What You Need to Know About Buying IPv4 Addresses
As the internet grows by the minute, the demand for seamless connectivity has never been greater. More and more devices and services are getting connected to the internet daily, leading to an increased demand for IP addresses. Interestingly, even though IPv4 address protocols were supposed to become obsolete by now, their demand is on the rise, too.
A lot of businesses still use IPv4 addresses for their day-to-day operations. Migrating legacy systems and networks to IPv6 is an intricate process that requires significant investment and infrastructure updates. This is why organizations are still in the market looking to buy IPv4 addresses from other businesses and network providers.
Why Do You Need to Buy IPv4 Addresses?
If you are using legacy systems and software that rely on IPv4, then you should buy more IPv4 addresses to keep your networks operational. Although IPv4 addresses are finite, you can still find them in the market for your needs. However, there are some key things to keep in mind while looking to buy IPv4 addresses.
1. Ensuring Legal and Regulatory Compliance
IPv4 addresses are subject to strict regulations by Regional Internet Registries or RIRs. They have put many standards in place to govern how IPv4 address transactions should take place. Any kind of violation can lead to serious legal consequences. In some cases, non-compliance has also resulted in the reclamation of IPv4 addresses. This is why you should adhere to the policies of the relevant RIR before making any transaction.
2. Avoiding Scams
Like any other digital commodity, IPv4 address transactions are also susceptible to scams. Sometimes, it might not be a legit seller that you have contacted, while in some cases, the IP addresses might be blacklisted by ISPs. This is why working with a reputed IPv4 broker is essential when buying IPv4 addresses. They can help you avoid scams and make the transaction smoother by ensuring compliance.
3. Assessing Cost and Use
Before you agree to buying IPv4 addresses from a seller, make sure to research the market and understand the costs. Then assess that based on your business’ needs and weigh on the feasibility of the investment. As IPv4 addresses are sold in blocks in general, you need to check your requirements properly and see if you will actually need the amount of IP addresses you are going to buy. Likewise, it is also essential to include the recurring costs of managing and maintaining the IP addresses when determining the budget.
4. Understanding the IPv4 Addresses Market
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) officially depleted its supply of IPv4 addresses in 2011. However, the usage of legacy applications and software by companies and organizations has kept the demand for IPv4 addresses high. So, if you need to expand your networks or add more devices to your organization that need unique IP addresses, you must buy IPv4 addresses from authorized individual sellers. Just note that the costs would fluctuate depending on the demand.
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5. Planning for the Future
Even though your business might need IP addresses now, consider how you are planning to move to IPv6 networks. IPv4 addresses have been exhausted globally, and newer systems are being built to support IPv6 protocols. This means an upgrade is inevitable; you just need to plan when ready. So, while you might want to buy IPv4 addresses now, you should also consider how you expect your network growth to be in the upcoming years.
If you are looking to future-proof your business networks, then starting the move to IPv6 early will be the best way to do that. You can factor in infrastructure upgrade and migration costs against the cost of buying IPv4 addresses as well to make an informed decision.
