Internet Protocol
Overview
The Internet Protocol (IP) is a fundamental protocol used for relaying datagrams across network boundaries in the Internet network. It is the primary protocol that establishes the Internet by enabling internetworking, where multiple networks can connect and communicate with each other. IP is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the Internet.
History
The Internet Protocol was first developed in the 1970s as part of a project funded by the DARPA, an agency of the United States Department of Defense. The project aimed to create a network that could withstand significant disruptions, such as nuclear warfare, and continue to function.
Function
The primary function of the Internet Protocol is to provide addressing and routing for packets of data, known as datagrams, to enable them to be sent across networks and arrive at the correct destination. Each datagram has two components: the header, which contains the source and destination IP addresses, and the payload, which is the actual data being sent.
IP Versions
There are two versions of the Internet Protocol in use today: IP version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6).
IPv4
IPv4 is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol and it is the first version of the protocol to be widely deployed. IPv4 uses a 32-bit address space which provides for a total of approximately 4.3 billion addresses.
IPv6
IPv6 is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol. It was developed by the IETF to deal with the long-anticipated problem of IPv4 address exhaustion. IPv6 uses a 128-bit address, allowing for a vast number of unique addresses.
IP Addressing
Every device connected to the Internet is assigned a unique IP address for identification and location definition. IP addresses allow the location of literally billions of digital devices that are connected to the Internet to be pinpointed and differentiated from other devices.
IP Security
IP itself does not include any mechanism for providing security for the various threats to networks. However, there are protocols such as IPsec that can be used to protect IP packets during transmission.