At present the world is using IP version 4 (IPv4), and is left with some 1.4 billion unique IP-addresses. However, according to analysts, maximum number of 4.3 IP-addresses will be reached in 2006… That is why Internet community is actively searching for the ways to extend this “collapsing” address space. One of the most promising of them is transition to a new protocol version 6 (IPv6).

Andrey Mendkovich, Doctor of Chemistry, head of Laboratory of Computer Support to Chemical Studies in the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, President of Research and Educational Network FREEnet, member of the IIS Board of Directors is sharing his view on the state of affairs in this area.

See article by Andrey Vaganov "Internet Constitution N6" in “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” (“Independent Newspaper”) of 1 March 2005 (text in Russian).