You'd see a collage of technological developments, such as Internet backbone fortification, closed-loop services from ISPs, the movement of NAPs (network access points) to peer-to-peer, security advances and gigabit routers--all crucial to the evolution of the Internet, and all subjects covered on an ongoing basis within the pages of Network Computing.

You'd also find a focus on the needs of the key industries driving the market--entertainment, banking, publishing, telecommunications and media. All are pushing the Internet's capabilities to the edge and beyond, clamoring for something more, something better--particularly when electronic commerce is involved.

And superimposed over all of these images, you'd see a picture of the newest revision to the Internet Protocol, IPv6.

In fact, most of the changes on the Internet this year will be spurred by the advances inherent in IPv6, which fills many of the gaps in the current, now outdated protocol, IPv4.

In many ways, the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 marks the period of the Internet's adolescence. Within the user community, there's angst over upcoming standards and implementation. There's typical teenage rebellion from those who cling to the utopian view of the Internet as an unfettered and free medium for the exchange of ideas, and who eschew the Internet's blossoming commercial aspect. It's an ungainly period, in which growth spurts outpace the ability to keep up gracefully, a time when Internet architects must decide whether to buy time by deploying baling-wire-and-bubblegum add-ons to IPv4, or bite the bullet and upgrade fully to the integrated and powerful "adult" IPv6. In short, the transition to IPv6 won't be simple, but by carefully combining IPv4 upgrades with IPv6 test deployments, your network will mature without causing you any serious growing pains.

Why has IPv6 become the center of attention? To find that answer, all you have to do is follow the money. It sometimes seems every time you turn around you find someone with grand plans for online commerce, but before any of it can become reality, the Internet's plumbing must be upgraded. Before transferring age-old business processes onto this IP-based, worldwide enterprise marketplace, it must become more robust, flexible and secure. And that's where IPv6 comes in. Unlike IPv4, its successor addresses critical areas such as IP addresses and headers, QoS (quality of service), and authentication and security, to name just a few.

Bumps in the Road
But don't get overexcited; the Internet as a true, functioning virtual marketplace has some serious architectural issues to overcome before it's truly ready for prime time. For one example, speaking of prime time, consider the current inability to multicast TV programs. What's the big deal about that, you ask? Remember that one goal of e-commerce is to extend the reach of businesses that are otherwise constrained by geography, technology and cost. Now imagine the commercial--and profit--potential of a local TV programmer that can send a single show all over the world, assessing a per-view charge once surfers "tune in" to the Web site that serves as the channel for the program (see "Internet2: Testing 1, 2, 3, Testing," page 50). Or imagine a scenario in which music videos are multicast over the Web, allowing consumers to surf, listen, pick songs from a virtual jukebox and purchase music all on the same site. Such a venture could be quite profitable for an entity like MTV.