IPv4

The IP address defines arrangement of a system (the computer, the network printer or the router) in network is similar to how the street and house number define location of the building in the city quarter. In the same way as the street and house number should define the unique building, the IP address should be unique for all network and have the unified format.

The address is used for identification of a node in interaction with other nodes in the same network. Addresses IPv4 began to be distributed to providers in the 80th years of the 20th century and are already close to exhaustion therefore providers have a need of transition to IPv6 standard containing considerably bigger number of the addresses. But it requires serious reorganization of network infrastructure.

Methods prolong life to addresses IPv4

The main method of prolongation of a possibility of use IPv4 of the addresses is the NAT technology (engl. Network Address Translation). It allows Internet service providers to mask own private networks behind one publicly available IPv4-address of the router instead of selecting the public addresses to each device in network. The appeal of the device to external network goes through a certain port of the NAT server. The answer comes to the same port - thus the NAT server defines to what device with the virtual internal IP address this answer is intended.

History

2019

Case of transfer of 490 thousand IPv4-addresses from the Russian Federation

On December 25 TASS with reference to the press service of Tverskoy Court of Moscow reported that Alexey Soldatov is sent under house arrest. He is suspected of large scale fraud.

The court dismissed the petition of SCh GSU Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia across Moscow about election of a measure of restraint in the form of arrest and sent under house arrest of Soldatov Alexey Anatolyevich suspected of fraud", - the press secretary of court Olga Bondareva told news agency.

According to her, the petition was considered on December 13. The term of house arrest is set to Soldatov till January 28, 2020.

According to the Meduza edition, case is connected with transfer about 490 thousand IPv4-addresses for the amount more than 600 million rubles from the Russian research institute of development of public networks (RIPN) in the Czech company Reliable Communications which co-owner is Soldatov. At RIPN which long time was one of key institutes on management of Runet historically there was a big pool of the IPv4-addresses which became deficit recently — in November they completely ended in Europe.

In Europe available addresses IPv4 ended

On November 26, 2019 it became known that the RIPE NCC non-profit organization responsible for distribution and registration of the IP addresses in 76 countries of Europe, the Middle East and some regions of Central Asia, distributed the last block of addresses IPv4. The declaration of the termination of available IPv4 of the addresses strengthened pressure upon operators of networks and lifted a problem of scalability of the Internet.

IPv4 of the address represent 32-bit numbers used for identification of devices on the Internet. For November, 2019 there are about 4.2 billion IPv4 of the addresses worldwide.

Since 2012 specialists expressed concern that the quantity of available IPv4 of the addresses will be exhausted sooner or later. Nevertheless, the next version of IPv6 protocol for the present did not gain distribution, and the most part of the Internet uses IPv4. As there is no available IPv4 of the addresses left in Europe any more, operators of networks should spend many resources for implementation of IPv6.

RIPE NCC will back receive all returned IPv4 of the address and to distribute them again. From now on persons interested to receive IPv4 the address from among returned will have to stand in line. However it should be taken into account that such addresses in a year no more than several hundred thousands^[1] will be gained^[2].

The IP addresses in Russia come to an end. What to do to the companies

At the beginning of September, 2019 it became known of deficit of the IP addresses in Russia. It can result in difficulties at small telecom operators and Internet hostings.

As the director of external relations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia of RIPE Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) Alexey Semenyaka told RBC, until the end of September, 2019 in Russia, Europe and in the Middle East the IP addresses of IPv4 protocol which is used by the majority of the websites will end. After that the companies should or buy up the Internet addresses at other players, or to wait when those voluntarily release them.

In Russia deficit of the IP addresses approaches

As for users, they will have no technical issues with access to the websites as they consume the ready service provided by operators the director of the Russian Coordination center of domains.ru/.rf Andrey Vorobyov explained RBC. According to him, all problems will lay down on operators and the technical companies which are interested in providing service.

The greatest demand for the new IP addresses proceeds from large telecom operators, data centers and Internet hostings. Now they should pass to secondary market, the cost of one address is estimated at $12–18 there.

4.3 billion addresses were initial in IPv4 protocol, and in 2011 regional registries began to warn about deficit of the addresses in it and to switch over to a specific mode of their issue.

At RIPE NCC the new IPv4-addresses in April, 2018 then the organization began to distribute those which were used earlier ended and were returned —  for example, as a result of disappearance of the company. Alexey Semenyaka says that they had to be enough for 2-2.5, however because of active emergence of new Internet resources and other reasons expenditure of the addresses appeared quicker, than it was expected.^[3]

2011

Sale of 666624 addresses IPv4 for $7.5 million

The bankrupt Canadian manufacturing company of telecommunication equipment Nortel managed to turn the block of addresses IPv4 belonging to it into a valuable resource. Microsoft agreed about its purchase for 7.5 million dollars – i.e. approximately for 11.25 dollars for each address,^[4] writes^[5] However, it will be possible to use only 470 thousand addresses so far. The others can pass under control of Microsoft on completion of the procedure of bankruptcy of Nortel. The purchase agreement should be approved by court concerning bankruptcy.

Some commentators believe that, according to rules of the regional American registrar of the addresses the Internet (ARIN), blocks of the addresses unnecessary the owner should be returned in the order of ARIN, and the registrar then will select them with that who will be able to confirm need of receiving. So far it is unclear whether ARIN intends to object to the transaction of Microsoft and Nortel. The Nortel company conducts insolvency proceeding since January, 2009. At the end of 2010 it began to look for the buyer for the block of addresses IPv4. As it appears from documents, negotiations were conducted with 80 potential buyers. At their final stage remained four, and Microsoft was the best.

Last batch of addresses IPv4

In February, 2011 the organization knowing IP address allocation will have to select the last batch of the addresses for IPv4 protocol.

Notes