Just a year ago, we wrote about World IPv6 Day and the need to transition from IPv4 to IPv6. World IPv6 Day last year was a day to test IPv6 enabled websites. Today we revisit that day, but instead of it just being a “test flight” day,  June 6th is the Official IPv6 Launch Day. Today, organizations worldwide including (but not limited to) Facebook, Cisco and Google will make the official switch to IPv6.

We are proud to announce that we have progressed in the transition to IPv6. Two of our name servers, ns1 and ns2, are currently IPv6 enabled and anycasted in over 7 locations. They are capable of handling quad A records (AAAA). We plan to have ns3 enabled within the next few months. There is still a long way to go and by enabling IPv6 support, we are keeping pace with the Internets ever expanding audience and growth. Our update API will accept quad A (AAAA) updates within the next month.

Check out the screenshot from the member’s section. Click the Hosts/Redirects Tab and then click Add Host (located in the left navigation) (Note: IPv6 is only available on Plus Managed DNS)

Why is the transition to IPv6 so important?
To access the Internet on an Internet enabled device, the device needs an IP address. Every website, computer, mobile device, (even some light bulbs) NEED an IP address in order to access the Internet.  IPv4 addresses are only 32-bits long, meaning there is only a total of 4.2 billion IP addresses available. Well, since everyone and their mother (and grandparents) are on the Internet, those 4.2 billion IP addresses are quickly running out. In short, we need MORE SPACE!

So, this is where IPv6 comes in to play. IPv6 addresses are 128-bits long and there are a total of 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 (yea, that’s over an UNDECILLION) possible IP addresses.

In short, you could say that because of the implementation of IPv6 the growth, evolution, and future of the Internet is secured.

We are here to help you during this transition. You can now add and modify IPv6 quad A records to a host.  (Quad A records are only available on No-IP Plus Managed DNS)

Has your ISP made the switch? Check out this article for 5 ways your ISP’s failure to move to IPv6 could affect you.

You can also test your IPv6 compatibility here, or you can check out a cool infographic about IPv6 here.

Have you used IPv6, or do you plan on using it in the near future? Sound off in the comments and be sure to Like this post to share it with your friends on Facebook!