Microsoft buying up old (IPv4) net addresses

[toad]

Microsoft just spent $7.5m (£4.7m) on 666,624 IP version 4 (IPv4) net addresses.

It is not clear why Microsoft wants to buy Nortel's supply, however many companies are keen to avoid the cost of changing their networking systems over to IPv6 compatible equipment.

Beg your pardon? What cost? Is there something I don't get here? Is new hardware required for IPv6?

Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12859585

[Snowhog]

Re: Microsoft buying up old (IPv4) net addresses

Is there something I don't get here? Is new hardware required for IPv6?

As I understand it, most/all older routers don't support IPv6, so yes, if one has such, a newer router would be required to connect to the new IPv6 addresses. That is, unless your ISP opts to incorporate IPv6 over IPv4 tunneling.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Microsoft buying up old (IPv4) net addresses

.....
That is, unless your ISP opts to incorporate IPv6 over IPv4 tunneling.

As I understand it, that's minimum of FOUR IPv4 packets, or more, for each IPv6 packet because the data in an IPv6 packet can be almost any size. I can't see how this tunneling won't slow down the IPv4 network by at least 4X.

[woodsmoke]

Re: Microsoft buying up old (IPv4) net addresses

Mebbe Bill is going to buy AT&T.

That would be a company using older stuff and acronymized

BATnotouTahell.

woodsmoke