What is IP Address

ABSTRACT

IP address (Internet Protocol Address) is the logical address represents each node on internet. IP address is 32 bits made up of four octets. Each IP address represent unique host on internet, IP address cannot be duplicated. IP address is hierarchal in nature consist of two parts, first part of IP address is network, and second part of IP address is host part. All the infrastructure of Internet based on IP address without IP address communication is impossible. Each interface on router have IP address, point to point link require pair of IP address. Current version of IP address is IPV4 almost near its saturation level, future IP address will be 128 bits known as IPv6.IP address of IPv6 will be represented as hexadecimal rather than decimal. IP address are configured on each interface using router IOS. Information of IP addresses can be provided statically and dynamically. IP address is also used in LAN environment called private IP address. Private IP address must be unique within same LAN and can be reuse on different LAN.

Detail Overview

Growth in number of nodes creates necessity to expand small networks to massive ones, distance between source and destination exceeds, bigger information needs make computer professional think to extend the connections in order to provide connectivity among different nodes in similar as well as in different network.
The data link address (MAC-address) can only represent single PC, rather then whole network. Thousand of node in a single network is quite common now a days at enterprise level, so it's is not possible to connect whole network with public network(internet) by sharing thousands MAC addresses. Here comes the role of IP address, IP address has the ability to compensate whole network in a single address of 32 bits (4-octets in decimal), commonly know as logical address.

IP Address Subparts

IP address is generally divided into two parts.
  • One is network part
  • Second is host part
In IP address Network and host part can be easily recognized with the help of subnet mask by performing AND operation between IP address and subnet address the result will always the network address.

IP Address Format

IP address-192.168.10.10
Subnet Mask-255.255.255.0
-----------------------------
Network-192.168.10.0

IP Address efficient Utilization Techniques

CIDR (Classless intern domain routing), VLSM are the methods for efficient utilization of IP addresses. In CIDR host part of IP address can be used for subnets. Each subnet play a role like an IP address to represent entire network.

IP Address unique identity

IP address in the unique identity to represent terminals, allocated IP address can't be provided to other person.

IP Address processing

Now it makes you think, how the IP address is processed in real environment, what are the hardware and software requirements? It's quite simple, on source and destination end TCP/IP is the protocol stake which can understand the IP address and in between router is the IP address processing device having multiple interface such as Ethernet, serial, ATM etc. All the IP addresses are stored in routing database called routing table and processed by IOS (Inter-network operating system residing in the router memory). Router is an intelligent device has the ability to take decision to select the optimal path for information transmission. IP addresses can be configured statically and dynamically by routing protocols such as (RIP, RIPv2, IGRP, and ISIS etc) etc.

IP Packet Format

IP address only work at inter-network layer of TCP/IP protocol stack, data at this layer is encapsulated in IP packets, and packet is also divided into two parts.
  • IP packet Header
  • IP packet Information
IP packet Header contain information about the IP packet, source and destination are identified by each node(routers, gateways, servers) using the source and destination IP address stored in IP header fields.

IPv4 Vs IPv6

The current version of IP in usage is IP version 4 but in future it will be replaced by IPv6 which is 128 bits address to accommodate more terminals and make them available in public network. In future every device have a real IP address including cell phones, PDAs, refrigerator etc to control them remotely.
IP address currently can use for unicast, multicast and broadcast whereas in IPv6 broadcast is replaced by anycast feature.

IP Address Types

IP address is of two types.
  • Public IP address
  • Private IP address

Public IP Address

Public IP address can be accessible all over the world through Internet; IP address has generally three classes' classes in practical use.

Privae IP Address

Private address is only accessible in the LAN environment, specified range is provided for local networks.

IP address Issuing Authority

Private IP address are free to use and not visible or accessible in public network, whereas public IP address can be purchased for local ISP, websites, regional providers but the main issuing authority is IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority).

URL translation To IP Address

We are using different website by just connecting internet and providing address, thanks to IP address which make it possible to access any website. We have seen by providing address we can browse the websites, URL entered in the address bar are resolved by the DNS server, perform the role of translator form URL (www.yahoo.com) to IP address (10.10.1.20) because it is difficult to remember each and every IP address.
Internet is totally depend on IP, it's a amazing invention ever in the IT world which turn the world into the global village by removing the international boundaries, business are not operating physically also virtually and providing new opportunity to people to get advantage. IP address is like a home where whole family lives but its address can represent every member destination.



This article is contributed by Adam