Total Pageviews

Popular Posts

Saturday, May 29, 2010

The internet as we know it is reaching its limits

(CNN) -- The internet as we know it is reaching its limits.

Within 18 months it is estimated that the number of new devices able to connect to the world wide web will plummet as we run out of "IP addresses" -- the unique codes that provide access to the internet for everything from PCs to smart phones.

"The internet as we know it will no longer be able to grow," Daniel Karrenberg, chief scientist at RIPE NCC, the organization that issues IP addresses in Europe, told CNN.

"That doesn't mean it will cease to function, but entry could be limited to new devices."

Some estimate that by September 2011 the last large batches of addresses will be issued, meaning that months after that date there will be no new addresses available.

But while this sounds like a complete disaster -- another Millennium Bug -- it need not be, and there is a solution, if we all act quickly enough.

In 18 months time the internet as we know it will no longer be able to grow.

--Daniel Karrenberg, IP address expert

RELATED TOPICS
Internet
Computer Technology
Science and Technology
Websites
Currently the internet is built around the Internet Protocol Addressing Scheme version 4 (IPv4), which has around four billion addresses -- and they're fast running out.

Four billion no doubt seemed a huge amount when the system was designed in the 1970s, but few then could have predicted how the internet would take off, and how many billions more connections would be needed.

However, there is a replacement, IPv6, which has trillions more addresses available and ready to go. The problem is that businesses are proving slow to adapt their technology to IPv6, leaving experts fearful that we might be heading for a crunch within 18 months.

"My impression is that while awareness of the issue is quite high, a lot of businesses are sitting on the fence," said Karrenberg. "Many small businesses are waiting to see what the early adopters do; how they handle things.

"My suspicion is too many are leaving it too late."

This growing problem has been compounded in recent years as the amount of hardware needing an internet connection has risen enormously, thanks largely to the popularity of smart phones, like Apple's iPhone and other mobile devices, and the rapid pace of technological development in countries like China and India.

"All sorts of devices need to access the internet now, from smartphones and games consoles, to cars," says Karrenberg.

"But still only a quarter of European businesses are using IPV6 -- the rest should be making this a priority."

All the big players in the internet, such as Google, and YouTube, are fully IPV6 enabled, but many others have yet to commit.

"If they keep on lagging behind then the internet will not be able to grow in the way it has been; the curve will flatten out," said Karrenberg.

"Although it's still unclear what kind of plateau we will see, certainly we could see impeded or seriously curtailed growth."

None of this is what businesses need to hear as they struggle out of a serious recession, but there is still time to act.

"The window left to invest is still relatively large," said Karrenberg.

"But businesses should remember that the earlier they act, the less they will pay. The more they neglect this issue, the higher premiums people can expect to be charged."

According to Karrenberg, the necessary costs can be met as part of the routine process of upgrading technology. "It is possible to deal with these issues through the usual round of investment in hard and soft technology," he said.

"It's just a question of what tactics people follow as they make their choices. "Businesses need to future-proof their decisions and this issue needs to be on every CTO's radar."

In addition, while IPv4 and IPv6 are designed to work together, there have been reports of teething troubles, and businesses that leave their switch-over too late may find glitches compound their problems.

Business leaders should also remember that this isn't only an issue for those producing devices needing a connection or selling broadband services. Content providers also need to ensure their services are IPv6-ready, otherwise they will exclude potential clients connecting using the new protocols.

"They will lose their customers -- the eyeballs -- who may not be able to connect," said Karrenberg.

It's a classic paradox of the internet era -- while the technology exists to leap frog the problem, human nature is naturally cautious and some businesses are reluctant to do what they know they need to do, whether due to tightened budgets or simple inertia.

"I'm certainly not optimistic this will all work out for everyone," said Karrenberg.

"I suppose I'm cautiously pessimistic. My fear is that a significant number of businesses will be left in a position where they have to scramble to catch up.

"People know there is a problem, but it's converting that knowledge into action plans, business plans, which is so important."

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

"The Right Thing to Do"

So we had to make a choice: We could sit back, do nothing, make a bunch of excuses, play politics, and watch America’s decline -- or we could stand up and fight for our future.

And I ran for President, Youngstown, because I believe that we’re at a defining moment in our history. And if we’re going to keep the American Dream alive -- not just for us, but for the next generation -- then we couldn’t just sit back and put off solving these big problems. We had to tackle them head on.

Job one was rescuing our economy. And that required some steps that were, frankly, unpopular -- steps like stabilizing a financial system that was on the brink of collapse, and intervening in an auto industry that was on the brink of extinction. I knew those steps would be unpopular. Even in Ohio, even in Michigan, even in auto-making states, if you polled, people said, don’t do anything about the auto companies. And I knew politics being what it is, that some people would try to score political points off our decisions.

