An analytical business performance comparison of the IPv6 and IPv4 protocols in fixed and mobile communication services

This work gives an analytical business model comparison of the Internet IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, focusing on the business implications of intrinsic technical properties of these protocols .The technical properties modeled in business terms are: address space, payload, autoconfiguration, IP mobility, security, and flow label. Three operational cash flow focused performance indexes are defined for respectively an Internet operator or ISP, for the address domain owner, and for the end user. Special considerations are made and modeling changes for mobile Internet traffic. The effects of technical innovation in the Internet services and protocols are taken into account, as are special considerations for N.A.T. and content owners. A numerical case is provided which mimics the current state of the Internet network and services, and around which sensitivity analysis can be carried out, or such that additional service models can be added. It establishes in the case the relative advantages or disadvantages of IPv4 and IPv6 for each of the three main parties, i.e. the ISP operator, the address domain owner, and the end user.