Kenya: Experts Caution Over Aging Internet System - AllAfrica.com

James RatemoNairobi

Internet capacity could be depleted by 2011, if a new system is not adopted, experts have got warned.

They say, increasing demand for Internet communications protocol (IP) turns to would lock out more than users unless a new high capacity version is adopted.

IP computer addresses are used to uniquely place hosts connected to the Internet. Currently, there are two versions of information science addresses, IPv4 and IPv6.

According to Republic Of Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) Chairman, Mister Antony Mugambi, information science computer computer computer computer addresses are used to path traffic on the Internet and Acts as its backbone.

He urged Kenyans to transmigrate to the up-to-the-minute version to avoid losing out on the benefits of connectivity.

He said states such as as Japanese Islands and People'S Republic Of China were already using the up-to-the-minute version.

The new version lets one to supervise or even command electronic appliances connected to the Internet without physical presence.

"IPv4 addresses, on which the Internet have got been running for more than than 20 old age now, are 32-bit addresses and limited in number, we are talking of about four billion addresses worldwide," said Mugambi.

"We now have mobile phones, television sets, refrigerators, cars, robots, photographic cameras connected and controlled through the Internet. Soon, human beingnesses may also be connected to the Internet and all this depends on the handiness of information science addresses," he said.

"The new information science communications protocol (IPv6) supplies for the possibility of assigning an information science computer address to every grain of sand on earth," explained Mugambi.

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"The manner forward then is to deploy IPv6 on our webs to extenuate the consequence of the at hand depletion of IPv4 addresses," he said.

IPv6 was developed by the Internet Technology Undertaking Military Unit in the 1990's to provide for the depletion of IPv4 addresses.

Meanwhile, KENIC in partnership with other stakeholders have organised a workshop in June, to develop local ICT people on how to transmigrate to the up-to-the-minute version.