But I think it’s fair to say -- any fair-minded person would say that if we hadn’t acted, more people in the Valley, more people in Ohio, more people across America would be out of work today. I mean, I can just give you a very concrete example -- the GM plant over in Lordstown would not be there. Because GM would have liquidated.

Instead, GM is paying back its debts, turned a profit for the first time in three years, and a third shift is about to come back to work in Lordstown, putting that plant at maximum capacity. (Applause.) Right next door. (Applause.) And by the way, it was in part because of the decisions that these three guys made in Congress. That’s not easy. They’ve been knocked -- they’ve got bumps all over the backs of their heads -- some on top. (Laughter.) But it was the right thing to do.

Today my administration is announcing a landmark agreement to help dozens of communities like Youngstown revitalize and redevelop old, shuttered GM facilities, preparing them for new industries, new jobs, and new opportunity.

These steps were the right thing to do. And it was the right thing to do to give tax relief to small businesses and working families right in the middle of this enormous recession -- 4.5 million working families in Ohio alone got tax breaks. Most of you guys didn’t know it, didn’t notice it in your paycheck. We didn’t go around advertising it. But each paycheck was a little bit bigger because of the steps that we took, and that meant that you could recirculate that money into the economy and keep demand up, which helped avert a depression. That was the right thing to do.

It was the right thing to do to give loans to small businesses to keep their doors open -- more than 2,400 right here in Ohio got small business loans, because of the Recovery Act, because of the work that these guys did.

It was the right thing to do to extend unemployment benefits and make COBRA cheaper for people caught up in the recession until they could get back on their feet. There’s probably not a single person here who doesn’t know somebody who either got unemployment benefits or used COBRA to make sure they could keep health insurance for their families when they lost their job. That was the right thing to do.

It was the right thing to do to help governors like Ted avoid massive cuts to Medicaid and layoffs to teachers and police officers.

And it was the right thing to do to invest in this town’s infrastructure. We put all of that stuff in the recovery package because it was the right thing to do.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on jobs in Ohio

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on jobs and the economy to workers at V&M Star, a manufacturer of steel products, in Youngstown, Ohio, May 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

The President went on to talk about what would have happened if the "just say no" crowd had succeeded inblocking all these efforts:

The steady progress we’re beginning to see across America would not exist. And neither would the plant that you’re about to build. So I invite anybody who thinks we shouldn’t have taken those actions that we took last year, or made those investments, to come to Youngstown and explain to us why that plant shouldn’t be built. (Applause.)

Come talk to Ted Strickland and the mayor. Come tell us why companies like this in towns like Youngstown shouldn’t be given every chance to expand and add new jobs. Tell us why small businesses shouldn’t receive tax credits so they can help purchase health insurance for their employees. Explain why seniors shouldn’t get help paying for their medications when they hit that gap called the doughnut hole. Explain why we should tell families that children with preexisting conditions aren’t going to be able to get health insurance because we decided that insurance companies should be able to do whatever they want.

They need to explain why they would be nothing to make -- doing nothing to solve some of these problems that have been plaguing America for years now, decades.

So I’m here to say, that’s not how we deal with crises. That’s not what America is about. We did not become the greatest economic power that the world has ever known by avoiding problems. The United States of America does not play for second place. We step up. We face our challenges. We compete. And we win. And that’s something we should all agree on.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Showing Our Gratitude

Dear Friend,

There's no way I could ever measure all that my own mother has done for me. She is my rock. She pushes me to be the best professional, mother, wife and friend I can be.

As a mother myself, I've come to realize that being a mom isn't always easy and that no one can do it alone.

My husband understands the many challenges facing today's mothers and their families. His Administration has taken steps to level the playing field and ease the burden.

The first bill the President signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure that no women face the same discrimination and injustices that Lilly did after 20 years on the job. When women make less money than men for the same work, families have to work harder just to get by.

The President signed an Executive Order creating the first-ever White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all Federal agencies take women and girls into account in their daily work and to ensure that our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons.

Through the Let's Move! Initiative and the President's Task Force on Childhood Obesity, we're helping to provide parents with the knowledge and tools they need to make healthy choices for their children and teach their children to make healthy choices for themselves.

This week, we are celebrating Women's Health Week to promote steps women and girls can take to lead longer, healthier and happier lives.

Mother's Day is about showing our gratitude for the mothers and mother figures who have influenced our lives. The President and I would like to extend our warmest Mother's Day wishes to all of the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends who have inspired a child.

Happy Mother's Day!

Michelle Obama











This email was sent to rtnsh_dwivedi@yahoo.com.


The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111