Internet protocol (IP) is basically a rule set that guides addressing and routing data packets on the internet. Every device that connects to the internet is assigned an IP address, and this helps identify where data comes from and ensures it’s sent to the right place. Once data reaches the appropriate destination, it can be handled based on which transport protocol is used in combination with that IP.
These days, most internet traffic is routed by IPv4, the fourth version of the internet protocol. IPv4 uses 32-bit integers expressed in hexadecimal notation to route online traffic. Transfer control protocol (TCP) or user datagram protocol (UDP) are then used to allow devices to communicate with each other. The biggest problem this system faces today is the fact that IPv4 address space is simply running out. There are roughly 4.3 billion unique IPv4 addresses available in the world, and considering that so many people today have multiple devices constantly connected to the internet, we’ve run out of room. There is one way to ensure your business has the IPv4 blocks it needs, however.
Buying IP Space
The best way to make sure you always have the IP addresses you need to efficiently run a large network and keep it secure is to buy IPv4 address blocks. Your own blocks are used exclusively by you, meaning you’re guaranteed a reliable network, and it also puts you in full control of monitoring your network’s security instead of relying on an ISP to do it. When you’re in control of the transfer process, you directly limit what information can be sent out, thus protecting your organization.
Buying from reputable brokers on the IPv4 market gives you access to addresses throughout the regional internet registry (RIR), including ARIN (US, Canada, Antarctica, and parts of the Caribbean), RIPE (Europe, Central Asia, Russia, and West Asia), and APNIC (East Asia, Oceania, South Asia, and Southeast Asia). These registries exist largely to protect the IP number resource pool.
Purchasing blocks from a trustworthy IPv4 broker also helps assure your reputation, as they ensure every IP block is “clean” before selling it. Many IP addresses are placed on a sort of “reputation blacklist,” most frequently because of spam. Having IPv4 addresses with poor integrity could be costly to your organization over time.
Replacing IPv4
Over time, the goal is to transition into IPv6, a process that is already underway. The greatest advantage of IPv6 is that it will no longer be limited by 32-bit address spaces and will instead have an address space of 128-bits. Additionally, it will be able to use both letters and numbers as identifiers, effectively ensuring approximately 340 undecillion unique IP addresses. This means a single network running IPv6 could have more unique IPv6 addresses than the entire IPv4 system.
Improving Further With OKRs
You can certainly improve your organization by purchasing IPv4 transfers, but that should be only one of your major goals. You can improve even more by having a reliable system to track all of your goals. That’s where OKRs come in.
What are OKRs? The acronym stands for objectives and key results, and it’s a goal-setting management tool famously used by John Doerr to help turn Google from a relatively small business into the tech giant it is today. It’s meant to boost transparency within the company, inspire employee engagement amongst the team members, and ensure alignment between company goals.
Your objectives are the primary business goals for your entire organization. They should be easily understandable, and it’s advisable to only pursue a few good OKRs at a time. An example could be to ensure you’re only using clean IP blocks by next year. Key results are how you measure your progress toward your objectives. In this example, your key results would be determined by how quickly you were able to transfer your network to your new IP blocks.
With an effective OKR system and a more efficient and secure network, your company will be able to achieve significant growth.
