation of IPv6 technology: basic concepts, application status, and technical practice (Part 1)
[4] Detailed explanation of IPv6 technology: basic concepts, application status, and technical practice (Part II)
[5] Detailed explanation of Java's support for IPv6: support, related API, demo code, etc.
[6] NAT detailed explanation - detailed principle, P2P introduction
[7] What are public IP and intranet IP? What the hell is NAT translation?

(This article is simultaneously published at: http://www.52im.net/thread-3868-1-1.html )